Rabbits were first domesticated in the Middle Ages by French monks, who selectively bred wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) for meat and fur, marking the beginning of their spread as a domesticated species. Over time, rabbit husbandry expanded across Europe and later to other continents, with rabbits becoming valued for their rapid reproduction, high-quality meat, and pelts. Today, the top countries raising rabbits are China, which leads the world in both rabbit meat and fur production, followed by countries like Italy, Spain, France, and Egypt. In these countries, rabbits are farmed both commercially and on small family farms, contributing significantly to local diets and economies. The global distribution of domestic rabbits reflects centuries of selective breeding and adaptation, making them an important agricultural species worldwide.
| Rank | Country | Head |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 99,169,000 |
| 2 | North Korea | 27,019,000 |
| 3 | Egypt | 6,800,000 |
| 4 | Nigeria | 4,939,000 |
| 5 | Ukraine | 4,505,000 |
| 6 | Russia | 3,445,000 |
| 7 | Algeria | 1,695,000 |
| 8 | Sierra Leone | 1,628,000 |
| 9 | Mexico | 1,410,000 |
| 10 | Rwanda | 1,305,000 |
| 11.5 | Peru | 1,141,000 |
| 11.5 | Argentina | 1,141,000 |
| 13 | Kenya | 687,000 |
| 14 | Venezuela | 665,000 |
| 15 | Uzbekistan | 601,000 |
| 16 | Colombia | 543,000 |
| 17 | Burundi | 533,000 |
| 18 | Ecuador | 479,000 |
| 19 | France | 418,000 |
| 20 | Gabon | 347,000 |
| 21 | Netherlands | 321,000 |
| 22 | Moldova | 319,000 |
| 23 | Bolivia | 299,000 |
| 24 | Belarus | 294,000 |
| 25 | Brazil | 174,000 |
| 26 | Madagascar | 127,000 |
| 27 | Mozambique | 126,000 |
| 28 | Botswana | 125,000 |
| 29 | Kazakhstan | 101,000 |
| 30.5 | Syria | 89,000 |
| 30.5 | China Taiwan | 89,000 |
| 32 | Tajikistan | 88,000 |
| 33 | South Korea | 67,000 |
| 34 | Uruguay | 64,000 |
| 35 | Lithuania | 62,000 |
| 36 | Turkey | 50,000 |
| 37 | Switzerland | 49,000 |
| 38 | Cameroon | 48,000 |
| 39 | Armenia | 39,000 |
| 40 | Puerto Rico | 31,000 |
| 41 | Latvia | 24,000 |
| 42.5 | Kyrgyzstan | 20,000 |
| 42.5 | Georgia | 20,000 |
| 44 | Jordan | 14,000 |
| 45 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6,000 |
| 46 | Mauritius | 5,000 |
| 47 | Trinidad and Tobago | 4,000 |
| 48 | Norway | 1,000 |
Data from United Nations FAO Stat