Rice Consumption by Country 2025

Top 10 Countries that Consume the Most Rice

Rice is a dietary staple in many countries, particularly across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is actually part of the grass family. The two cultivated species of rice are Asian rice (Oryza sativa), which is grown worldwide, and African rice (Oryza glaberrima), traditionally cultivated in parts of West Africa. Wild rice refers to species in the genus Zizania, which are aquatic grasses native to North America and China. Though called ‘rice,’ they are not closely related to Oryza species but have been partially domesticated in some regions.

Initially domesticated in the Yangtze River basin in China 13,500 years ago, rice is plentiful across Asia and Africa. A cereal grain, rice is a tropical crop growing in both dry and wet seasons. The most common method of cultivating rice involves flooding the field, a practice typically carried out in what’s known as a rice paddy. This helps water and protect the plant from vermin and disease.

The rice plant has slender green stems topped with panicles (flower clusters), which typically self-pollinate. The flower’s seeds are the edible cereal. Rice is classified by grain length as long, medium, or short. Rice contains water, protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and a small amount of fat. The grain’s nutrients vary by type - wild, white, brown, red, purple, or black.

This versatile grain ranks third in worldwide agricultural production by volume, following sugarcane and maize. It is an essential world commodity for basic nutrition and calories. Global rice consumption continues to increase - surpassing roughly 510 million metric tons of milled rice. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, over 50% of the world’s population relies on rice in their daily diet - providing roughly 20% of the world’s calories.

Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming. Arabian dishes use rice in soups and with fish, poultry, or lamb. Rice is also the main ingredient in a porridge known as congee.

The Gambia tops the world rankings in rice consumption at 379 kg per person consumed annually, as of 2021. The Gambian rice-based diet stems from a long-standing cultural and regional tradition, particularly among communities in the River Gambia basin where rice cultivation has deep historical roots.

Other countries that consume large quantities of rice annually include Comoros at 296 kg per person per year, Myanmar at 271 kg, and Bangladesh at 264 kg. Cambodia is the fifth-highest consumer of rice products at 252 kilograms per person per year.

The countries with the next highest rice consumption per capita are Vietnam (229 kg), Laos (222 kg), and Guinea-Bissau (220 kg). Rounding out the top ten list of countries that have a rice-centric diet are the Philippines at 191 kg and Sri Lanka at 183 kg. In comparison, Americans consume only 11.5 kg per person yearly. Tunisians consume the least rice annually at 1.24 kg per person.