The Ultimate World Coffee Map

We all enjoy a cup of steaming hot coffee in the morning. And perhaps, a few more cups throughout the day. But have you ever wondered where the coffee beans that go into your come originate from?

Well, we got curious, and decided to find out.

The short answer is, it could be from anywhere around the world. It could even be a blend of beans originating from different places. But if you’ve ever seen whole coffee beans, then they were definitely grown in the regions highlighted in the map below.

Instructions: Click on the country you want to know more about.

Have you ever thought: How Does The Origin Of The Bean Influence A Cup Of Brewed Coffee?

If you’ve ever bought a bag of specialty coffee beans, you might have noticed the label describes it as “notes of chocolate, caramel, and blueberries.” These taste descriptors are specific to the farm or estate where the coffee was grown. But the country (and to a greater extent, the specific region) influences these flavor profiles that end up in your cup.

Even though these flavor profiles are most evident in single origin or third wave coffee beans, some common characteristics of beans originating from a country make them evident even in blends.

The world’s total production of coffee is split between the 2 main types of beans: Arabica & Robusta. In 2018, around 60% of the beans produced in the world were Arabica, and that’s what you’ll find in most cafes and roasteries. Robusta beans are mainly used to make instant coffee and sometimes in certain blends. Do note that there are other coffee bean varieties, including Liberica and Excelsa.

Interested in finding out what flavor profiles are common to which country’s coffee beans? Let’s dive in.

Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee beans. In the year 2018, they produced nearly 3.78 billion kilos of coffee beans. That’s close to 37% of the world’s entire coffee supply! Interestingly, Brazil is also the 2nd largest consumer of coffee, after the United States.

Both Arabica and Robusta type coffee beans (link) are grown in Brazil. We will only be discussing Here are some of the salient characteristics of Bazilian coffee beans.

Flavor profile: Soft, Mild, Nutty, Chocolatey, Medium Bodied, Low Acidity

Most of Brazilian beans find their way into espresso blends due to their mild flavor profile. But if you look hard enough, you’ll be able to find some good quality single-origin beans as well.

Elevation range: 2000 to 4000 feet

Most of the coffee grown in Brazil is sun-grown on large swaths of land, located at relatively low altitudes. This is what results in low acidity and the mild, nutty flavors in the beans.

Processing type: Mostly dry processed

Most beans are dry processed (a.k.a. Natural processing), which leads to the sweeter taste profile and the medium body associated with Brazilian coffee.

Roasting suggestions: Light, Medium, Dark

Different levels of roast highlight different features of these beans. You could light roast a single origin, high grown bean to highlight its unique flavors, or you could dark roast the beans for creating and espresso blend. Just don’t push these beans beyond a light Vienna roast as the Brazilian beans are quite soft.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, French Press, Moka Pot, Cold Brew

You’re more than welcome to try your preferred brewing method, but we recommend the above to better highlight the sweet, nutty, and mild nature of the beans.

You might be familiar with Brazil Santos specialty-grade coffee. But that’s just a general identifier for all the beans that are exported through the port of Santos. For information on Brazilian coffee, you can read our article here.

In the year 2018, Vietnam produced nearly 1.9 billion kilos of coffee beans, which makes this country the second-largest producer of coffee in the world. However, almost 97% of those were Robusta beans. In recent years, though, some high-quality specialty Arabica beans have started to appear. Let’s find out what they are like.

Flavor profile: Chocolate, Sweet Berries, Smoky, Mild Acidity

It was hard to find information on the Arabica beans originating from Vietnam as most of the Vietnamese coffee you can find will be a blend of Arabica & Robusta beans.

Elevation range: 1600 to 4000 feet

The beans are generally characterized by sweet and mild flavors because they are grown at low elevations.

Processing type: Mostly dry processed

Due to this specific type of processing, some berry and fruit-like sweetness can be detected in the cup.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark, Super Dark

The sweet yet bold nature of the beans is highlighted by roasting them Medium and above. There is usually no distinct brightness to these beans, which means they don’t benefit from a light roast.

