<Tr> <Td> Zambia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Zimbabwe </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Country / region </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Drinking age </Th> <Th> Purchase age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Anguilla </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Antigua and Barbuda </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> The sale and distribution of alcohol to a person under 16 years of age is illegal . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Argentina </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bahamas </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Barbados </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> Those aged 10--17 are allowed to consume alcohol provided they are with a parent or guardian . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Belize </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> Drinking age is rarely enforced . IDs are almost never requested . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bermuda </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bolivia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> British Virgin Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 16 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Canada </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> In Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, the legal drinking age is 18 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 19 </Td> <Td> In Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut, the legal drinking age is 19 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cayman Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Chile </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The minimum age is 18 to enter an enclosure that sells alcoholic beverages . Selling alcohol to a minor may incur a fine . One must provide identification upon request . Residents of Chile over the age of 18 must carry their Chilean identification card issued by the Civil Registry and Identification Service at all times . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Colombia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Costa Rica </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cuba </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dominican Republic </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ecuador </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> El Salvador </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Falkland Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Grenada </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Guatemala </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Guyana </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> Except 16 for wine or malt liquor to be consumed with a meal </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Haiti </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> None </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Honduras </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jamaica </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Minors can drink if accompanied by parent or legal guardian as well as someone with permission from their parent or legal guardian . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mexico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> A person must be eighteen years or over to legally purchase and consume alcoholic beverages in Mexico . The drinking age however isn't strictly enforced, and IDs are barely requested . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nicaragua </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Panama </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Paraguay </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 20 </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> According to Art . 1 ° of the law to "ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors", it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol or to allow the consumption by minors under 20 years of age . </Li> <Li> Furthermore, under Art 2 ° all public establishments selling alcohol must display a clearly legible notice in the sales area with the following text: "ESTA PROHIBIDA LA VENTA DE BEBIDAS ALCOHÓLICAS A MENORES DE VEINTE AÑOS DE EDAD" (It is illegal (prohibited) to sell alcoholic beverages to minors under 20 years of age) </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Peru </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Puerto Rico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The minimum age for the selling of any alcohol beverage is 18 . Although a valid Puerto Rico license ID or passport is required as proof of age to buyers who look under the age of 18, it is generally not a common practice to ask for ID to enter a venue that sells alcohol or to sell you alcohol at other establishments . This law can be more enforced in some tourist areas and on foreigners visiting the island by some more exclusive hotels, bars, and upscale clubs . A few of the more exclusive venues in the tourist areas may have their own entrance rules regarding age including not allowing anyone under the age of 25 or 23 to enter and consume alcohol or change this depending on specific nights / events and restricted by gender / sex (i.e. women over 18 allowed to enter but only men over 21 on that same night). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Trinidad and Tobago </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Turks and Caicos Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United States (50 states and integral territories) </Td> <Td> Varies by jurisdiction </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 withholds revenue from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of twenty - one . Prior to the effective date of that Act, the drinking age varied from state to state . Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is that food is served only in the latter). Contrary to popular belief, since the act went into law, only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private settings . As of January 1, 2010, fifteen states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, seventeen states do not ban underage consumption, and the remaining eighteen states have family member or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws . <P> Federal law explicitly provides for religious exceptions . As of 2005, thirty - one states have family member or location exceptions to their underage possession laws . However, non-alcoholic beer in many (but not all) states, such as Idaho, Texas, and Maryland, is considered legal for those under the age of twenty - one . </P> <P> By a judge's ruling, South Carolina appears to allow the possession and consumption of alcohol by adults eighteen to twenty years of age, but a circuit court judge has said otherwise . </P> <P> The states of Washington and Wisconsin allows the consumption of alcohol in the presence of parents . </P> <P> Some U.S. states have legislation that make providing to and possession of alcohol by persons under twenty - one a gross misdemeanor with a potential penalty of a $5,000 fine or up to year in jail . </P> See also: Minor in Possession and List of alcohol laws of the United States </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United States Virgin Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Uruguay </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Venezuela </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Country / region </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr>

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