Where the World Eats the Most & Least Meat

Which countries eat the most meat? According to UN Food and Agriculture Organization data reported by website Our World in data, the United States and Australia are the top of the global meat-eating league with more than 120 kg consumed per capita in 2020. Countries which top 100 kg of meat consumed per person and year also include Mongolia, Argentina, Spain and Serbia. While wealthier countries tend to eat more meat, the status of meat in local cuisine also plays a major role in consumption patterns.

The least meat in the world is eaten in Africa as well as in South Asia - due to meat being unaffordable for many in the regions, cultural factors or a mix of both. India was actually the country with the fourth lowest meat consumption in the survey, behind Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bangladesh. The economic and supply struggles in conflict regions are also visible on the map, with very little meat consumed in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen. This also applies to North Korea.

Studies, like this landmark release by Nature in 2018, have found that Western countries would have to reduce their meat intake by 90 percent to limit climate change to acceptable levels. To ensure that nutritional needs continue to be met with reduced meat production, the survey recommends increasing the consumption of beans and other pulses to create a climate-friendly protein supply.