Chapter I

Origins

Coffee grows in a belt around the middle of the Earth. Every pin on this map opens one of its countries.

The biggest producers

  1. 1Brazil
  2. 1Uganda
  3. 2Vietnam
  4. 3Colombia
  5. 4Indonesia
  6. 5Ethiopia
  7. 7India
  8. 8Honduras
  9. 9Tanzania
  10. 10Mexico

Africa

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
AngolaOnce the world's third-largest producer (1973), Angola now grows little coffee, mostly naturally processed robusta from Uíge and the Kwanza provinces. — Amboim, Uíge
BurundiSmall East African arabica origin, Bourbon-derived and grown by many smallholders. Cups often show bright acidity, red fruit and sweetness. 1,500–2,000 m Kayanza, Ngozi, Kirundo, Muyinga, Gitega
CameroonGrows both robusta, the larger crop, and arabica, which is planted on the Bamileke and Bamaoun high plateaus in the west. — West / Bamileke, Northwest / Boyo
Côte d'IvoireWest African robusta origin, once among the world's top producers, grown mostly by smallholders at low elevation and mainly naturally processed. 300–400 m Nationwide Production
Democratic Republic of the CongoEastern arabica from the Kivu and Ituri highlands, washed at cooperative micro-stations and rebuilding after decades of conflict. — North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri
EthiopiaAfrica's top coffee producer and home of the Kaldi legend, with regional cups from floral and tea-like to winey and cocoa-toned. 1,500–2,200 m Sidama, Gedeo (Yirgacheffe), Guji, West Arsi, Harrar
KenyaEast African arabica graded by bean size, with AA the largest screen. Often bright and fruit-driven, with blackcurrant a common note. 1,400–2,000 m Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Embu
MadagascarMostly hand-picked, naturally processed robusta from tropical lowlands, plus some highland arabica. Home to dozens of wild coffee species. — Sambirano, SAVA, Itasy
MalawiSmall arabica origin in northern Malawi. The Misuku Hills (about 1,700-2,000 m) are the standout zone, with smallholders organised through a cooperative union. 1,500–2,000 m Misuku Hills, Viphya
RwandaBourbon-dominant arabica from smallholders at roughly 1,700-2,000 m, mostly fully washed at stations rebuilt after 1994. Often clean and full-bodied. 1,700–2,000 m Western (Nyamasheke), Western (Rutsiro), Southern (Huye), Southern (Nyaruguru), Northern (Gakenke)
São Tomé and PríncipeTiny Gulf of Guinea island producer, mostly robusta with some arabica and liberica, yielding only a few tonnes a year. 0–1,500 m
South SudanWild arabica grows on the Boma Plateau, recognised in 2021 as a second centre of origin. Commercial coffee is minimal and centred on Equatoria in the south. — Boma Plateau, Yei
TanzaniaRoughly 70% arabica and 30% robusta, mostly from smallholders. Graded by bean size and density, with peaberry a named grade. — Kilimanjaro/Arusha, Mbeya/Songwe, Ruvuma/Mbinga, Kagera (Robusta), Kigoma
UgandaCoffee is Uganda's top export. Robusta grows wild around Lake Victoria and arabica grows on Mount Elgon's slopes. — Bugisu / Mt Elgon, Rwenzori, Central Robusta Belt
ZambiaArabica-only origin in the northern highlands (Kasama, Mbala, Isoka), mostly washed SL-28 and Catimor grown at roughly 1,300-1,600 m. 1,300–1,600 m Northern Province / Kasama, Muchinga
ZimbabweEastern Highlands arabica origin (Chipinge, Vumba, Honde Valley) growing mostly rust-resistant Catimor. A far smaller producer than in the early 1990s. 850–1,500 m Honde Valley, Chimanimani

Asia

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
ChinaNearly all of it comes from Yunnan, mostly Catimor arabica sold as commercial grade, though a small specialty segment reports brighter, fruited cups. 1,300–1,400 m Yunnan
IndiaShade-grown coffee, often among pepper and cardamom, with robusta making up roughly two-thirds of a crop that is mostly exported. 500–1,500 m Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha
IndonesiaIndonesia spans an island chain where wet-hulled Sumatran and Sulawesi arabica, washed Java and Bali lots, and a large robusta crop all sit under one flag. 1,110–2,000 m Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara
LaosCoffee grows mainly on the Bolaven Plateau in the south, where robusta outweighs arabica. Lao arabica is described as medium-bodied with mild citrus. 1,000–1,350 m Bolaven Plateau
MalaysiaSmall robusta and liberica producer best known for kopi, a dark-roasted, caramelised coffee traditionally filtered through a cloth sock. — Johor
MyanmarSmall specialty origin: arabica from Shan State highlands and Pyin Oo Lwin, often described as balanced, with citrus, stone fruit and chocolate notes. 900–1,700 m Shan State, Mandalay Region
NepalSmall Himalayan arabica origin, often described as bright and floral-fruity. Gulmi is credited with introducing coffee to Nepal. 1,000–2,100 m Gulmi, Palpa, Kaski, Lalitpur, Kavrepalanchok
PhilippinesPhilippine coffee spans four species: Barako liberica in Batangas and Cavite, highland arabica in the Cordillera, and robusta as the bulk crop. 300–1,800 m Batangas-Cavite, Mountain Province
Saudi ArabiaHome of Khawlani coffee, grown on mountain terraces in Jazan, Al Baha and Asir. UNESCO inscribed its cultivation knowledge in 2022. — Jazan / Fayfa, Asir, Al Baha
Sri LankaOnce a top coffee exporter until leaf rust struck in 1869, Sri Lanka now grows a little arabica, mostly on smallholdings, in central highland districts. — Nuwara Eliya
TaiwanSmall arabica origin, mostly sold at home. Yunlin, Alishan and Pingtung lead, and cups often show low to muted acidity. — Alishan, Gukeng-Yunlin
ThailandNorthern highland arabica and a large southern robusta industry, with a coffee story rooted in 1970s efforts to replace opium poppies. 800–1,200 m Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Chumphon
Timor-LesteSmall smallholder origin in the central highlands, known for the Timor Hybrid, a natural arabica and robusta cross. Cups often lean full-bodied, low acid. 900–1,800 m Ermera, Atsabe
VietnamVietnam is overwhelmingly a robusta origin, with the Central Highlands producing most of it and small arabica pockets in cooler, higher uplands. 300–1,400 m Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Gia Lai, Đắk Nông, Kon Tum
YemenHistoric origin of the coffee trade, with heirloom arabica on terraced highlands. Natural lots tend toward dried fruit, dark chocolate and syrupy body. 1,500–2,500 m Haraz, Haymah, Sana'a, Hajjah, Ibb

