Final answer:
The majority of the world's cocoa is produced in West Africa, with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana producing around 75% of the global supply, due to ideal climate conditions for cacao trees found near the equator.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary producers of the world's cocoa are located within a narrow band around the equator, where the climate is ideal for growing cacao trees. West Africa currently dominates the global cocoa production, with Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana being the top producers. Together, these two countries produce about 75% of the world's cocoa. The cacao bean is central to the production of chocolate and has a rich history that dates back to ancient civilizations like the Olmec, Mayans, and Aztecs, who first cultivated the crop and created beverages from it.
The popularity of chocolate began to spread globally after Europeans, starting with the Italians in the 16th century, encountered the drink in the Americas and brought it back to Europe. Since then, the demand for chocolate has continued to grow, which has led to the establishment of vast cocoa plantations, especially in West Africa, where conditions are ideal for cacao tree cultivation.