Brewing suggestions: Phin, Espresso, Drip, French Press

For blends and Robusta beans, we recommend the brewing methods mentioned above. You could try pour overs if you can find a high-quality Arabica bean like this one. Or you could go the traditional route, and try brewing with a Vietnamese Phin (link).

You might have heard of Vietnamese iced coffee (which has more in common with a Frappe than brewed coffee) or Vietnamese egg coffee (not as gross as it sounds). However, in Vietnam, these concoctions are brewed with bold, smoky Robusta beans, which are then mixed with copious amounts of sugar to balance out the bitterness.

Colombia is the world’s third largest producer of coffee beans. In 2018, they produced almost 831 million kilos, and all of them Arabica beans. Colombian coffee beans are renowned around the world for their aroma and taste.

We’ve all seen them in supermarkets, under the Juan Valdez brand name. That just speaks to the popularity of Colombian coffee beans in the US. However, the beans available in the stores are not of the highest quality. Let’s take a look at what real specialty-grade Colonbian beans are like.

Flavor profile: Mild, Well-balanced, Tropical Fruits & Floral Notes, Medium to High Acidity, Medium body

Due to a well-developed coffee industry in Colombia, there are many specialty-grade beans available in the market. Each of them have their unique flavor profile, but most of them exhibit the common characteristics mentioned above.

Elevation range: 4000 to 6000 feet

Colmbian coffee beans are grown at a higher altitude than Brazil, which results in fruity and floral notes and the medium to high acidity in the cup.

Processing type: Mostly wet processed

Since most beans are high-quality, they are processed using the wet method (a.k.a. Washed processing). This helps retain the origin character of the beans.

Roasting suggestions: Light, Medium, Dark

Due to the wide variety of beans available, you can find beans suitable for each roast profile. However, we wouldn’t recommend going beyond dark, especially if you’re using single-origin beans.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Aeropress, French Press

Colombian beans are versatile enough to be used in any brewing method. We feel the balanced flavors and medium body are best highlighted by the aforementioned brewing styles.

Colombian beans are quite easy to find in supermarkets, often labeled as Supremo, Extra, or Excelso. Don’t let these labels fool you, though. That’s just a grading for bean size, and has got nothing to do with quality.

Here’s where you can learn why Colombian coffee is popular.

In the 1800s, Indonesia was one of the world’s largest exporters of Arabica beans (link?). But almost all of the coffee plants were wiped out by a disease (link?). However, Indonesia bounced back in the 19xxs, and in 2018, they produced 565 million kilos of coffee beans. Only about 20% of these were Arabica beans as the country resorted to growing hardier Robusta beans.

Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 islands, though, and some of them (especially Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Bali) are home to some excellent specialty-grade Arabica beans. Due to a diverse array of growing conditions, the taste of the beans varies a lot from region to region.

Flavor profile: Depends on the region

Indonesia is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world, and its coffee is no different. The flavor profiles can vary from region to region.

Sumatra coffee has a heavy body, low acidity, and earthy, spicy flavors.

Sulawesi coffees have a smoother mouthfeel, a more woody aroma, and a fruitier taste.

Arabica beans from Java are known for their rich spiciness and earthy sweetness.

Elevation range: Over 1200 to 1500 m (depending on the region)

Arabica beans from Indonesia are usually grown on higher elevations, but exactly how high depends on which region it is grown.

Processing type: Mostly semi-washed processing

Also known as the wet hulling process. Since the climate in Indonesia is fairly humid, this is the method of choice. It also imparts the unique earth flavor profile, frequently found in Indonesian beans.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark

Due to the wide variety of beans available from this country, you could go toward either end of the roast profile. Some of the best quality and high grown beans will benefit from a medium roast, whereas the bold, smoky flavors of Javan beans do well with a dark roasts.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Aeropress, Moka Pot, Drip

It depends on your preference, but the earthy, spicy notes in the beans do well with the brewing methods mentioned above. However, if you can find a high quality, single origin bean, feel free to try a Chemex.

