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Top Olive Oil Producing Countries

Try to name the 20 countries that produce the most olive oil.
For 2021, according to FAOStat
Production in thousands of metric tons
Hint: Think about countries that border a certain sea
Quiz by giosp
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Last updated: January 25, 2024
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First submittedJanuary 30, 2014
Times taken58,453
Average score85.0%
Rating4.88
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Amount
Country
1492
Spain
339
Italy
293
Greece
229
Portugal
222
Turkey
195
Morocco
144
Tunisia
Amount
Country
104
Syria
71.0
Algeria
34.7
Egypt
30.0
Argentina
24.8
Chile
23.4
Jordan
22.6
Australia
Amount
Country
17.5
Palestine
17.1
Lebanon
17.0
Libya
16.0
United States
12.0
Israel
11.5
Albania
7.03
Iran
+14
Level 82
Dec 15, 2016
very interesting! God knows where Syria (or Libya) is now ...
+4
Level 66
Dec 17, 2016
true! and sad...
+1
Level 82
Jul 28, 2019
Still no updates about that ...
+2
Level 45
Mar 17, 2020
Yeah they used to be the biggest producer of olive oil but due to war and terrorism, they starting to go down.
+14
Level 76
Sep 27, 2021
Well, as far as I know, they haven't been misplaced. They are both still bordering the Mediterranean.
+6
Level 63
Feb 28, 2017
Italian and Greek olive oil are rather famous but Spanish olive oil? They produce more metric tons than both Italy and Greece combined yet I can't recall that I ever purchased Spanish olive oil. They probably sell it where I shop since they have tons of different types of cooking oil there but it never stood out to me.
+16
Level 60
Feb 28, 2017
I've seen a lot of Spanish olive oil where I live. I guess they export it to some places and not to others.
+2
Level 82
Feb 28, 2017
I've had Spanish olive oil, as well.
+13
Level 73
Feb 28, 2017
If by chance you ever go around Jaén in Andalusia, you could see the scale of the Spanish production. I think it's by far the biggest olive field in the world, it's really mind blowing. If you want quality, buy French of Greek oil, Spain is more about mass production, even if you can also find some totally respectable oils right there. Drawbacks, French and quality Greek olive oils are expensive as hell.
+3
Level 75
Feb 28, 2017
Goya is one brand of Spanish olive oil that is common in my area.
+2
Level 84
Feb 28, 2017
My mother bought her olive oil by the gallon and it was always Spanish. Huge metal tins of the stuff.
+12
Level 39
Aug 12, 2017
Italy buys a lot of olive oil from Spain and labels it as it was produced there.

Also I'm surprised you havent heard about Spanish oil, as it is usually said as one of the best.

