Peanuts are actually legumes, which are edible seeds enclosed in pods below the soil's surface.
The peanut plant is native to South America. Portuguese explorers introduced it to Africa, and it was then brought to America. Today, India, China, West Africa, and the United States have become the largest commercial producers of peanuts. In most other countries, peanuts are mainly grown for their oil. In the United States, only a small percentage of the peanut crop goes towards oil production.