You might have come across Sumatra Mandheling, Sulawesi Toraja, or even Mocha Java. These are all names of coffee growing regions of Indonesia, and generally, are high quality beans. However, we would recommend finding a local roaster who stocks specialty-grade beans from these regions. For more information, you can read our guide on Sumatra coffee.

Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of the Arabica coffee beans, and coffee is deeply rooted in the Ethiopian culture. It’s no wonder then that this country is one of the world’s largest producer of coffee beans. They produced over 447 million kilos of coffee beans in 2018; all of them exclusively Arabica beans.

Let’s find out what the famous Ethiopian coffee beans are like.

Flavor profile: Bright, Winey, Fruity, Floral, Citrusy, Light to Medium Body

Ethiopian coffees are famous for their bright acidic nature and floral aromas. Some are even considered tea-like. But irrespective of which region of Egypt the coffee comes from, they are unquestionably complex.

Elevation range: 3500 to 8000 feet

Ethiopian coffee grows on high altitudes, which lends them their signature citrusy, and floral flavor. The specific kind of acidity varies from region to region too, due to the varying altitude.

Processing type: Wet and dry processing

Due to Ethiopian coffee’s global fame, some of the bigger coffee farms use the wet processing method to highlight the origin characteristics. But most small farms still use the dry processing method.

Roasting suggestions: Light, Medium

The fruity, floral, citrusy nature of Ethiopian coffee beans benefits most from lighter roasts. Some people might prefer to roast them medium to balance out the intense acidity. We wouldn’t recommend dark roasts as they rob the beans of the flavor profiles that makes them so highly prized.

Brewing suggestions: Pour Over, Drip, Cold Brew

We recommend pour over techniques as it’s best-suited to the bright, light bodied Ethiopian coffee. We wouldn’t say no to a smooth, cold brewed coffee with notes of berries and citrusy zing either.

If you’ve been into specialty coffee for some time, you’re sure to have come across the names Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, or Harrar. Interested to know more about the amazing intricacies of Ethiopian coffee? Read our in-depth article.

Honduras is the largest producer of coffee beans in Central America, and the sixth-largest in the world. In 2018, they produced nearly 440 million kilos of coffee beans, most of them Arabica.

Honduran coffee beans have been praised by the specialty coffee community for years. The wide variety of micro-climates in different regions lead to an amazing array of flavor profiles in Honduran beans. Let’s find out what they are like.

Flavor profile: Caramel, Chocolatey, Nutty, Fruity, Berries, Round & Medium Body, Soft & Balanced Acidity

Due to the diverse array of growing conditions in Honduras, different regions have their signature taste profile. For example, coffee from Agalta tastes of caramel and chocolates, balance by a pronounced acidity. Whereas, Opalaca coffee has tasting notes of tropical fruits, grapes and berries, with a delicate acidity.

Elevation range: 3200 to 5200 feet

The high elevations in almost all of Honduran coffee growing regions create favorable conditions for high-quality Arabica beans. But they elevation is not as high as, say Ethiopia. Hence, the acidity is not as pronounced, and tends to be soft and well-balanced.

Processing type: Mostly washed processing

Despite some coffee beans being processed via the dry and sen-washed methods, most Honduran beans are wet processed. This is what leads to the highly-prized origin characteristics to be highlighted in the cup.

Roasting suggestions: Light, Medium, Dark

Due to the sheer variety of Arabica beans coming out of Honduras, you can find something suitable for every roast profile. The chocolate and caramel notes flourish with darker roasts, and the acidity and fruity notes are better appreciated in lighter roasts.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Drip, Pour Over, French Press

Honduran coffee beans are quite versatile and suitable for multiple brewing methods. You may want to use a Hario V60 pour over for a bag of high-quality Comayagua beans to experience their sweet and bright citric acidity. Or use a French Press to bring out the bold chocolate and caramel notes in the coffee beans from Copan.

