I was talking to my Mum during a roast and she had mentioned “Hey! I wonder if there is a country that does NOT drink coffee? That was a fantastic question and I always thought coffee was consumed everywhere world wide.
OK, so we all know that coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, there are a few nations where coffee consumption is extremely low or even discouraged.
1. North Korea
- Coffee is not commonly consumed in North Korea, as tea is the preferred drink.
- It’s considered a luxury product, and only wealthy individuals or foreigners have access to it.
2. Turkmenistan
- In 2000, the government banned coffee imports for a time, making it rare.
- Even today, tea is far more common than coffee in daily life.
3. Bhutan
- Bhutanese people traditionally drink butter tea (Suja) instead of coffee.
- While coffee is available in cities, it’s not a daily habit for most.
4. Yemen (Ironically!)
- Yemen was one of the first places to cultivate coffee, but due to economic struggles and conflicts, coffee drinking has declined in favour of qat (a mild stimulant leaf).
5. Some Tea-Dominant Nations
While not banned, coffee is much less popular in:
- China – Tea dominates, though coffee is growing in popularity.
- Japan – Tea culture is strong, but coffee is gaining ground.
- India – Tea is the national drink, though South India has a strong filter coffee culture.
Would you ever give up coffee for tea? Yikes, I don’t think I can. I do not drink coffee to wake-up. I wake-up to drink coffee. This to most coffee enthusiast would say that coffee drinking in the morning gives you a deep spiritual connection and opens your mind for daily creativity.