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| Who, What, Why: In which countries is Coca-Cola not sold? | Who, What, Why: In which countries is Coca-Cola not sold? |
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| After almost 60 years, Coca-Cola is on sale again in Burma. It's one of the world's most recognised brands, so are there any countries where the drinks giant still remains unsold? | After almost 60 years, Coca-Cola is on sale again in Burma. It's one of the world's most recognised brands, so are there any countries where the drinks giant still remains unsold? |
| Coca-Cola says it sells 1.8 billion servings of the drink every day. But for the last six decades, none has been in Burma. | Coca-Cola says it sells 1.8 billion servings of the drink every day. But for the last six decades, none has been in Burma. |
| That's because of US trade sanctions on the military junta which ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. | That's because of US trade sanctions on the military junta which ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. |
| Those sanctions were suspended a few months ago, as the country began to move towards democratic reforms. | Those sanctions were suspended a few months ago, as the country began to move towards democratic reforms. |
| But the company said on Monday its first delivery had arrived and local production would begin soon. | But the company said on Monday its first delivery had arrived and local production would begin soon. |
| Coca-Cola's entry into any country is a powerful symbol, says Tom Standage, author of A History of the World in Six Glasses. | Coca-Cola's entry into any country is a powerful symbol, says Tom Standage, author of A History of the World in Six Glasses. |
| "The moment Coca-Cola starts shipping is the moment you can say there might be real change going on here," he says. "Coca-Cola is the nearest thing to capitalism in a bottle." | "The moment Coca-Cola starts shipping is the moment you can say there might be real change going on here," he says. "Coca-Cola is the nearest thing to capitalism in a bottle." |
| Coca-Cola's rival PepsiCo has also announced plans to resume sales in Burma. | Coca-Cola's rival PepsiCo has also announced plans to resume sales in Burma. |
| There are now just two countries in the world where Coca-Cola cannot be bought or sold - at least, not officially. They are Cuba and North Korea, which are both under long-term US trade embargoes (Cuba since 1962 and North Korea since 1950). | There are now just two countries in the world where Coca-Cola cannot be bought or sold - at least, not officially. They are Cuba and North Korea, which are both under long-term US trade embargoes (Cuba since 1962 and North Korea since 1950). |
| Cuba was actually one of the first three countries outside the US to bottle Coke, in 1906. | Cuba was actually one of the first three countries outside the US to bottle Coke, in 1906. |
| But the company moved out as Fidel Castro's government began seizing private assets in the 1960s, and has never returned. | But the company moved out as Fidel Castro's government began seizing private assets in the 1960s, and has never returned. |
| In North Korea - the other Coca-Cola-free zone - recent media reports suggested it was being sold in a restaurant in Pyongyang. But Coca-Cola says if any drinks are being sold in either North Korea or Cuba, they are being smuggled in on the black market, not via official channels. | |
| The dark fizzy soda was created in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia. From the early days the Coca-Cola company looked to expand worldwide, and by the early 1900s it was bottling the drink in Asia and Europe. | The dark fizzy soda was created in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia. From the early days the Coca-Cola company looked to expand worldwide, and by the early 1900s it was bottling the drink in Asia and Europe. |
| But the big boost came as a result of World War II when Coca-Cola was provided to US troops overseas. | But the big boost came as a result of World War II when Coca-Cola was provided to US troops overseas. |
| There were more than 60 military bottling plants for Coca-Cola around the world during the war, and locals got a taste for the drink too. | There were more than 60 military bottling plants for Coca-Cola around the world during the war, and locals got a taste for the drink too. |
| It became powerfully associated with American patriotism, says Standage, and was seen as so crucial to the war effort that it was exempted from sugar rationing. | It became powerfully associated with American patriotism, says Standage, and was seen as so crucial to the war effort that it was exempted from sugar rationing. |
| Dwight Eisenhower, at the time the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe, was said to be a particular fan and he ensured its availability in North Africa. | Dwight Eisenhower, at the time the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe, was said to be a particular fan and he ensured its availability in North Africa. |
