It is fair to say that potatoes are among the most popular vegetables in Northern Europe. Looking at the bigger picture, it is hard to imagine European cuisine without the potato. Incidentally, Europe has one of the highest per capita potato consumption rates in the world. These well-known tubers are rich in vitamins B6 and C. As is known, the potato as a plant is not 'European'; its homeland is South America (Peru), from where it was brought to Europe by Spanish travellers at the beginning of the 16th century.

The map shows that there are two regions in Europe where potato consumption is higher than in the rest of the continent. In Belarus and Ukraine, the average person consumes 182 and 139 kg of potatoes per year respectively, while in Cyprus it is just 21 kg, and in Bulgaria and Montenegro slightly more – 27 kg.