So, you think China is in the first place, don’t you? Or perhaps it’s the country where sushi comes from. They certainly eat a lot of rice…Well, guess again! Or simply read Insider Monkey’s 12 countries with highest rice consumption per capita. You probably didn’t expect to see Africa on the list either.

Rice is exquisite food. Its taste is usually neutral, and it makes rice an excellent side dish. You can add different spices to create incredible sensations for your palate. Also, rice health benefits and advantages are always mentioned at food blogs. Usually, brown rice gets more praise, but the white type is very good, too. These are the two types most people are aware of, though there’s much more to it than meets the eye. This food gives you energy while being low in calories, so it’s everyone’s favorite when they’re on a diet. In addition, it aids skin care and digestion. Needless to say, your immune system loves it. But let’s talk figures here.

You’ll see how much rice is consumed in the whole country every year, and how many kilograms of rice an average citizen consumes in a year. When we talk about the entire country, the figures are represented in millions of tons. Since meat is almost inevitable in all rice dishes, you’ll see which countries consume the most beef and poultry. Also, did you know the Asian equivalent of the almighty chicken soup is nothing else but a rice porridge?  As for the desserts, there’s a country which is the world’s leader in eating chocolate. By the way, all this is the most recent data.

Aren’t you getting hungry yet? Get some rice to boil and in the meantime read about countries which really have an appetite for this wonderful food in  12 countries with highest rice consumption per capita.