Sweden. Sweden is one of the leading countries in vegan popularity as about 20% of younger Swedes think of themselves as being vegetarian or vegan.
Sweden is a country that is widely regarded as being vegetarian and vegan friendly. Take some time to research and plan out a list of meatless options. Swedes are eating more plant-based options as a result of a decrease in meat consumption.
The good news is that Sweden is now considered one of the most vegetarian and vegan-friendly countries globally.
Research of this nature in 2020 showed that the United Kingdom was the leading country for veganism. Google trends gave the UK a perfect 100 out of 100 score, with Australia second on 87, Israel on 84, Austria on 82 and New Zealand on 81.
Sweden is ranked 7th among global vegan-friendly countries.
Israel: This country's capital city, Tel Aviv, is titled the “vegan capital of the world”. Apart from Tel Aviv, you'll find vegan alternatives and markets in lots of different small towns of Israel serving superb vegan fare. You can pick out from 700+ vegan eating places in Israel, currently.
India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.
Here's Why Israel Is the Vegan Capital of the World.
According to a recent study conducted by the Eco Experts, Switzerland is the top country in Europe to be vegetarian. The study looked at the number of veggie-friendly restaurants available, the annual meat consumption and the price of meat by the kilogram.
The UAE is increasingly becoming more vegan-friendly as the global trend continues to grow in popularity in the region. The movement is gathering pace, and the way people are seeking everyday plant-based dining options at homes is evolving.
V for Veganism
The UK topped the list with a commanding score of 98, followed by Sweden (84), Ireland (62), Austria (60) and Germany (59). Finland (57), Denmark, Switzerland (53), Norway (47) and the Netherlands (46) completed the top 10.
While a lot of traditional Swedish food is heavy on meat and fish, vegetarians and vegans are now well catered for – in most parts of the country, at least.
Other Nordic territories
Consisting of 18 main islands, the remote Faroe Islands are best known for their bird cliffs and unspoiled landscape. Greenland offers the most imposing natural scenery of the region. Its enormous glaciers and iceberg-filled fjords outperform even Norway in the natural beauty stakes.
Hindu and Buddhism
Both of these traditions emphasize the importance of nonviolence and compassion towards all living beings, and this commitment to ethical conduct has led many followers to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. In Hinduism, the concept of ahimsa, or nonviolence, is a central tenet of the faith.
Hair absorbs a higher rate of animal proteins than bone or teeth, and the isotope ratios in hair of the mummies corresponded to that found in hair of modern European vegetarians, confirming that the ancient Egyptians were also mainly vegetarians.
The mountainous city of Palitana in India is the world's first vegetarian city.
Jesus ate fish and is seen as completely without sin, suggesting that eating fish is not a sin. The Bible does not explicitly state that Jesus ate any meat other than fish, and Webb cites the fact that no lamb is mentioned at the Last Supper as evidence that he did not.
Plant-based eating is deeply rooted in three of the prominent religions practiced in India – Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. All these religions believe in the concept of Ahimsa, which means kindness and non-violence towards all living things.
Responding to the question on what Islam says about vegetarianism, the Islam Online Archive said: “So, Muslims are not vegetarians. However, if someone prefers to eat vegetables, then he is allowed to do so. Allah has given us permission to eat meat of slaughtered animals, but He has not made it obligatory upon us.”
Some Muslims claim to follow a vegan lifestyle, claiming that they simply do not enjoy meat, for health, or even spiritual reasons, such as abstaining from the luxuries of life.
The bigger cities in Switzerland like Zurich and Geneva are the most vegan friendly in general, with an array of vegan restaurants and shops. They are the best places to search for like-minded vegan friends using social media groups to organize vegan meals and meetups.
As per our findings, there's no country where 100% of the population is non-vegetarian. However, some countries have a higher consumption of meat because of cultural or religious factors, i.e., China, Brazil, and the USA, among others.