Global per capita tea consumption as of 2016, by country
This statistic compares the per capita consumption of tea worldwide as of 2016, ranked by country. As of 2016, Turkey was ranked first with an annual tea consumption of just under seven pounds on average per person.
Tea consumption - additional information
Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, after water. There are many types of teas, depending on their oxidation levels: green, yellow, oolong and black. Well-known varieties of black tea include Darjeeling, Assam, Turkish and Ceylon teas.
This fragrant beverage originated in China in 2737 BC. According to myth, a Chinese emperor was sitting under a Camellia sinensis tree while his servant boiled drinking water. The wind blew some leaves from the tree into the water and the emperor decided to try the drink that his servant created by accident. The tea culture was established in China for several centuries before it came to the West. Tea drinking was introduced in Japan during the late eighth century and became an important part of the Japanese culture. In the United Kingdom, tea is recognized as one of the country’s cultural beverages. Tea is also a popular beverage in Middle Eastern cultures.
In 2016, Turkey was the largest tea-consuming country in the world, with a per capita tea consumption of approximately 6.96 pounds per year. In contrast, China had an annual consumption of 1.25 pounds per person. In 2015, China was the leading global tea producer, followed by India and Kenya. That year, worldwide tea production amounted to around 5.2 million metric tons.
Tea consumption - additional information
Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, after water. There are many types of teas, depending on their oxidation levels: green, yellow, oolong and black. Well-known varieties of black tea include Darjeeling, Assam, Turkish and Ceylon teas.
This fragrant beverage originated in China in 2737 BC. According to myth, a Chinese emperor was sitting under a Camellia sinensis tree while his servant boiled drinking water. The wind blew some leaves from the tree into the water and the emperor decided to try the drink that his servant created by accident. The tea culture was established in China for several centuries before it came to the West. Tea drinking was introduced in Japan during the late eighth century and became an important part of the Japanese culture. In the United Kingdom, tea is recognized as one of the country’s cultural beverages. Tea is also a popular beverage in Middle Eastern cultures.
In 2016, Turkey was the largest tea-consuming country in the world, with a per capita tea consumption of approximately 6.96 pounds per year. In contrast, China had an annual consumption of 1.25 pounds per person. In 2015, China was the leading global tea producer, followed by India and Kenya. That year, worldwide tea production amounted to around 5.2 million metric tons.
