Only Guyana can fully feed itself across all seven essential food groups (fruit, veg, dairy, fish, meat, legumes/nuts, staples) from domestic production, according to a 2025 study in Nature Food; China and Vietnam are close, meeting six groups, while other major nations like Australia, the US, and EU countries rely on imports for some nutritional needs, though they are highly food secure and export heavily.
Guyana: The Only Country That Can Completely Feed Itself
Technically, Guyana stands alone with a perfect score across all seven food groups. Guyana's fertile alluvial plains yield bumper harvests of rice and starchy roots.
Only one country in the world produces all the food it needs, study finds. Out of 186 countries, only Guyana produces enough food to self-sufficiently feed all its citizens without foreign imports, according to new research.
That nation is Guyana. Researchers looked at food production data from 186 countries and found that Guyana is the only one that produces enough of all seven key food groups for its own population. China and Vietnam came close, each meeting their own needs in six of the seven categories.
The short answer is no. However, while the UK produces approximately 60% of the food it consumes domestically, with a higher self-sufficiency rate of 73% for indigenous food products, the UK relies on global supply chains to supplement its food supply, particularly for specialised and seasonal items.
Among the most self-sufficient countries, Argentina could feed itself with just 5.5% of its land. The US and Canada only need 12-13%, Sweden is also at 13%. Ireland is at 14.56%, Finland at 18%. Austria, Denmark, France, and Poland are in the 40 to 50% bracket.
“With over 70% of the world's food production reliant on family farmers, this type of farming represents the vast majority of agriculture worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.
Australia is one of the most food secure nations in the world, with access to a wide variety of healthy and nutritious foods. Australia produces much more food than it consumes, exporting around 70% of agricultural production.
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At the other end of the spectrum, Nigeria ranks last with a score of 15.6. Despite its natural resources, the country struggles with poverty, weak healthcare, corruption, and security challenges, making daily life difficult for many.
Mining. Mining has surpassed the economic importance of sugar in recent years, making up a sizable portion of Guyana's GDP. The large-scale gold and bauxite mining operations are all foreign-owned, but the vast proportion of gold and diamond mining is done by small and medium-scale miners.
However, New Zealand is fully self-sufficient in five out of the seven food groups analysed. While we would fall short at producing enough legumes, nuts, seeds and starchy staples, to meet everyone's dietary needs, our fruit and vegetable, meat, dairy, fish and seafood supply is plentiful.
Italy. Italy is the ultimate destination for food. There's a reason so many people refer to it as Eataly: it's the birthplace of Neapolitan pizza, focaccia, and the polenta most people know and love today.
The Japanese 80% rule, known as "Hara Hachi Bu", is a Confucian principle advising people to stop eating when they feel about 80% full, not completely stuffed, to support health and longevity. This practice encourages mindful eating, helps prevent overeating, and is linked to lower rates of illness and longer lifespans, particularly observed in Okinawan centenarians. It involves slowing down during meals, listening to your body's fullness cues, and appreciating food as fuel rather than indulging to the point of discomfort.
Some of you may be concerned about whether or not it is legal to grow your own food. The short answer is, it is absolutely legal to grow your own food, and there has never been a better time to start!
Australia has a high standard of living supported by an educated workforce and a high level of innovation. The quality of education, healthcare, transport, infrastructure and government services in Australia are all above international averages.
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Switzerland tops the list of countries with the highest monthly salaries in 2025, offering an impressive average of USD 8,247. Luxembourg follows in second place with USD 6,764, driven by its strong financial sector and high standard of living.
The 2-hour/4-hour rule in Australia is a food safety guideline for potentially hazardous foods (like meat, dairy, cooked rice) held in the "temperature danger zone" (between 5°C and 60°C). If food is out for under 2 hours, it can be refrigerated or used. If out for 2 to 4 hours, it must be used immediately (cannot be refrigerated). If out for over 4 hours, it must be discarded to prevent bacteria growth.
In 2022, Australia's conventional oil resources are estimated as 8,045 PJ (1,408 MMbbl) of proven and probable (2P) reserves and 12,826 PJ (2,229 MMbbl) of contingent (2C) resources. At 2022 production rates, this is equivalent to less than 12 years of remaining conventional oil reserves.
A new study has found in five years' time Australians are likely to be eating more junk food and less fruit and vegetables. Right now we are eating about four serves of "discretionary foods" high in salt, fat, and sugar daily, and CSIRO research has found that was likely to increase 18 per cent by 2030.
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Only one nation in the world can fully feed itself without relying on food imports, according to a new study. That nation is Guyana. Researchers looked at food production data from 186 countries and found that Guyana is the only one that produces enough of all seven key food groups for its own population.
The largest food manufacturer in the world is Nestlé. Founded in 1866 and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé employs more than a quarter-million people worldwide and sells over 2,000 brands across nearly every country on Earth.