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There is an eternal "debate" regarding the mate: which is THE country of mate?
Some will say it is Argentina, others Uruguay, and still others Paraguay.
But the truth is that each country can "appropriate" mate for different reasons. So, we laid everything out so you can see clearly.
After reading this article, you will be able to proudly explain which country is the home of mate (and why!).
Mate is often known as the drink of Argentina or Uruguay. But to be precise, mate is the drink of the Guaranis.
For yes, mate owes its origins to the indigenous Guaranis, who used its leaves as currency, objects of worship, and incidentally, to make a drink. For the Guaranis, the mate tree is considered the quintessential tree, a gift from the gods.
Who do we owe mate to?
Contrary to popular belief, and to be precise, mate is neither "Argentinian" nor "Uruguayan". It is simply a drink discovered and invented by the Guaranis, the indigenous people who occupied the region (and who still live there).
Learn more: Guarani & Maté
The mate plant, Ilex paraguariensis, originates from the subtropical region that extends between Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil.
And while it is known that the Guaranis are the ones who started consuming this plant, the Spaniards made the first written records of its consumption in a particular place: Paraguay.
According to several Iberian texts from the 16thth In the century, mate leaves had a particular name at that time: "yerba del Paraguay", or in other words, "herb of Paraguay".
Where does mate come from? Paraguay.
Although yerba mate grows in several countries, its consumption as we know it began in Paraguay. It is now mostly consumed there as a cold infusion (tereré).
Learn more: Paraguay & Tereré
Mate is (very) often associated with Argentina. And rightly so.
Mate is extremely widespread there. This drink is a true national emblem. People drink mate everywhere and at any time.
Moreover, Argentina is the largest producer and exporter of mate in the world, with 165,000 hectares, ahead of Brazil (85,000 hectares) and Paraguay (35,000 hectares).
Mate can be found in 98% of Argentine households, and 7 out of 10 Argentines drink mate daily.
According to these figures, it is therefore obvious that Argentina is still associated with mate.
That's why it's not uncommon to hear about the magic potion of Argentinians.
What is the largest producer of mate in the world? Argentina.
Argentina is the country that produces, exports, and consumes the most mate in the world. In a way, one could say that mate is the national drink of Argentina.
Learn more: Mate & Argentina
But while Argentina could be considered THE country of mate, the neighboring Uruguay also has its say.
Argentina is the country that consumes the most mate, but it's not really fair, as Uruguay is a much smaller country (44.3 million inhabitants for the former and 3.4 million for the latter).
Alors, si l’Argentine consomme plus de maté que l’Uruguay en tant que pays, les Uruguayens boivent bien plus de maté que les Argentins.
So, while Argentina consumes more mate than Uruguay as a country, Uruguayans drink much more mate than Argentinians.
Indeed, Argentinians consume an average of 6.4 kg of mate each year, while Uruguayans consume over 9 kg!
On the other hand, while Uruguayans consume a lot of mate, they do not produce any at all.
Uruguay imports its mate from its neighbors, mainly from Brazil.
Who consumes the most mate? Uruguayans.
Uruguayans are the ones who drink the most mate – 9 kg per person per year (on average). Even more impressively, survey results showed that mate is part of breakfast for 87% of them!
Mate Chimarrão Brazil
Mate holds a special place in Brazil. It is not actually called "mate" there but "chimarrão."
If it is quite rare for Brazil to be considered a mate country, it is because this drink is only widespread in 4 states in the south (out of the 25 states in the country).
Moreover, Brazil cannot be ignored when it comes to mate. Although less known for this drink than its neighbors, Brazil remains the second largest producer in the world.
Learn more: Mate & Brazil
Therefore, mate is not the drink of a single country, but of 4: Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. To summarize in a few words:
