List of national drinks facts for kids

A national drink is a special drink that is strongly linked to a certain country. It often shows what that country is all about and how its people see themselves. A drink can become a national drink for a few reasons:

• It's a common drink made from local ingredients. These ingredients are often prepared in a unique way. For example, mango lassi uses dahi, a traditional yogurt from India.
• It has a special ingredient that is only found in that country.
• It's served during celebrations and is part of the country's history and traditions.
• The country itself has officially said it is a national drink.

Sometimes, it's hard to pick just one national drink for a country. Big countries like Mexico, China, or India have many different cultures. This means they might have many popular drinks, not just one "national" one. Also, some drinks are national favorites in more than one country. For example, pisco sour is loved in both Peru and Chile.

The national drinks below are grouped by different regions of the world.

National Drinks Across the Continents

Drinks in America

North America's Favorite Sips

•  Canada: The Caesar is a popular drink that started in Calgary. It's like a Bloody Mary but includes clam broth. People in Calgary even tried to make it Canada's official cocktail!
•  United States: Coffee became popular when Americans wanted an alternative to British tea. Coca-Cola is a famous soft drink, named after its original ingredients: coca leaves and kola nuts. Bourbon is a corn whiskey aged in special barrels. In 1964, it was named the U.S. National Spirit.
•  Mexico: Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant. It mostly comes from the area around Tequila city in Jalisco. Mexico even has a National Tequila Day every March! Other popular drinks include aguas frescas like Jamaica (hibiscus tea) and horchata. The Margarita is also a well-known drink.

Central and South America's Refreshments

Mate is a traditional drink in southern South America. It is especially popular in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

•  Antigua and Barbuda: Rum
•  Argentina: Mate is a tea-like drink made from yerba mate leaves. It's served hot with a metal straw and a hollow cup. Sharing mate is a big part of society in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Fernet con cola (Fernet with cola) is also very popular, especially in Córdoba.
•  Bahamas: Switcha
•  Barbados: Mauby
•  Belize: Rum Punch
•  Bermuda: Rum swizzle and Dark N' Stormy. The Dark N' Stormy must use Gosling's Dark Rum, which is made only in Bermuda.
•  Bolivia (Plurinational State of): Chuflay and Singani.
•  Brazil: Caipirinha is a famous drink made with cachaça, lime, and sugar. Guaraná is a fizzy soft drink made from a fruit found in the Amazon.
•  Curaçao: Curaçao liqueur is made from the dried peels of the Laraha, a bitter orange from Curaçao. It often has blue or orange colors added.
•  Chile: Pisco sour.
•  Colombia: Aguardiente and coffee.
•  Costa Rica: Imperial beer.
•  Cuba: Cuba Libre, Mojito, and Daiquiri.
•  Dominica: Mama Juana.
•  Dominican Republic: Mama Juana.
•  Ecuador: Chicha.
•  El Salvador: Pilsener and Champagne cola.
•  Grenada: Rum Punch.
•  Guatemala: Gallo beer.
•  Guyana: Mauby.
•  Haiti: Barbancourt is a rum made in Haiti from fresh sugar cane juice.
•  Honduras: Pinol.
•  Jamaica: Rum Punch.
•  Nicaragua: Macuá.
•  Panama: Seco Herrerano.
•  Paraguay: Mate is a traditional tea-like drink. It is shared in a circle and is a key part of society.
•  Peru: The Pisco sour gets its name from pisco, its main spirit. It also has sour citrus juice and a sweetener. The drink started in Pisco city. Inca Kola, a lemon-flavored soda, is also very popular.
•  Puerto Rico (US): Pina colada.
•  Saint Kitts and Nevis: Rum.
•  Saint Lucia: Bounty brand Rum.
•  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Golden Apple Juice.
•  Suriname: Kasiri.
•  Trinidad and Tobago: Queen's Park Swizzle.
•  Uruguay: Mate is a traditional tea-like drink. It is shared in a circle and is a key part of society.
•  Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of): Rum and tizana.

Drinks in Europe

Red wine is popular in many European countries, like France and Italy.

Bosnian coffee is an important part of the country's culture.

Clear vodka is often served with pickled cucumber in Slavic countries.

A kvass street vendor in Russia.

A Glencairn whisky glass.

