Tea is a popular drink throughout Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. Turkey has the highest per-capita tea consumption in the world with an annual total consumption of over 3 kilograms per person. Turkey is a major exporter of tea, ranking fifth among the top exporting countries. Tea plays a big role in social gatherings that take place in tea houses and gardens. It is also used as a herbal medicine. Turkish tea culture extends to Northern Cyprus and some countries in the Balkan Peninsula. Turkish tea has a long and expansive history that shaped its harvesting even before the founding of the modern Turkish Republic. Since its introduction to Turkey, tea has become a large part of Turkish culture.