Where Is Tea Grown? The Top Producing Countries

China and India are by far the world's largest tea producers, together accounting for more than half of global production. Beyond them, countries like Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam round out the list of major growers, each with its own specialties.

Top Tea-Producing Countries

1. China

China leads global production, with an estimated 30–35% of the world's tea. It grows the widest range of varieties anywhere — green, oolong, white, pu-erh, yellow, and jasmine — and tea remains central to Chinese culture, medicine, and daily life. Green tea is by far the most consumed type domestically.

2. India

India is home to more than a billion tea drinkers, and over 70% of what it produces is consumed within the country rather than exported. It's best known for Assam and Darjeeling black teas, along with the milky, spiced chai blends popular in the north.

3. Kenya

Around 90% of Kenya's tea comes from small farms of less than an acre rather than large estates. The country has focused heavily on developing hardier tea varieties suited to shifting climate conditions.

4. Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's tea industry dates to 1867, when a British planter started a small plantation in Kandy. Under its former name, Ceylon, the country built one of the world's best-known tea industries, now employing over a million workers and producing Ceylon black, green, and white teas.

5. Vietnam

Vietnam's tea industry combines large modern producers with small artisanal growers. Roughly 60% of production is black tea and 35% green, with the remainder going into specialty blends like lotus or jasmine tea. Vietnam also produces Shan Tuyet, made from wild tea trees found only in a few regions.

6. Turkey

Nearly all of Turkey's tea comes from a small region near Rize on the Black Sea coast, where the humid climate is ideal for growing. Turkey mainly produces black tea (often called Rize tea) and protects its domestic market with steep tariffs on imports, despite the country also being famous for its coffee culture.

7. Indonesia

Indonesia exports a large share of its harvest — around 65% as of recent data — with production centered on black tea and smaller amounts of green tea. Much of what's grown domestically goes into blends with other teas and herbs.

8. Myanmar

Myanmar's tea plantations are concentrated in Shan State near the Chinese border. A new generation of organic growers has helped the country's tea gain wider recognition in recent years.

9. Iran

Black tea dominates Iranian production. Tea only became widely grown domestically in the 1880s, after seeds were brought from India; before that, tea reached Iran via overland trade routes from China.

10. Bangladesh

Bangladesh grows tea in its northern and eastern highlands, where humidity and heavy rainfall favor high-quality black tea. Despite being a major producer, high domestic demand means the country also imports tea.

11. Argentina

Argentina's subtropical climate suits both Indian and Assamica tea varieties, and black tea makes up most of its production. The country is more famous, though, for yerba mate, a related herbal infusion that's Argentina's national drink.

12. Japan

Japan exports less than 2% of what it grows because domestic demand is so high. About 99.9% of Japanese tea production is green tea, most of it steamed rather than pan-fired, ranging from everyday bancha to sencha, genmaicha, and hojicha.

Which Countries Drink the Most Tea?

By per-capita consumption, the leaders are typically Turkey, Ireland, and the United Kingdom — not China or Japan, despite their large production volumes. Other top consumers include Russia, Morocco, New Zealand, Egypt, Poland, and Saudi Arabia.

FAQ

What two countries grow the most tea?

China and India, which together account for more than half of the world's tea production.

Which country drinks the most tea per person?

Turkey consistently ranks at or near the top for per-capita tea consumption, ahead of the UK and Ireland.

Does the US grow tea?

The US grows only a small amount of tea commercially compared to major producers, and relies almost entirely on imports to meet demand.

The Bottom Line

Tea production is dominated by China and India, but a dozen or more countries — from Kenya to Argentina to Japan — each bring their own climate, techniques, and specialty varieties to the crop. For a deeper look at specific styles these countries are known for, see our guides to oolong tea benefits and types of black tea.