Coffee

Coffee is the third most popular drink in the world. Only water and tea are consumed more. Despite the many flavours of coffee, there are two main beans: arabica, which accounts for about 70% of coffee production and robusta, which is cheaper and easier to grow.

These were the top ten producers of coffee in 2015:

1) Brazil
2) Vietnam
3) Colombia
4) Indonesia
5) Ethiopia
6) India
7) Honduras
8) Uganda
9) Mexico
10) Guatemala

Brazil is the undisputed leader in coffee production. Most of the coffee plantations of Brazil are located in the southeast.

Vietnam has a relatively small area, but is a major coffee exporter. Coffee is a very important part of the Vietnamese economy. It is the second main export after rice.

Colombian coffee is world-famous. Colombia was once the second exporter of coffee, but has moved to third place because of the increase in coffee production by Vietnam.

Coffee production was introduced to Indonesia by the Dutch colonists. The robusta bean accounts for most of the coffee production in Indonesia.

Ethiopia is the top African producer of coffee. The arabica bean is the most common in Ethiopian coffee production. Coffee is a very big part of the Ethiopian economy.

Though tea is undoubtedly more popular than coffee in India, it is a top ten producer of coffee. Most of the coffee produced in India comes from the south. About 80% of Indian coffee is for export.

Honduras is the top Central American producer of coffee. Coffee is a very important part of the Honduran economy.

Coffee is the top export in the central African nation of Uganda. The country produces both arabica and robusta beans.

Mexico produces mostly arabica beans. The majority of Mexican coffee production is in coastal areas near the Guatemalan border.

Guatemala produces an amount of coffee which is not so far behind that of Mexico. It is the second biggest producer in Central America.

Coffee is a very important commodity and an important export for many countries. In fact, it is a vital part of the economies of Vietnam, Ethiopia, Honduras and Uganda. Of the top ten coffee producers, three are in North America, three are in Asia, two are in Africa and two are in South America.