Cafe de Marcala is perhaps the name most coffee connoisseurs might be familiar with. You can find amazing organic beans under this name, as well as some excellent micro-lots. All these beans are sourced and marketed by the Honduran coffee cooperative, COMSA.

Indian coffee plantations flourished in the mid 19th century under the British Colonial presence. Since then, India has always had a significant presence in the world of coffee. In 2018, the country produced nearly 320 million kilos of coffee beans. But only about 40% of those were Arabica beans.

Indian coffee beans are mostly exported to European and Asian markets, so American customers may not be familiar with Indian coffee. Let’s see what they taste like.

Flavor profile: Mild, Balanced, Sweet, Low to Moderate Acidic, with occasional notes of Spice, Chocolates, Nuts

Coffee grown in India leans more toward sweet, spicy, and earthy flavor profiles. However, some specialty-grade beans can exhibit bright acidic character. But if the beans are not taken care of, it could result in some listless flavors.

Elevation range: 1500 to 5000 feet

Most coffee growing regions in India are low elevation, and hence, more suitable for Robusta beans. However, a lot of high elevation farms have started working with local roasters to produce specialty-grade Arabica beans.

Processing type: Both wet and dry processing

Since most of the coffee beans in India are of the Robusta type, dry processing is quite common. The Arabica beans, however, are processed using both wet and dry methods. Some semi-washed processing can also be found.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark, Super-Dark

The mild, balanced, and sweet flavor notes benefit best from medium to super-dark roasts. Some roasters can also get their hands on rare micro-lots and choose to light/medium roast them to retain the origin characteristics.

Brewing suggestions: South Indian Filter, Espresso, Moka Pot, Aeropress, French Press

Indian coffee beans are best brewed using methods that highlight their sweet and mild nature, yet add boldness to the cup. Indian coffee, however, is taken with scalded milk and sugar, and brewed using a South Indian Filter (link).

Monsooned Malabar coffee beans from India might be a familiar name to coffee lovers. The name originates from the processing method in which the beans are exposed to the moisture laden monsoon winds near the coast. This process yellows the bean and reduces the acidity, imparting a heavy, syrupy flatness to the cup together with a sharp, hard pungency (link).

The 8th largest producer of coffee in the world, Uganda produced over 282 million kilos of coffee in 2018. However just about a fifth of those were Arabica beans.

Ugandan coffee might not be as famous as other African coffees like Ethiopian and Kenyan beans, but they are not to be underestimated. Especially if you can find a bag of high-quality single-origin beans.

Flavor profile: Chocolate, Peach, Apricot, Berries, Citrus, Light to Medium Body

Ugandan coffee has a sweet, fruity, citrusy flavor and a lighter body, although not as complex as Ethiopian coffee. Of special note, however, are the beans from the Mount Elgon region, which result in a wine-like coffee.

Elevation range: 4200 to 7500 feet

The high altitude farms at which Arabica beans grown in Uganda contribute to the fruity, citrusy, and berry-like flavor profile of the beans. The beans grown at lower altitude, however, exhibit some chocolate and spice notes.

Processing type: Both wet and dry processing

The type of processing influences the flavors that end up in your cup. Wet processed coffee from Uganda have clear stone fruit notes and a satiny body, whereas dry processed coffee taste more of berry jam and have a more substantial body.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark

Ugandan coffee beans are best roasted in the medium to dark profile. But some beans (like these ones from Mount Elgon region) could benefit from a light roast.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Aeropress, French Press

The brewing process depends on the beans and the roast, but in general, Ugandan beans are best brewed using the above methods. You could try pour over, if you’re feeling adventurous.

Mount Elgon and Bugisu coffee beans have found their way into some popular coffee subscription boxes. This goes to show that coffee lovers are starting to recognize Uganda as a producer of specialty-grade beans.

It might surprise a lot of people that Mexico comes in at the 9th position in terms of coffee production volume. In 2018, they produced nearly 261 million kilos of coffee. Most of Mexican coffee is the Arabica type, and they are almost exclusively exported to European countries.

Let’s find out why Mexican coffee beans are so popular in Europe.