•  Albania: Raki.
•  Andorra: Catalan Brandy and Wine.
•  Austria: Almdudler.
•  Belarus: Byarozavik is a traditional drink made from birch sap. It has become popular again recently.
•  Belgium: Belgium is famous for its many different beers and breweries.
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina: Rakija and coffee.
•  Bulgaria: Bulgaria considers Rakia its national drink. It is a spirit made from fruits like plums and apricots.
•  Croatia: Rakija and Pelinkovac.
•  Cyprus: Zivania and Brandy sour (unofficial).
•  Czech Republic: Pilsner is a pale lager beer that started in Plzeň.
•  Denmark: Akavit, Brännvin, Snaps, and Gammel Dansk.
•  Estonia: Viru Valge, koduõlu (homemade beer), and kama.
•  Finland: Lonkero.
•  France: Red wine is made from dark grapes. Champagne is a well-known white wine from France.
•  Germany: Lager and Fanta.
•  Georgia: Chacha and Red wine.
•  Greece: Ouzo is a dry, anise-flavored drink. It is widely enjoyed in Greece and Cyprus.
•  Hungary: Pálinka.
•  Iceland: Brennivín and Appelsín.
•  Ireland: Guinness is a dark Irish dry stout beer. Irish whiskey is also very popular.
•  Italy: Chinotto is a fizzy soft drink made from the myrtle-leaved orange tree fruit. Also popular are Wine, Spritz, Grappa, Espresso, and Cappuccino.
•  Kosovo: Rakia and Semoj, which is fermented cabbage juice.
•  Latvia: Riga Black Balsam.
•  Liechtenstein: Blauburgunder.
•  Lithuania: Midus and Gira.
•  Luxembourg: Crémant de Luxembourg.
•  Malta: Kinnie, Bajtra liqueur (unofficial), and Maltese falcon.
•  Moldova: Divin (Distilled Wine).
•  Monaco: Champagne.
•  Montenegro: Rakija.
•  Netherlands: Jenever.
•  North Macedonia: Rakija and Boza.
•  Norway: Akvavit and Solo.
•  Poland: Vodka is considered Poland's national drink. It is made from grains or potatoes. Another popular drink is Krupnik.
•  Portugal: Port wine is a sweet fortified wine from the Douro Valley. It is often served as a dessert wine.
•  Romania: Țuică is a plum fruit brandy. It is often enjoyed before meals and at celebrations.
•  Russia: Kvass is a traditional non-alcoholic drink often made from rye bread.
•  San Marino: Biancale.
•  Serbia: Rakija.
•  Slovakia: Borovička.
•  Slovenia: Schnapps.
•  Spain: Sangria is a punch made with red wine and chopped fruit. It often includes orange juice or brandy.
•  Sweden: Brännvin, Punsch, and Akvavit.
•  Switzerland: Rivella.

Turkey drinks more tea per person than any other country.

•  Ukraine: Horilka and Kvass.
•  United Kingdom: Tea.
  •  England: Gin.
  •  Scotland: Scotch is a whisky made and aged in Scotland for at least three years. Irn-Bru is a sweet, orange-colored soda, sometimes called Scotland's "other national drink."
  •  Wales: Perry.

Drinks in Africa

Berele glass with tej, a honey wine from Ethiopia.

•  Algeria: Tea.
•  Angola: Cuca Beer.
•  Benin: Sodabi.
•  Botswana: Chibuku Shake Shake is a traditional beer. Ginger beer is a favorite homemade non-alcoholic drink for special events.
•  Burkina Faso: Zoomkoom.
•  Burundi: Sorghum beer.
•  Cabo Verde: Grogue.
•  Cameroon: Odontol.
•  Central African Republic: Karkanji and Coffee.
•  Chad: Jus de Fruit and Tea.
•  Comoros: Singani.
•  Congo: Lotoko.
•  Côte d'Ivoire: Akpeteshie.
•  Democratic Republic of the Congo: Lotoko.
•  Djibouti: Kabisa (an energy drink). Djibouti has strict laws, so there isn't one main national drink.
•  Egypt: Black tea and Sugarcane juice.
•  Equatorial Guinea: Malamba Juice.
•  Eritrea: Sawi, coffee, araki, and tea.
•  Ethiopia: Coffee and Tej.
•  Eswatini: Sibebe.
•  Gabon: Regab.
•  Ghana: Akpeteshie (national spirit).
•  Guinea: Malamba Juice.
•  Guinea-Bissau: Cana de Cajeu.
•  Kenya: Tea and Dawa cocktail.
•  Lesotho: Tholoana.
•  Liberia: Ginger beer.
•  Libya: Libyan tea and Arabic coffee.
•  Madagascar: Rum.
•  Malawi: Thobwa.
•  Mali: Green tea.
•  Mauritania: Tea and Zrig (camel milk).
•  Mauritius: Alouda.
•  Morocco: Moroccan mint tea (atai) is a green tea with spearmint leaves and sugar.
•  Mozambique: Tipo Tinto.
•  Namibia: Oshikundu and Beer.
•  Niger: Biere Niger.
•  Nigeria: Akpeteshie.
•  Rwanda: Ikigage, a sorghum beer.
•  São Tomé and Príncipe: Palm Wine.
•  Senegal: Bissap.
•  Seychelles: Buka.
•  Sierra Leone: Poyo.
•  Somalia: No official drink, but Shah hawaash (cardamom tea), coffee, and camel milk are popular.
•  South Africa: No official drink, but Beer, Springbokkie, and Boeber are common.
•  South Sudan: Araqi.
•  Sudan: No official drink, but Roselle tea, Araqi, Gongolez (baobab drink), Hulu-Murr (spiced sorghum beverage), and Aradaib (tamarind) are popular.
•  Togo: Tchakpallo.
•  Tunisia: Tea.
•  Uganda: Waragi.
•  United Republic of Tanzania: Konyagi, tea, and coffee.
•  Zambia: Munkoyo.
•  Zimbabwe: Chibuku.

