Map shows pizza is the world's favourite takeaway meal

Pizza is the most-searched-for takeaway choice in 44 countries - including India, Germany and of course, Italy

A Google-generated world map has revealed that the most popular takeaway choices around the globe is pizza.

On the map country names have been supplemented by their residents' most-searched-for takeaway cuisine, reports Daily Mail.

Pizza is top in 44 countries, including India and Germany, while Chinese food is second, coming top in 29 countries, including Britain and America. Sushi is third - the most-searched-for takeaway in 10 countries, including Sweden and unsurprisingly, Japan.

The map has been drawn up by insurance website MoneyBeach.co.uk, which used the Google data to establish the average monthly search volume in each country for terms associated with ordering a takeaway.

It says that the most-searched-for takeaway choice was then used as the top takeout cuisine for the country.

Regarding top-ranked pizza, it says: "Pizza, a beloved comfort food and choice that offers something for everyone, with meat feasts and pineapple toppings to multiple vegan options, proved a clear favourite for everywhere from France to Barbados, and of course the home of pizza, Italy."

In fourth place is fish and chips, top in six countries, including Canada, while fifth is fried chicken, with Cambodia among the five countries where it is most-searched-for.

Indian takeaway is sixth and top in four countries including the Netherlands, while Korean food is seventh and the most-searched-for takeaway in three countries, including Jordan.

Eighth and leading the way in two countries is Thai food, while joint ninth is tapas, tacos, Malaysian food, burritos, pasta and kebab - all the most-searched-for in one country each.

As well as a world map, MoneyBeach.co.uk has also drawn-up maps with regional breakdowns of the search data.

In Europe, pizza is the clear favourite - although the Russians favour a kebab takeaway, tapas is top in Denmark and sushi is most-searched-for in Portugal.

Across the Atlantic in North America, Mexicans search for Chinese the most, while fish and chips is the takeaway of choice in St Lucia and Grenada.

Moving down to South America, topping searches are pizza (Argentina), Chinese (Chile) and sushi (Brazil).

When it comes to Oceania, Chinese is most-searched-for in Australia and New Zealand, with fish and chips coming top in Fiji.

In Asia, pizza is number one in India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, burritos are what Thais like to order and Chinese is the favourite in the Philippines and, of course, China.

And in Africa, South Africans most-searched-for takeaway is fish and chips, Egyptians can't get enough of pizza and sushi is top in Mozambique.

Mike Rees, CEO of MoneyBeach.co.uk, said: 'We recently offered the chance for a lucky person to get paid for taste-testing festive takeout options, and the high levels of interest and 9,000-plus applications we received made us want to look a bit deeper into the world of takeaway food.

"A good takeout has become even more important this year as many have largely been unable to eat out, and it has been interesting to find that two choices (pizza and Chinese food) are head and shoulders above the competition!"