Pearl oysters are farmed in a number of countries in the world in the production of cultured pearls. However, important production is limited to a few countries. Since its beginnings in the early 20th century pearl farming has come a long way and turned into a billion dollar industry at a retail level. This section gives an overview of the different regions in which pearl oysters are farmed, visualised in the form of a world map of cultured pearl farming areas. From the birth of larvae to harvesting a quality cultured pearl usually takes a number of years, a multitude of meticulous processes and steps are required to achieve this. Ecological and socio-economic factors are central to producing high-quality cultured pearls.