Drinks in Asia

East Asia's Unique Beverages

A classical Chinese tea set.

Bottles of Zhuyeqing baijiu from China.

•  China: Tea has been a huge part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. China has some of the oldest records of tea drinking. Chinese tea comes in many types, like white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and post-fermented tea.

The Chinese national spirit, Baijiu, is an alcoholic drink made from grains like rice or wheat. It was first made 5,000 years ago!

•  Hong Kong: Hong Kong-style milk tea.
•  Macau: Coffee (often with condensed milk) and tea.
•  Taiwan: Bubble tea (also called pearl milk tea or boba) is a tea-based drink invented in Taiwan in the 1980s.
•  Japan: Green Tea. Tea became popular in Japan around the 12th century. The Japanese tea ceremony is a very important part of Japanese culture.

Sake, also known as Japanese rice wine, is made by fermenting polished rice.

•  Mongolia: Airag or tsegee is a fermented milk product traditionally made from mare's (horse) milk. It is very important to people in Central Asia.
•  North Korea: In 2019, Kim Jong-un named Pyongyang Soju as North Korea's national drink. Soju is a clear, colorless spirit from Korea.
•  South Korea: Soju is a clear, colorless spirit from Korea. It is traditionally made from rice, but modern versions might use potatoes or sweet potatoes.

Southeast Asia's Refreshing Choices

The Singapore Sling.

Thai iced tea is popular in Thailand and worldwide.

•  Brunei: No national drink, but Air Batu Campur (ABC) is popular.
•  Cambodia: Sombai infused rice wine.
•  Indonesia: Es teler is a sweet iced drink. It was created in 1982 to be Indonesia's national drink.
•  Laos: Lao-Lao is a Laotian rice whisky. It is a main drink in Laos, along with Beerlao.
•  Malaysia: Teh tarik (meaning "pulled tea") is a hot milk tea drink. It's made by pouring the tea back and forth to create a frothy top. It is Malaysia's national drink.
•  Myanmar: Lahpet yay is made from fermented tea, sweetened condensed milk, and evaporated milk. It's often served hot in Burmese tea houses.
•  Philippines: San Miguel Beer.
•  Singapore: Kopi is a strong black coffee, often served with milk or sugar. It's a culturally important drink in Singapore.
• The Singapore Sling is a gin-based drink created before 1915 at the Raffles Hotel. It is considered Singapore's national cocktail.
• Tiger Beer is seen as Singapore's national beer.
• The Milo dinosaur is a chocolate malt drink. It's a cup of iced Milo with extra Milo powder on top. It started in Singapore in the 1990s.
•  Thailand: Thai tea is a Thai drink made from tea, milk, and sugar. It can be served hot or cold. Krating Daeng is an energy drink that inspired Red Bull.
•  Timor-Leste: Cachaca.
•  Vietnam: Rượu nếp, Vietnamese rice wine, is made from fermented glutinous rice.

South Asia's Beloved Beverages

The 7-layered tea of Bangladesh.

The popular Indian drink mango lassi.