Flavor profile: Delicate Fruit, Spice, & Nutty Tones, Mild and Light-Bodied, Low Acidity

Lower grade Arabica beans grown in Mexico tend to be earthy, spicy, mildly sweet, with a medium body. Specialty-grade beans, on the other hand, have a lighter body and gentle sweetness, with a white wine-like dryness and acidity.

Elevation range: 2500 to 5500 feet

Mexico doesn’t have the high elevations that are common to the coffee growing regions of Central America. This results in Mexican beans having a milder flavor and lower acidity.

Processing type: Mostly wet processing

Coffee beans in Mexico are mostly wet processed, which helps in generating clean flavor tones and a lighter body. Some dry processing can be found, though, especially while processing the lower grade beans.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark

Mexican bean blends are most commonly dark roasted (that’s how Europeans prefer their coffee). But if you look hard enough, you might be able to find some good medium roasts too.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Drip, Cold Brew

Combine the mildly sweet and low acid tones of Mexican coffee with medium/dark roast and you get the almost perfect recipe for espresso blends. They also make for really good drip coffee and cold brewed coffee.

Unlike brewed coffee or espresso, Cafe de olla is sweet coffee beverage brewed the traditional way in Mexico. It is made from dark roasted coffee beans, canela (cinnamon), and piloncillo (Mexican cane sugar), and is deeply steeped in Mexican history (link).

In 2018, Peru produced over 250 million kilos of coffee beans, making it the world’s 10th largest by volume. Since almost all of it is Arabica, they’re widely regarded as high-quality beans.

We’ve all seen Peruvian coffee in supermarkets, under the Juan Valdez brand name. That just speaks to the popularity of Peruvian coffee beans in the US. However, the beans available in the stores are not of the highest quality. Let’s take a look at what real specialty-grade Peruvian beans are like.

Flavor profile: Nuts, Chocolate, Fruity, Floral, Mild Acidity, Light to Medium Body

With sweet notes of chocolate and nuts, Peruvian coffee is the classic representation of a good South American coffee. The higher quality beans exhibit more pronounced fruity and floral acidity, without becoming overpowering.

Elevation range: 3200 to 5900 feet

Beans grown at lower altitudes have sweet, smooth flavor of nuts, flowers, and fruit with mild acidity. At higher altitudes, the beans demonstrate brighter acidity, floral aromas, and enhanced sweetness.

Processing type: Mostly dry processing, some wet processing

Beans grown for large-scale commercial purposes are dry processed in Peru, but the specialty-grade beans are wet processed. The wet processing infrastructure is on a rise based on the high prices that specialty Peruvian coffee fetches in the market.

Roasting suggestions: Medium, Dark

The mild, sweet Peruvian beans are best roasted medium or dark, depending on what flavor profile the roaster wants to highlight. These beans do especially well in dark roasted blends as they don’t overpower the palate.

Brewing suggestions: Espresso, Drip, Pour Over

As with most South American beans, Peruvian coffee is great as an espresso or drip coffee. However, high-quality beans (like the ones from the Chanchamayo region) can also make a delightful cup of pour over coffee.

If you attended the Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle in 2017 or 2018, you might be familiar with Quechua Coffee. These beans, originating from Peru’s Puno province, have won the award for “Best Quality Coffee” in both those years.

You may have heard of the famous Kona coffee beans from Hawaii or the Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica. They are definitely an important part of the coffee industry, but in terms of production volume, they’re just a drop in the ocean. We will add more countries to this list over time, but if you’re interested in learning about the best coffee beans in the world, you should read this article.

If you liked our world map of coffee, please help spread the knowledge to more coffee lovers by using one of the social sharing buttons below.

Julia is a west coast Canada-based professional coffee specialist who has spent nearly a decade immersed in the world of coffee research and professional brewing. She loves trail running, rock climbing, coffee, food, and her tiny dog — and writing about all of them. She starts every morning with a fresh Americano from her home espresso machine, or she doesn’t start it at all.