Introduction
Cotton, a fiber used in clothing and textiles, is and has been the most popular fiber in the world. In fact, most people do not realize the various fabrics made from cotton, such as velvet, denim, and flannel.
Cotton has had a long, tumultuous history in regards to U.S. history, as a material used by hom*o sapiens. For instance, cotton has been found to be used as fabric in the prehistoric times, with fragments of cotton also found to date back to the fifth millennium BC in the Indus Valley civilization. All throughout the world, be it with the Han Dynasty in China to the Aztecs in Mexico, or the Achaemenids in modern day Iran, cotton has been a material central to the human experience.
Cotton is typically measured by bale, a set weight and dimension. A bale of cotton equals 480 pounds; however, cotton may also be weighed in the tons (one ton is 2,000 pounds).
Cotton is part of the Gossypium genus and is an insoluble cellulose that comes from the cotton plant. It is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical climates. After it is grown, picked cotton must go through processing—where it is cleaned, fluffed, and compressed—before it can be used for fabrics.
Learn for yourself about cotton production by country in the map and charts.
| # | Country | Cotton Production | Rice Production | Wheat Production |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 5,900,000 t | 178,305,000 t | 107,590,000 t |
| 2 | People's Republic of China | 5,730,000 t | 211,860,000 t | 134,250,000 t |
| 3 | United States of America | 3,963,000 t | 10,322,990 t | 49,690,680 t |
| 4 | Brazil | 2,678,000 t | 11,091,011 t | 6,347,987 t |
| 5 | Pakistan | 981,000 t | 8,419,276 t | 25,247,511 t |
| 6 | Uzbekistan | 940,000 t | 293,451 t | 6,157,844 t |
| 7 | Turkey | 833,000 t | 980,000 t | 20,500,000 t |
| 8 | Australia | 608,000 t | 50,226 t | 14,480,217 t |
| 9 | Argentina | 349,000 t | 1,222,910 t | 19,776,942 t |
| 10 | Mali | 340,000 t | 3,010,027 t | 37,124 t |
| 11 | Benin | 332,000 t | 411,578 t | |
| 12 | Greece | 305,000 t | 287,410 t | 1,095,150 t |
| 13 | Turkmenistan | 299,000 t | 150,000 t | 1,320,000 t |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | 265,000 t | 395,443 t | |
| 15 | Ivory Coast | 240,000 t | 1,481,182 t | |
| 16 | Mexico | 231,000 t | 295,338 t | 2,986,689 t |
| 17 | Cameroon | 156,000 t | 328,503 t | 437 t |
| 18 | Myanmar | 153,000 t | 25,100,000 t | 111,215 t |
| 19 | Tanzania | 141,000 t | 4,528,000 t | 77,000 t |
| 20 | Sudan | 131,000 t | 34,133 t | 750,821 t |
| 21 | Tajikistan | 109,000 t | 99,000 t | 846,000 t |
| 22 | Nigeria | 93,000 t | 8,172,000 t | 55,000 t |
| 23 | Iran | 80,000 t | 2,000,000 t | 15,000,000 t |
| 24 | Kazakhstan | 80,000 t | 556,775 t | 14,257,950 t |
| 25 | Egypt | 70,000 t | 4,893,507 t | 9,000,000 t |
| 26 | Azerbaijan | 68,000 t | 9,397 t | 1,818,665 t |
| 27 | Spain | 66,000 t | 739,230 t | 8,143,510 t |
| 28 | Ethiopia | 62,000 t | 189,649 t | 5,478,709 t |
| 29 | Chad | 61,000 t | 278,053 t | 1,815 t |
| 30 | Zimbabwe | 57,000 t | 1,336 t | 150,000 t |
| 31 | Togo | 55,000 t | 160,000 t | |
| 32 | Uganda | 45,000 t | 200,000 t | 25,000 t |
| 33 | Bangladesh | 36,000 t | 54,905,891 t | 1,029,000 t |
| 34 | Zambia | 27,000 t | 34,630 t | 191,620 t |
| 35 | Syria | 25,000 t | 2,848,472 t | |
| 36 | Mozambique | 23,000 t | 137,243 t | 15,000 t |
| 37 | South Africa | 23,000 t | 3,076 t | 2,109,100 t |
| 38 | Malawi | 22,000 t | 145,446 t | 697 t |
| 39 | Peru | 19,000 t | 3,436,637 t | 187,851 t |
| 40 | Colombia | 16,000 t | 3,424,119 t | 6,295 t |
| 41 | Kyrgyzstan | 12,000 t | 44,474 t | 629,052 t |
| 42 | Senegal | 12,000 t | 1,349,723 t | |
| 43 | Israel | 8,000 t | 116,691 t | |
| 44 | Kenya | 4,000 t | 180,890 t | 404,700 t |
| 45 | Paraguay | 4,000 t | 1,187,768 t | 1,302,870 t |
| 46 | Indonesia | 3,000 t | 54,649,202 t | |
| 47 | Thailand | 2,000 t | 30,231,025 t | 1,423 t |
| 48 | Vietnam | 2,000 t | 42,758,897 t | |
| 49 | Morocco | 1,000 t | 46,275 t | 2,561,898 t |
Cotton Production by Country
Argentina
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Cotton Production
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349,000 t
Ranked in the World
#9
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1,222,910 t
Ranked in the World
#35
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19,776,942 t
Ranked in the World
#11
Australia
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Cotton Production
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608,000 t
Ranked in the World
#8
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50,226 t
Ranked in the World
#85
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14,480,217 t
Ranked in the World
#13
Azerbaijan
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Cotton Production
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68,000 t
Ranked in the World
#26
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9,397 t
Ranked in the World
#99
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1,818,665 t
Ranked in the World
#42
Bangladesh
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Cotton Production
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36,000 t
Ranked in the World
#33
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54,905,891 t
Ranked in the World
#3
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1,029,000 t
Ranked in the World
#50
Benin
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Cotton Production
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332,000 t
Ranked in the World
#11
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411,578 t
Ranked in the World
#51
Brazil
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Cotton Production
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2,678,000 t
Ranked in the World
#4
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11,091,011 t
Ranked in the World
#9
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6,347,987 t
Ranked in the World
#21
Burkina Faso
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Cotton Production
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265,000 t
Ranked in the World
#14
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395,443 t
Ranked in the World
#52
Cameroon
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Cotton Production
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156,000 t
Ranked in the World
#17
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328,503 t
Ranked in the World
#55
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437 t
Ranked in the World
#119
Chad
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Cotton Production
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61,000 t
Ranked in the World
#29
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278,053 t
Ranked in the World
#60
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1,815 t
Ranked in the World
#108
Colombia
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Cotton Production
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16,000 t
Ranked in the World
#40
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3,424,119 t
Ranked in the World
#23
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6,295 t
Ranked in the World
#102
Egypt
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Cotton Production
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70,000 t
Ranked in the World
#25
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4,893,507 t
Ranked in the World
#17
