Where does watermelon come from?

Watermelon comes from the Kalahari Desert in Africa, and the first recorded watermelon harvest occurred in Egypt approximately 5,000 years ago. Merchant ships carried the fruit from Egypt to countries along the Mediterranean Sea, and it spread to China, the rest of Europe and America in later centuries.

Watermelon spread from the south end of Africa to the north thousands of years ago. It found its way to China in the tenth century and, as of 2014, China is the world's largest producer of this fruit. African slaves brought watermelon to the United States, and by weight it is the most-consumed melon in America.