+2
Level 37
Apr 30, 2021
True for Spanish oil branded as Italian
+3
Level 57
Oct 10, 2019
I've been to Andalusia a few years ago and we took the Bus from Malaga to Granada. When I looked out of the window all I could see were olive trees as far as the eye could see.
+12
Level 67
Sep 23, 2020
Chances are you have purchased Spanish olive oil, but branded as Italian or Greek. In fact, Italy is the one of the main importers of olive oil in the world... from Spain. They just bottle it and put their sticker, and they are just obliged to state that it is oil from "the European Union".
+2
Level 66
Feb 28, 2017
The Generali Geeks approve of this quiz.
+20
Level 73
Feb 28, 2017
I started filling blanks with countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Venezuela... it's only after too much time that I realized the quizz was about OLIVE oil... facepalm...
+1
Level 73
Feb 28, 2017
Me 2!
+2
Level 82
Jun 29, 2020
I tried Saudi Arabia and almost threw my computer because I KNOW SAUDI ARABIA PRODUCES OIL and then I read the title again...
+1
Level 76
Jan 27, 2024
Glad I'm not the only one who can't read
+1
Level 66
Feb 28, 2017
The hint gave it away
+9
Level 65
Oct 10, 2019
Not really, it is rather common knowledge that olive oil comes from the Mediterranean . (If anything the clue made people forget about chile and argentina)
+3
Level 64
Oct 22, 2022
If you know anything about climate regions, you're quite likely to try Argentina and Chile; both countries have large stretches of land with a Mediterranean climate. Australia too. And South Africa, though they don't grow a lot of olives there.
+2
Level 90
Feb 28, 2017
Very surprised just based off geography that Chile, Mexico and Australia aren't on the list. Not that they are known producers but because of size, climate and propensity to grow a lot of high dollar crops.
+8
Level 82
Jul 28, 2019
It looks like they were added. Large parts have Mediterranean climate there.
+2
Level 73
Feb 28, 2017
Got all the Mediterranean countries plus US (I like Organic Californian olive oil). Never had Argentinian olive oil before. Good to know!
+6
Level 24
Feb 28, 2017
I live in Jaen (Andalusia, Spain), the main place in the world in production of olive oil. In most villages and towns from this province olive oil is almost the only economic base and way of life. But much of this oil is sold to Italy where they label and commercialise it, although the raw material is spanish.
+1
Level 67
Feb 28, 2017
Got Jordan with one second left! :)
+1
Level 64
Mar 1, 2017
Got USA with a few seconds left!
+11
Level 70
Jul 24, 2019
Does Israel include what it takes from Palestine?
+6
Level 38
Oct 11, 2019
Really ?
+4
Level 62
Feb 16, 2020
Really. Even olive oil is being politicized now.
+17
Level 76
Jul 8, 2020
Yeah, what could be even remotely political about appropriating land and resources by force?
+1
Level 59
Mar 5, 2022
Really what
+1
Level 46
Jul 27, 2019
One of the best olive oils is Partanna-unfiltered and organic from Sicily. You can buy it in Walmart. Absolutely my favorite.
+1
Level 65
Aug 16, 2019
Interesting how most of these countries border the med.
+11
Level 65
Oct 10, 2019
Must have something to do with the Mediterranean climate (sarcasm btw)
+11
Level 70
Oct 10, 2019
Almost as if that is where the olive is native to.
+1
Level 82
Jan 25, 2024
Well still a legit question. Many plants are massively grown in completely different places than their origin.
+4
Level 68
Oct 10, 2019
Interesting how Cyprus anf Turkmenistan, countries that have olive branches on their flags, are not on this list. (I am not saying they should be, Cyprus is too small, and Turkmenistan, well, they are not that much into olive).
+10
Level 65
Oct 10, 2019
Olive branches are a sign of peace, not olive oil production.
+4
Level 67
Oct 13, 2019
Yes, but they are also signs of olive trees, which produces olives and therefore olive oil.
+1
Level 49
Oct 10, 2019
I had no idea which countries produce olive oil, but luckily, I was found out which regions produced this resource. As in temperate regions. I got 100% in the first hit.
+3
Level 58
Oct 10, 2019
Had no idea USA produced olive oil. You'd think they'd be a bit less fat if they followed through on the full Mediterranean diet
+7
Level 67
Oct 13, 2019
The problem with American food is not that we lack healthy and nutritious options. The problem is that, in addition to those, we have lots and lots of unhealthy options, which in addition to obviously unhealthy sugary snacks, includes lots of foods that are healthy in their natural form but are pumped full of processing agents and unnatural additives that changes their nutritional content, and never for the better. The processed versions are always much cheaper too.
+1
Level 71
Sep 27, 2021
I'm pretty sure processed food being cheaper than natural/healthy food is a myth. At least, that's what I've learned from my Nutrition class (which is incidentally where I am typing this comment!). Fast food companies just marketed it that way so people would buy their products, and then the media spread the myth and the public ate it all up. Unfortunately, it's so entrenched in US society today that it'll be hard to change these attitudes. Here's a source.
+6
Level ∞
Sep 27, 2021
I don't know @JWatson24. Look at the ingredients of any packaged food and you'll almost always find soybean oil, palm oil, seed oil or other PUFAs which are extremely bad for your health. Not to mention high-fructose corn syrup.