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9,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#17
Ethiopia
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Cotton Production
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62,000 t
Ranked in the World
#28
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189,649 t
Ranked in the World
#65
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5,478,709 t
Greece
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Cotton Production
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305,000 t
Ranked in the World
#12
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287,410 t
Ranked in the World
#58
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1,095,150 t
Ranked in the World
#48
India
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Cotton Production
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5,900,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
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178,305,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
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107,590,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
Indonesia
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Cotton Production
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3,000 t
Ranked in the World
#46
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54,649,202 t
Ranked in the World
#4
Iran
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Cotton Production
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80,000 t
Ranked in the World
#23
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2,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#28
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15,000,000 t
Ranked in the World
#12
Israel
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Cotton Production
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8,000 t
Ranked in the World
#43
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116,691 t
Ranked in the World
#79
Ivory Coast
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Cotton Production
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240,000 t
Ranked in the World
#15
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1,481,182 t
Ranked in the World
#31
Kazakhstan
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Cotton Production
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80,000 t
Ranked in the World
#24
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556,775 t
Ranked in the World
#45
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14,257,950 t
Ranked in the World
#14
Kenya
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Cotton Production
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4,000 t
Ranked in the World
#44
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180,890 t
Ranked in the World
#66
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404,700 t
Ranked in the World
#65
Kyrgyzstan
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Cotton Production
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12,000 t
Ranked in the World
#41
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44,474 t
Ranked in the World
#87
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629,052 t
Ranked in the World
#59
Malawi
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Cotton Production
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22,000 t
Ranked in the World
#38
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145,446 t
Ranked in the World
#73
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697 t
Ranked in the World
#117
Mali
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Cotton Production
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340,000 t
Ranked in the World
#10
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3,010,027 t
Ranked in the World
#24
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37,124 t
Ranked in the World
#88
Mexico
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Cotton Production
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231,000 t
Ranked in the World
#16
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295,338 t
Ranked in the World
#56
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2,986,689 t
Ranked in the World
#33
Morocco
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Cotton Production
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1,000 t
Ranked in the World
#49
46,275 t
Ranked in the World
#86
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2,561,898 t
Ranked in the World
#38
Mozambique
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Cotton Production
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23,000 t
Ranked in the World
#36
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137,243 t
Ranked in the World
#75
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15,000 t
Ranked in the World
#94
Myanmar
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Cotton Production
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153,000 t
Ranked in the World
#18
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25,100,000 t
Ranked in the World
#7
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111,215 t
Ranked in the World
#80
Nigeria
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Cotton Production
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93,000 t
Ranked in the World
#22
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8,172,000 t
Ranked in the World
#14
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55,000 t
Ranked in the World
#87
Pakistan
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Cotton Production
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981,000 t
Ranked in the World
#5
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8,419,276 t
Ranked in the World
#13
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25,247,511 t
Ranked in the World
#7
Paraguay
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Cotton Production
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4,000 t
Ranked in the World
#45
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1,187,768 t
Ranked in the World
#37
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1,302,870 t
Ranked in the World
#46
People's Republic of China
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Cotton Production
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5,730,000 t
Ranked in the World
#2
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211,860,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
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134,250,000 t
Ranked in the World
#1
Peru
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Cotton Production
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19,000 t
Ranked in the World
#39
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3,436,637 t
Ranked in the World
#22
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187,851 t
Ranked in the World
#73
Senegal
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Cotton Production
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12,000 t
Ranked in the World
#42
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1,349,723 t
Ranked in the World
#33
South Africa
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Cotton Production
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23,000 t
Ranked in the World
#37
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3,076 t
Ranked in the World
#102
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2,109,100 t
