Meat Consumption By Country

Claimed by many as a dietary essential, and by some, a delicacy, meat consumption varies tremendously across the world. Meat, the edible flesh of animals consumed by humans, played a significant role in our evolutionary history and has been a key component of human diets since time immemorial. Today, meat consumption speaks volumes about a country's cultural, economic, and sometimes, even political nuances.

• The charts are topped by Hong Kong, with a staggering per person meat consumption of 137.08 kg, closely followed by the United States and Australia.
• An interesting trend visible is the high consumption of meat in developed countries, including the likes of New Zealand, Spain, and Israel, all of which are in the top ten countries for meat consumption.
• Contrastingly, low-income countries, predominantly from Africa and Asia, such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and India, reported the lowest meat consumption per capita.
• Europe seems to be a high meat-consuming region, with many European countries like Portugal, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom featuring in the top 30.
• An important outlier to note is Argentina. Despite being an emerging economy, it ranks fourth in meat consumption, signifying the cultural importance of meat in Argentinian cuisine, especially beef.

Topping the charts is Hong Kong, with 137.08 kg of meat consumed per person. Following Hong Kong, the United States residents report a considerable meat diet too, with a total of 124.11 kg of meat consumption per person.

The "Land Down Under," Australia, ranks third, with a per-person meat consumption of 121.61 kg. Australian cuisine is a fusion of indigenous, British, and Mediterranean influences, amplifying their consumption of various kinds of meat.

South American nation Argentina, despite being an emerging economy, holds the fourth spot driven by their cultural significance of meat, particularly beef, leading to a high consumption rate of 109.39 kg per person. 

The other countries that complete the top ten list include New Zealand (100.9 kg), Spain (100.26 kg), Israel (97.02 kg), Samoa (96.68 kg), Portugal (94.07 kg), and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (91.05 kg).

Countries that Consume the Most Meat:

1. Hong Kong - 137.08 kg
2. United States - 124.11 kg
3. Australia - 121.61 kg
4. Argentina - 109.39 kg
5. New Zealand - 100.9 kg
6. Spain - 100.26 kg
7. Israel - 97.02 kg
8. Samoa - 96.68 kg
9. Portugal - 94.07 kg
10. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 91.05 kg