| He also introduced the drink to top Soviet general, Georgy Zhukov, who asked if a special, colourless version - one that looked like vodka - could be made, and Coca-Cola duly obliged for a while, says Standage. | He also introduced the drink to top Soviet general, Georgy Zhukov, who asked if a special, colourless version - one that looked like vodka - could be made, and Coca-Cola duly obliged for a while, says Standage. |
| These days Coca-Cola is regularly ranked as one of the top, if not the top, global brands. | These days Coca-Cola is regularly ranked as one of the top, if not the top, global brands. |
| "It has always been about the American dream," says Bruce Webster, an independent branding consultant who has done work for the Coca-Cola company in the past. | "It has always been about the American dream," says Bruce Webster, an independent branding consultant who has done work for the Coca-Cola company in the past. |
| But not all countries have embraced the American-ness that seems to be embodied by Coca-Cola. | But not all countries have embraced the American-ness that seems to be embodied by Coca-Cola. |
| It was the French who first coined the pejorative term "coca-colonisation" in the 1950s. Trucks were overturned and bottles smashed, says Standage, as protesters saw the drink as a threat to French society. | It was the French who first coined the pejorative term "coca-colonisation" in the 1950s. Trucks were overturned and bottles smashed, says Standage, as protesters saw the drink as a threat to French society. |
| During the Cold War, Coca-Cola became a symbol of capitalism and a faultline between capitalism and communism, says Webster. | During the Cold War, Coca-Cola became a symbol of capitalism and a faultline between capitalism and communism, says Webster. |
| It was not marketed in the former Soviet Union due to the fear that profits would go straight into communist government coffers, says Standage. | It was not marketed in the former Soviet Union due to the fear that profits would go straight into communist government coffers, says Standage. |
| Pepsi filled the gap and was widely sold. | Pepsi filled the gap and was widely sold. |
| When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, many East Germans bought Coca-Cola by the crate-load, says Standage. "Drinking Coca-Cola became a symbol of freedom." | When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, many East Germans bought Coca-Cola by the crate-load, says Standage. "Drinking Coca-Cola became a symbol of freedom." |
| Other than the former Soviet Union, the main region that Coca-Cola has struggled in historically is the Middle East, largely due to a boycott implemented by the Arab League from 1968-1991, as a punishment for it selling in Israel. | Other than the former Soviet Union, the main region that Coca-Cola has struggled in historically is the Middle East, largely due to a boycott implemented by the Arab League from 1968-1991, as a punishment for it selling in Israel. |
| Pepsi picked up a lot of the sales in the Middle East - and many local versions of the drink thrived. | Pepsi picked up a lot of the sales in the Middle East - and many local versions of the drink thrived. |
| Coca-Cola is not trying to get involved in politics, says Webster, but as a huge brand so closely associated with the US, it sometimes finds itself tangled up in politics, or singled out for criticism. | Coca-Cola is not trying to get involved in politics, says Webster, but as a huge brand so closely associated with the US, it sometimes finds itself tangled up in politics, or singled out for criticism. |
| "The whole strength of the brand is plugging into a way of life that so many people wanted. As an ideology, it polarises. And sometimes those associations become unattractive," he says. | "The whole strength of the brand is plugging into a way of life that so many people wanted. As an ideology, it polarises. And sometimes those associations become unattractive," he says. |
| "America itself as a brand is more tarnished now. People are more ambiguous towards it." | "America itself as a brand is more tarnished now. People are more ambiguous towards it." |
| In 2003, protesters in Thailand poured Coca-Cola onto the streets as a demonstration against the US-led invasion of Iraq, and sales were temporarily suspended, says Standage. | In 2003, protesters in Thailand poured Coca-Cola onto the streets as a demonstration against the US-led invasion of Iraq, and sales were temporarily suspended, says Standage. |
| Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to ban Coca-Cola and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez recently urged people to drink locally-made fruit juice rather than drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi. | Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to ban Coca-Cola and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez recently urged people to drink locally-made fruit juice rather than drink Coca-Cola or Pepsi. |
| But 126 years after its birth, Coca-Cola is still pushing forward in terms of sales, with strong growth - especially, it says, in the emerging markets of India, China and Brazil. | But 126 years after its birth, Coca-Cola is still pushing forward in terms of sales, with strong growth - especially, it says, in the emerging markets of India, China and Brazil. |
| Reporting by Cordelia Hebblethwaite | Reporting by Cordelia Hebblethwaite |