Tea in Desert Climates

1 What countries do you think of/when you hear the word “tea”?// You may come up with China, the UK, or Japan.// It is true/that a lot of tea is consumed/in these countries.// However,/when it comes to consumption per capita,/some Middle Eastern and African countries/such as Turkey, Morocco, Iran, and Egypt/are major consumers of tea.// For example,/in Turkey,/people love to drink chai,/strong black tea with sugar.// Similarly,/Morocco is famous for its mint tea/that consists of Chinese green tea, sugar, and spearmint leaves.// Why is tea popular/in the Middle East and Africa?//

2 There are various reasons/behind its popularity.// In the case of the Middle East,/geography is an important factor.// The Middle East is located/between Asia and Europe.// Asia is a major tea production area,/and Europe is a major tea consumption area.// Tea culture in the Middle East/has developed/because of the long history of tea trade/between these two areas.//

3 As for Africa,/politics cannot be overlooked.// In the 19th and 20th centuries,/Great Britain colonized some countries in Africa/such as Kenya and Tanzania.// Because Great Britain built large tea plantations in these countries,/the custom of drinking tea took root there.// Gradually,/tea culture expanded to other areas/in Africa.//

4 The natural environment/also plays a crucial role.// In the dry air of the Middle East and Africa,/people frequently drink tea/to satisfy their thirst.// Furthermore,/many people in these areas/believe in Islam,/which bans drinking alcohol.// This rule leads to Muslims’ consumption of tea.//

5 How people enjoy tea/is different,/depending on the country.// Yet,/one feature is common.// As we know,/tea helps people relax and socialize.//