The World's Favorite Book Genres, Mapped

elenaleonova/iStock via Getty Images
elenaleonova/iStock via Getty Images | elenaleonova/iStock via Getty Images

Reading habits look different around the world. In India, the average person devotes 10 hours and 42 minutes to reading per week—which is five hours more than the average person spends in the U.S. What people choose to read also varies depending on their geographic location. To see which literary genres reign supreme around the world, check out the map below.

Studying in Switzerland looked at international Google search numbers to determine the most popular book genres in countries where data was available. According to search trends, American readers prefer the classics to other popular categories. Book lovers in New Zealand and Ireland are also searching for older books that tend to be taught in literature classes.

In Latin America, horror and romance are the most popular genres. Scary books dominate in Mexico and Argentina, and love stories win over readers in Brazil. The two genres tie for the No.1 spot in Venezuela.

Fantasy is another popular genre read round the world, coming out on top in Italy, Germany, and Poland. India, home to the world's most voracious readers, gravitates toward poetry over the other genres on the map.

No matter what your genre of choice is, reading is a great way to feel well-traveled without leaving home. After checking out the map of the most popular genres by country, add these transportive books to your to-be-read pile.

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