According to Nationmaster, in 2002 Afghanistan was the world's largest producer of illegal opium, with potential opium production of 1,278 metric tons. Burma was the world's second largest producer of illicit opium, with potential production of 630 metric tons. The world's third-largest illicit opium producer was Laos with an estimated potential production of 180 metric tons. Colombia's potential production of heroin was 11.3 metric tons, and Mexico's was 7 metric tons.

Minor or limited producers of illegal opium included (in no particular order): Thailand, Lebanon, Albania, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia, Moldova, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Guatemala, Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Peru.

India was the world's largest producer of licit opium, Australia apparently the second; Turkey also engaged in legal opium poppy cultivation.