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Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the entire world other than water, with most countries having a national version of tea that people enjoy on a daily basis. In most countries, the word tea refers to to the agricultural product of the Camellia sinensis plant, specifically the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes.There are, however, many other plants that are also used to produce different leaf and herbal teas, including the famous mint tea of Morocco and Rooibos tea from South Africa. Typically, when making tea, leaves are prepared in hot or boiling water, which is then left to cool a little before drinking. There are six basic versions of tea that originate from the Camellia sinensis plant and find their way into tea bags everywhere, as well as hundreds of other versions that originate from other sources, including a number of different flower teas, herbal teas, and even fruit teas.

While tea is widely consumed in living rooms and under awning (http://www.markise.tv) structures all over the world, some nations are especially known for their tea produce and culture. The Camellia sinensis plant is said to have originated from southeast Asia, and the countries in this region are still some of the world’s hot spots for tea production and tea culture. Many people believe that tea originally came out of China, where people have been drinking tea for thousands of years. Some other countries in Asia that have a rich tea culture include Japan, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea – many of whom still produce much of the world’s tea produce. It is not only Asian nations who have a strong tea tradition however, as many middle eastern and south American countries also drink and grow many different varieties of tea in the 21st century.

Turkey and Iran also have a rich tea heritage, with both nations helping to spread the drink throughout the rest of Europe in the 16th century. The importing of tea into the United Kingdom also took place during this time, and from the 1660s onwards the U.K has been strongly entwined with tea tradition and culture. Tea production has also increased dramatically in both South America and Africa during the later part of the 20th century, making tea production a true global industry.