Though more than 200 million turkeys were consumed in the U.S. in 2015, nearly a quarter of them gobbled up on Thanksgiving, the United States doesn't top charts when it comes to turkey consumption.
10. Canada
Canada makes it into the top ten list of countries with the highest turkey consumption, with the average person consuming 75.4 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
9. Argentina
In Argentina, turkey is sometimes used instead of beef to cook empanadas, a stuffed bread or pastry that’s fried to golden perfection. Argentina came in ninth, with the average person consuming 80.5 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
8. Peru
In Peru, turkey is often served as part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. The bird is rubbed down with spices and roasted for full flavor. In 2015, the average person consumed 81.1 pounds of poultry in 2015, helping Peru come in eight on the global turkey consumption list.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
7. New Zealand
In New Zealand, classic roast turkey is one way to cook a special Christmas meal. As number seven on the list, the average person in New Zealand consumed 83.3 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
6. Brazil
It’s not uncommon to find oven-roasted turkey served as a Christmas menu item in Brazil. The country came in sixth, with the average person consuming 86.9 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead, File
5. Saudi Arabia
Delicious slabs of skewered shawarma made with chicken, lamb, and even turkey meat can be found in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia came in at number five on the world turkey consumption list, with the average person consuming 90.8 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
4. Malaysia
In some Asian countries, turkey is used as the protein in soups. Turkey can be used as the protein in Chai Buey, a dish that is quite common in Chinese-Malaysian homes. The average person in Malaysia consumed 91.3 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
3. Australia
Thanksgiving seems to have taken off in Australia, with turkey farmers reporting an increase in turkey sales. The average person in Australia consumed 92.6 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
2. United States
Americans may not eat the most turkey, but each person consumed more than six Thanksgiving-sized turkeys in 2015. The United States takes the number two spot for average turkey consumption per person in 2015. The average person in the United States consumed 104.9 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
AP Photo/Larry Crowe
1. Israel
When it comes to average annual poultry consumption per person, Israel tops the charts. Turkey became the nation’s meat of choice early on, as it was cheaper than imported beef and required less refrigeration than chicken, an Israeli turkey farmer told the Times of Israel. The nation also credits itself with the invention of turkey pastrami. The average person in Israel consumed 127.2 pounds of turkey in 2015.
(Thinkstock)
There’s a reason Thanksgiving has also come to be known as Turkey Day in the United States. The National Turkey Federation, an industry lobbying group, estimates that of the more than 200 million turkeys consumed in the U.S. in 2015, nearly a quarter of them were gobbled up on Thanksgiving.
When it comes to average annual poultry consumption per person, however, Israel is No. 1. Turkey became the nation’s meat of choice early on, as it was cheaper than imported beef and required less refrigeration than chicken, an Israeli turkey farmer told the Times of Israel. The nation also credits itself with the invention of turkey pastrami.
Across the world, poultry accounts for about 2 percent of daily diets, according to data compiled by National Geographic. In places such as the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Argentina, the average is more like 5 percent.
Developing countries like Nigeria and Pakistan generally consume less poultry and other meat. But the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU predicts that production of poultry will account for half of the growth in meat production over the next decade, driven largely by increased consumption in developing nations and thanks to “various competitive advantages,” including its healthy image, affordability, limited emission and absence of religious restrictions.
The cost of an average Thanksgiving-sized 16-pound turkey in the U.S. increased from $21.65 in 2014 to $23.04 in 2015, according to the American Farm Bureau Association, but the cost of a Thanksgiving meal has stayed rather consistent when adjusted for inflation.
Americans may not eat the most turkey, but each person consumed more than six Thanksgiving-sized turkeys in 2015. Here are the 10 countries that consume the most poultry per person, according to the 2016 edition of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ Agricultural Outlook report.