Yes, you can cook healthy whole foods for cheap, but that requires a lot of time. Valuing one's labor at even minimum wage, and it's far cheaper to consume junk food.

+2
Level 71
Sep 28, 2021
^Yeah, that's a good point. I was mostly talking about the prices themselves, but actually preparing healthy lunches/dinners requires time that a lot of people don't have, which I guess is also a sort of cost. Can't entirely blame people for choosing the quicker, easier path when they're already worked to the bone (I know I certainly do that sometimes).
+1
Level 52
Oct 11, 2019
AKA "name all Mediterranean countries and you get already 17 ans"
+1
Level 67
Oct 13, 2019
got all bar one

- Greece doh

I was trying all manner of options thinking I had already chosen Greece

+1
Level 67
Mar 15, 2020
Huh, it seems as though olive production is more or less a Mediterranean thing.
+2
Level 57
Aug 29, 2020
So Spain produces more olive oil than every other country in the world put together?
+1
Level 78
Jan 26, 2021
Looks that way.
+3
Level 55
Feb 24, 2021
Pretty much, but Spanish oil is not so well known as Italian or Greek oil for some reason, even if Spanish oil tends to be considered better. But most olive oil sold as Greek or (specially) Italian is actually Spanish oil bottled in Italy/Greece.
+1
Level 54
Nov 3, 2023
It has also to do with the Italian and Greek diasporas in the US, Spain's olive oil is well known in Europe. In fact, Italians buy Spanish olive oil and label it as Italian. Spain does the same thing with Tunisian and Moroccan olive oil.
+1
Level 82
Mar 4, 2021
It's mass scale production, which reflects on quality (trees closer together, less care how they're picked etc)
+1
Level 71
Mar 8, 2021
Good quiz .......... guess who I missed ............... Italy!!!
+1
Level 62
Sep 27, 2021
All the Mediterranean countries... except Croatia.
+6
Level 69
Sep 27, 2021
The most notable Mediterranean country misssing is France.
+1
Level 72
Jan 25, 2024
France, Malta, Cyprus, Bosnia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Monaco
+1
Level 71
Jan 25, 2024
I don't think there's substantial (if any) production of olives in Slovenia and Monaco.
+1
Level 82
Jan 25, 2024
Plenty of olive groves in Slovenia, I wouldn't call it substantial but still a lot (over 2000 tons) considering the latitude and the narrow area of suitable climate. The northernmost place where they grow so it varies a lot between years.
+4
Level 58
Sep 27, 2021
I'm a little bit surprised that bOLIVia isn't on the list...
+1
Level 60
Sep 29, 2021
Once I plotted in Brazil, then tried Argentina; it hit to where did the italianos emigrate? Chile and Australia then came easily.
+2
Level 71
Jan 25, 2024
You need also a Mediterranean-like climate.
+1
Level 65
Jul 24, 2022
jUsT tYpE iN mIdDlE eAsT oR mEdItErRaNeAn cOuNtRiEs
+1
Level 67
Feb 15, 2023
I thought Chile was too cold, but what do I know?
+1
Level 71
Jan 25, 2024
Not much ;)
+2
Level 82
Jan 25, 2024
It's looong and west-oriented, you just need to go further north or south to find the right climate
+1
Level 72
Mar 21, 2023
I wonder what sea they were referring to.
+1
Level 33
Oct 2, 2023
I'm sorry, aUsTraLiA?
+4
Level 86
Jan 25, 2024
Australia forgives you.
+5
Level 55
Jan 26, 2024
What are you sorry for? Not realising that Australia grows vast amounts of olives?
+1
Level 43
Mar 18, 2024
Fun quiz :)