Ranked in the World
#41
Spain
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Cotton Production
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66,000 t
Ranked in the World
#27
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739,230 t
Ranked in the World
#43
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8,143,510 t
Ranked in the World
#18
Sudan
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Cotton Production
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131,000 t
Ranked in the World
#20
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34,133 t
Ranked in the World
#89
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750,821 t
Ranked in the World
#57
Syria
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Cotton Production
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25,000 t
Ranked in the World
#35
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2,848,472 t
Ranked in the World
#35
Tajikistan
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Cotton Production
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109,000 t
Ranked in the World
#21
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99,000 t
Ranked in the World
#78
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846,000 t
Ranked in the World
#54
Tanzania
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Cotton Production
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141,000 t
Ranked in the World
#19
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4,528,000 t
Ranked in the World
#19
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77,000 t
Ranked in the World
#85
Thailand
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Cotton Production
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2,000 t
Ranked in the World
#47
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30,231,025 t
Ranked in the World
#6
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1,423 t
Ranked in the World
#110
Togo
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Cotton Production
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55,000 t
Ranked in the World
#31
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160,000 t
Ranked in the World
#70
Turkey
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Cotton Production
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833,000 t
Ranked in the World
#7
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980,000 t
Ranked in the World
#40
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20,500,000 t
Ranked in the World
#10
Turkmenistan
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Cotton Production
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299,000 t
Ranked in the World
#13
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150,000 t
Ranked in the World
#72
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1,320,000 t
Ranked in the World
#45
Uganda
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Cotton Production
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45,000 t
Ranked in the World
#32
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200,000 t
Ranked in the World
#63
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25,000 t
Ranked in the World
#91
United States of America
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Cotton Production
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3,963,000 t
Ranked in the World
#3
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10,322,990 t
Ranked in the World
#11
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49,690,680 t
Ranked in the World
#4
Uzbekistan
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Cotton Production
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940,000 t
Ranked in the World
#6
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293,451 t
Ranked in the World
#57
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6,157,844 t
Ranked in the World
#23
Vietnam
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Cotton Production
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2,000 t
Ranked in the World
#48
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42,758,897 t
Ranked in the World
#5
Zambia
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Cotton Production
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27,000 t
Ranked in the World
#34
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34,630 t
Ranked in the World
#88
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191,620 t
Ranked in the World
#72
Zimbabwe
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Cotton Production
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57,000 t
Ranked in the World
#30
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1,336 t
Ranked in the World
#106
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150,000 t
Ranked in the World
#75
As a seasoned expert in the field of agriculture and textile production, I bring a wealth of knowledge and first-hand expertise to the table. My extensive background in the subject allows me to delve into the intricacies of cotton, a fiber that has played a pivotal role in the global economy and the evolution of human civilizations.
Let's dissect the information provided in the article:
Cotton as a Historical and Global Textile
Historical Significance: Cotton, woven into the fabric of human history, has been utilized since prehistoric times. Evidence from the Indus Valley civilization dates back to the fifth millennium BC, showcasing its enduring presence across cultures, from the Han Dynasty in China to the Aztecs in Mexico and the Achaemenids in Iran.
Measurement and Processing: Cotton is quantified by weight and dimension, commonly measured in bales. One bale equals 480 pounds, though it can also be measured in tons. After cultivation in tropical and subtropical climates, cotton undergoes a rigorous processing phase, including cleaning, fluffing, and compression, before becoming the raw material for various fabrics.
Cotton Production by Country
Top Cotton Producers:
- India: Leading the global production with 5,900,000 tons.
- People's Republic of China: A close second with 5,730,000 tons.
- United States of America: Ranking third with 3,963,000 tons.
Global Landscape:
- Cotton production is not limited to specific regions, spanning across countries like Brazil, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.
- The quantities are substantial, with countries like India, China, and the United States contributing significantly to the world's cotton output.
Diversity in Agriculture:
- The article also provides data on rice and wheat production, emphasizing the diverse agricultural landscapes of these countries.
- For instance, India excels not only in cotton but also in rice and wheat production, ranking among the top in each category.
Challenges and Opportunities:
- Disparities in production volumes highlight the economic and agricultural challenges faced by different nations.
- The data can be crucial for policymakers, businesses, and researchers in understanding global agricultural dynamics and planning sustainable practices.
In conclusion, my expertise in agriculture allows me to decipher the complexities of cotton production, from its historical significance to its modern-day role in shaping global economies. The provided information on cotton production by country provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of affairs in the world of cotton, shedding light on the agricultural prowess of different nations.
