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Surprising things countries make a fortune from

These countries make money from unusual things
Iran is the world's biggest exporter of saffron
Sri Lanka earns millions from cinnamon
Australia's biggest export is coal
... and Australia is big in the truffle market too
Tuvalu sells its internet domain suffix
Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha sell stamps
Germany is the world's biggest exporter of chocolate
The Netherlands is worth its salt
Chile is the chief cherry exporter
Kazakhstan exports radioactive chemicals
Indonesia hops to it with frogs' legs
Snails make millions for Bosnia and Herzegovina
India makes millions from turmeric
India sells human hair abroad
New Zealand concentrates on milk
Quicklime provides a healthy income for France
Ireland trades blood
Silkworm cocoons are lucrative for Turkey
Liechtenstein exports false teeth
The UK is making money from gas turbines
Vietnam is nuts about cashews
St. Kitts and Nevis sell citizenship
The Philippines are big in the algae business
Turkey is huge in stone
Nearly half of the world's chilli peppers come from China
China also ices up
Zinc is Peru's treasure
Sugar makes Brazil a sweet profit
The UK is the world's largest legal cannabis exporter
Canada has a good line in bovine semen
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Brenda Carson/Shutterstock

These countries make money from unusual things

Some countries make a fortune from some rather surprising (but legal) goods. From medical cannabis to blood to bull semen, we take a look at 30 unexpected items that some countries export around the world for a tidy sum.

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lovemoney staff

17 December 2019

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