World Coffee producing area | detailed description of each major coffee producing area | Top 10 coffee producing countries in the world

Have you ever wondered where the coffee you had this morning came from? The main coffee growing areas in the world are sandwiched between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Cancer. The cultivation of coffee has expanded from its birthplace Africa to the east and west, forming the so-called "bean belt".

Although Brazil is dominant in quantity (nearly 3 million metric tons), coffee-growing areas cover subtropical and equatorial regions around the world. In fact, coffee cultivation was reintroduced to Vietnam in the mid-1980s and the country is now the second largest coffee exporter.

Coffee-growing areas of America

Mexico is the ninth largest coffee exporter in the world in North America. Production is mainly concentrated in the south-central and southern parts of the country and grows particularly well in the Sokonusco coastal area of Chiapas near the Guatemalan border.

In Central and South America, coffee-growing areas such as Guatemala and Colombia have rugged terrain and rich volcanic soil, which is good for coffee growth. Colombian coffee is famous for the quality and taste of its beans and is the third largest coffee exporter in the world after Vietnam.

But the world's largest coffee supplier is Brazil-which has about 10,000 square miles of plantations, mostly in the southeastern states-a country that has maintained that title for the past 150 years.

This map is incomplete without mention of Peru, Honduras and Costa Rica. Although the output is less than 4% of Brazil's, Costa Rica has earned a reputation for some of the best coffee in central America. Most coffee production takes place on small farms.

Coffee growing area of Africa

It is said that Ethiopia is the hometown of coffee trees. A shepherd named Caldy noticed that his sheep were full of energy when they ate a little red berries. Out of curiosity, he tasted some himself and was soon convinced that he had found a valuable source of energy.

Ethiopia is the first coffee growing region in Africa (and the first consumer). Production of up to 860 million pounds, still dominated by manual cultivation and drying, is strictly regulated by coffee and tea authorities to avoid market concentration.

Interestingly, Ethiopia's neighboring Kenya was introduced to the coffee industry by Father Holy Spirit of France in the early 19th century. Although Kenya's coffee production may be considered secret, at only 51000 tons a year, it is a major player in the coffee industry and is popular all over the world.

Asian coffee growing area

Continuing our bean belt tour, let's visit Asia and its two main coffee growing areas: Vietnam and Indonesia.

Vietnam appeared on the coffee planting map in the 19th century and established its own plantation system to become an economic power. Production was interrupted by the Vietnam War, and although production was quite low, it eventually resumed production. In the mid-1980s, allowing privately owned coffee farms once again boosted the industry. Since then, Vietnam's production has been growing steadily, reaching 3 billion pounds in 2014, second only to Brazil.

But when it comes to coffee, people naturally think of some exotic names, such as Java and Sumatra. Java coffee production began in the 17th century, originally invented by the Dutch, who began to export coffee to the rest of the world. To this day, we know and use the term "a cup of java".

Indonesia produces about 6% of the world's coffee, but it provides the world with unparalleled "old coffee". Like wine and cheese, coffee beans have a unique mellow taste and reduced acidity after being preserved in a warm and humid climate for a period of time.