Oceania

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
AustraliaTiny arabica origin in Far North Queensland and northern NSW, harvested mechanically. Cups tend toward sweet, clean and chocolatey. — Atherton Tablelands, Northern New South Wales
Papua New GuineaHighland arabica from smallholder 'coffee gardens' dominates, with a smaller estate sector. Cups tend toward medium body, modest acidity and fruity notes. — Eastern Highlands Province, Western Highlands Province, Simbu Province, Jiwaka Province, Morobe Province

North America

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
Costa RicaCoffee since 1779, now mapped by ICAFE into seven regions, with the finest lots grown around 1,200-1,700 m. Tarrazú is often seen as the top area. 600–1,900 m Tarrazú, West Valley, Central Valley, Tres Ríos, Brunca
El SalvadorA small volcanic-arc origin organized into six named mountain ranges, and the country where Pacas was found and Pacamara was bred. — Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Alotepec-Metapán, El Bálsamo-Quezaltepec, Cacahuatique, Chichontepec
GuatemalaEight ANACAFÉ-defined coffee regions, five volcanic and three not, with cups that range from chocolatey to floral. 1,300–2,000 m Antigua, Acatenango, Atitlán, Cobán, Fraijanes
HondurasBecame Central America's top coffee producer in 2011. Marcala holds the first protected origin denomination for coffee. — Copán, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, Agalta
JamaicaThe island's highest coffee slopes carry a legally defined designation once famously shipped abroad in wooden barrels rather than jute sacks. 15–1,800 m Blue Mountain
MexicoMostly washed arabica from Chiapas, Veracruz and Oaxaca, graded by altitude into Bueno Lavado, Prima Lavado and Altura. 900–2,200 m Chiapas, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Puebla, Guerrero
NicaraguaCoffee since the 1850s, historically strongest in Matagalpa and Jinotega. The northern departments together are called Las Segovias. — Jinotega, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Estelí, Madriz
PanamaA small highland origin whose 2004 farm discovery, Geisha, went on to fetch record prices at auction. — Boquete, Volcán, Renacimiento
Puerto RicoOnce ranked the world's seventh-largest coffee producer, Puerto Rico now has a small, niche gourmet industry after decline and hurricanes. 700–1,200 m Yauco, Adjuntas, Jayuya, Utuado, Lares
United States of AmericaHawaii is the main US coffee origin, led by Kona. Volcanic-slope farms harvest mostly from August to December, and Kona name rules are strict. — Kona, Ka'u, Maui (Kula), Kauai, Molokai

Caribbean

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
CubaCoffee grown mostly in the Sierra Maestra under forest canopy, developed by French planters who fled Haiti. — Sierra Maestra, Escambray
Dominican RepublicMostly washed arabica from mountain zones, introduced by Spanish settlers in the early 1700s. Guides describe cups as smooth and naturally sweet. 600–1,500 m Cibao, Barahona, Ocoa, Juncalito, Valdesia
HaitiSaint-Domingue supplied about half the world's coffee by 1788. Today Typica arabica dominates coffee grown across all ten departments. — Thiotte / Belle-Anse, Marmelade, Baptiste, Grand'Anse

South America

CountryHarvestAltitudeRegions
BoliviaA small, very high-altitude Andean origin centred on the Yungas of La Paz department. 800–2,300 m Yungas, Samaipata
BrazilThe world's largest producer for about 150 years, growing mostly dry-processed arabica whose classic profile is mild and low in acidity. 400–1,600 m Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Paraná, Bahia
ColombiaA three-cordillera Andean origin whose southern zone tends toward bright acidity and complex sweetness, with a mild, balanced national reputation. 1,000–2,000 m Huila, Nariño, Cauca, Tolima, Antioquia
EcuadorA small, declining origin split between lowland robusta, Andean arabica, and a tiny Galápagos crop. 130–2,300 m Loja, Zamora-Chinchipe, Pichincha, Manabí, Galápagos
PeruAndean origin on the Amazon-facing slope, a leading organic exporter, with cups that vary widely from region to region. 1,000–1,800 m Cajamarca, Amazonas, San Martín, Villa Rica, Cusco
VenezuelaOnce the world's second-largest coffee producer, Venezuela now grows under 1% of the world total, mostly for domestic drinking. Andean highlands lead. 800–1,700 m Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, Portuguesa

Place positions: GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Coastlines: Natural Earth (public domain).