•  Bangladesh: Tea is considered Bangladesh's national drink. A new type of tea, the seven-layer tea, is also well-known. It has different layers of tea with different colors and tastes.
•  Bhutan: Ara, or Arag, is a traditional alcoholic beverage. It is made from barley, rice, maize, millet, or wheat.
•  India: Tea is the most popular drink in India. Lassi or Chaas is a yogurt-based drink that can be sweet or salty. Masala chai is a hot, sweet tea with spices and milk. In southern India, Kaapi is a famous coffee drink.
•  Maldives: The Maldives has two main national drinks. First, sai (tea) is a favorite. Second, raa (palm wine tapped from palm trees) is also important.
•  Nepal: Raksi is a strong, clear drink, like vodka. It is usually made from millet or rice. The Limbus people drink a lot of Tongba and raksi. For the Newars, aylaa is important during festivals.
•  Pakistan: Sugarcane juice and Chai.
•  Sri Lanka: Tea.

Central Asia's Traditional Drinks

•  Afghanistan: No official drink, but tea and doogh are popular.
•  Kazakhstan: Kumis, which is fermented horse milk.
•  Kyrgyzstan: Maksym or jarma, both made from barley.
•  Tajikistan: Green tea.
•  Turkmenistan: Chal.
•  Uzbekistan: Green tea.

West Asia's Refreshing Beverages

•  Armenia: Oghi, Armenian wine, and Ararat (brandy).
•  Azerbaijan: Black tea and Ayran.
•  Bahrain: coffee.
•  Georgia: Chacha and Red wine.
•  Iraq: coffee, Arak, and Mint tea.
•  Iran: Doogh, a Persian yogurt drink, and Black tea.
•  Israel: Arak and Goldstar.
•  Jordan: Arabic coffee (served in small shots), Mint lemonade, and arak.
•  Kuwait: Arabic coffee (kahwah).
•  Lebanon: Arak.
•  Oman: Arabic coffee.
•  Palestine: coffee, Arak, and mint lemonade.
•  Qatar: Arabic coffee.
•  Saudi Arabia: Arabic coffee.
•  Syria: coffee and Arak.
•  Turkey: raki; tea; and ayran (a non-alcoholic yogurt drink).
•  United Arab Emirates: Arabic Coffee.
•  Yemen: Arabic Coffee, Qishr, and Naqe'e Al Zabib.

Drinks in Oceania

•  American Samoa (US): Kava.
•  Australia: Lemon, lime, and bitters (LLB) is often called "Australia's national drink." It's a mix of lemonade, lime cordial, and bitters.
•  Cook Islands: Tumunu.
•  Easter Island: Easter Island Cocktail.
•  Fiji: Most Fijians say Kava is their unofficial national drink. It's a welcome drink and important for social events. Kava is known for its calming effects.
•  French Polynesia: Hinano Lager.
•  Guam (US): Calamansi Basil Lemonade.
•  Hawaii (US): Mai tai.
•  Kiribati: Karewe is a palm wine made from coconut palm sap. It's a very important skill for young boys to learn how to collect it.
•  Marshall Islands: Coconut Water.
•  Micronesia: Sakau.
•  Nauru: Iced Coffee.
•  New Caledonia: Wine.
•  New Zealand: L&P.
•  Niue: Coconut Water.
•  Northern Mariana Islands: Michelob Ultra.
•  Palau: Coconut Water.
•  Papua New Guinea: Kava.
•  Pitcairn Islands: Ti Punch.
•  Samoa: Kava.
•  Solomon Islands: Kava.
•  Tokelau: Kava.
•  Tonga: Kava is a very important drink in Tonga, often seen as their unofficial national drink. Only men usually drink kava, but a young woman called a touʻa serves it.
•  Tuvalu: Kava.
•  Vanuatu: Kava drink.
•  Wake Island: Beer.
•  Wallis and Futuna: Kava.

Images for kids

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  Coca-Cola is thought by many to be a symbol of the US.

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  Guinness, a dry stout beer, is strongly associated with Ireland.

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  Kaapi, Indian filter coffee.

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  A typical informal faikava in Tonga with the touʻa serving the men.

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  Peach kompot, traditional to several countries in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

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  Krupnik, a national drink of Poland.

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  Kvass, popular in the Baltic and Slavic countries.

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  Krating Daeng, an energy drink, created in Thailand.

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  The new Seven Color Tea, a recent competitor for national drink of Bangladesh.

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  Indian Masala chai served in a red clay tea cup.

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  Many in both Peru and Chile think that pisco sour is their national drink.