The world’s biggest wine drinkers live on a tiny island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean

When it comes to global wine consumption, you’d expect France, Italy, or Spain to come out on top as the world’s biggest oenophiles.

Norfolk Island has an estimated population of 1,500.

But it turns out the heaviest drinkers can be found on a tiny, remote island you may not have even heard of, according to new data released by expat website Movehub.

Norfolk Island, an Australian islet more than 1,400km from the mainland and just 8km long, consumes more wine per capita than anywhere else in the world, with the 1,500-strong population spending nearly £500 per year on the beverage.

The findings came from Movehub’s annual Wine Consumption Study, which looked at the spending habits of people all over the world in both on and off-trade.

Each islander spends on average over £486 each year on wine, the equivalent of almost 78 bottles, or a magnum per week.

Norfolk Island was first settled by East Polynesians, but was eventually settled by British migrants as part of its settlement of Australia from 1788.

On 8 June 1856, permanent civilian residence on the island began when it was settled from Pitcairn Island, and in 1914 the UK handed Norfolk Island over to Australia to administer as an external territory.

Norfolk Island has just one winery; Two Chimneys Wines, which was established by Rod and Noelene McAlpine in 2006.

Two Chimneys produces a range of both varietal and blended wines, including a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend, as well as Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

The Vatican, which held the largest wine consumption title last year, is still home to Europe’s biggest drinkers, but fell to second place this year with an average spend of £462.

Despite being home to the Old World’s key wine-growing regions, France, Spain and Italy didn’t even make it into the top five.

Instead, the small European nation of Andorra came third, with natives sinking an average of 66 bottles annually, followed by Croatia and Portugal, where 63.3 and 61.8 bottles are drunk respectively each year.

The UK came 31st in the study, with just 26 bottles consumed per capita.