The chickpea is an annual legume grown for its edible seeds, one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with the oldest archaeological evidence of its cultivation found in Syria. High in protein, it is a staple of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, used in hummus, falafel and curries, and India accounted for 75 percent of the 16.5 million tonnes of chickpeas produced worldwide in 2023. Desi is the most common variety in South Asia, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran, with small, dark seeds and a rough coat, and each seedpod contains two or three peas.
Facts
Scientific Name Domestication RegionSyria (oldest archaeological evidence of cultivation) 2 In the Other Atlases
Era Of Origin
Also in History Atlas: the era this subject comes from.
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Chickpea (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Chickpea (Wikipedia)
- lead: an annual legume of the family Fabaceae
- lead: an annual legume, cultivated for its edible seeds
- lead: key ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines
View the Source2. Chickpea (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
The chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds.
Lead section, scientific name
Cicer arietinum
Lead section, classification
The chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds.
Lead section, domestication region
It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, the oldest archaeological evidence of which was found in Syria.
lead description or Wikipedia lead (life-cycle)
The chickpea is an annual legume grown for its edible seeds, one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with the oldest archaeological evidence of its cultivation found in Syria.
lead description or Wikipedia lead (primary-uses)
The chickpea is an annual legume grown for its edible seeds, one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with the oldest archaeological evidence of its cultivation found in Syria.
Production
In 2023, world production of chickpeas was 16.5 million tonnes, led by India with 75% of the total, and Australia as a major secondary producer (table).
Varieties, desi
Desi is the most common variety of chickpea in South Asia, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran, typically grown in semi-arid tropics, also called Bengal gram. It has small, dark seeds and a rough coat; coloring can be black, green, or speckled.
Description, pods
Chickpeas are a type of pulse, with each seedpod containing two or three peas.
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