This list of Buddhism by country shows the distribution of the Buddhist religion, practiced by about 535 million people as of the 2010s, [4] representing 7% to 8% of the world's total population. It also includes other entities such as some territories.
Buddhism is the official religion in four countries, Bhutan, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. [5] The religion also holds a special status in two countries, Thailand and Laos.
Buddhism is the majority religion in Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mongolia, and Laos. It is also the most followed religion in certain nations or territories without any majority religion, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, [6] Macau, [7] Japan, [8] Singapore, [9] Taiwan, Vietnam, [10] and Kalmykia in Russia. Large Buddhist populations live in North Korea, Nepal, India and South Korea. China has the largest population of Buddhists, around 470 million or 33.3% of its total population according to the new data of 2023. [1] They are mostly followers of Chinese schools of Mahayana , making this the largest body of Buddhist traditions.
Mahayana, also practised in broader East Asia, is followed by over half of the world's Buddhists. [1] The second largest body of Buddhist schools is Theravada , mostly followed in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. [1] The third largest body of schools Vajrayana , is followed mostly in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia and parts of Russia, [1] but is disseminated throughout the world. The fourth largest body of Buddhist schools is Navayana , mostly followed in Maharashtra, India. [11] [12]
Country/Territory | Population | % Buddhist | No. of Buddhists |
---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 31,410,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Albania | 3,200,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Algeria | 35,470,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
American Samoa | 70,000 | 0.3% | < 10,000 |
Andorra | 80,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Angola | 19,080,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Argentina | 40,410,000 | < 0.1% | 20,000 |
Armenia | 3,090,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Aruba | 110,000 | 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Australia | 22,270,000 | 2.7% | 600,000 |
Austria | 8,390,000 | 0.2% | 20,000 |
Azerbaijan | 9,190,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Bahamas | 340,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Bahrain | 1,260,000 | 2.5% | 30,000 |
Bangladesh | 148,690,000 | 0.5% | 720,000 |
Barbados | 270,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Belarus | 9,600,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Belgium | 10,710,000 | 0.2% | 30,000 |
Belize | 310,000 | 0.5% | < 10,000 |
Benin | 8,850,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Bermuda | 60,000 | 0.5% | < 10,000 |
Bhutan | 730,000 | 74.7% | 540,000 |
Bolivia | 9,930,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Botswana | 2,010,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Brazil | 194,950,000 | 0.1% | 250,000 |
Brunei | 400,000 | 8.6% | 30,000 |
Bulgaria | 7,490,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Burkina Faso | 16,470,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Cambodia | 14,140,000 | 96.9% | 13,690,000 |
Cameroon | 19,600,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Canada | 34,020,000 | 0.8% | 280,000 |
Chad | 11,230,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Chile | 17,110,000 | < 0.1% | 10,000 |
China | 1,341,340,000 | 18.2% | 244,130,000 |
Colombia | 46,290,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 65,970,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Republic of the Congo | 4,040,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Costa Rica | 4,660,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Côte d'Ivoire | 19,740,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Croatia | 4,400,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Cuba | 11,260,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Cyprus | 1,100,000 | 0.2% | < 10,000 |
Czech Republic | 10,490,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Denmark | 5,550,000 | 0.2% | 10,000 |
Dominica | 70,000 | 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Dominican Republic | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Ecuador | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Egypt | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
El Salvador | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Estonia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Ethiopia | < 0.1% | ? | |
Falkland Islands | < 0.1% | ? | |
Federated States of Micronesia | 110,000 | 0.4% | < 10,000 |
Fiji | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Finland | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
France | 62,790,000 | 0.5% | 280,000 |
French Guiana | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
French Polynesia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Germany | 82,300,000 | 0.3% | 210,000 |
Ghana | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Greece | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Guam | 180,000 | 1.1% | < 10,000 |
Guatemala | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Guinea | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Guyana | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Haiti | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Honduras | 7,600,000 | 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Hong Kong | 7,050,000 | 13.2% | 930,000 |
Hungary | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Iceland | 320,000 | 0.4% | < 10,000 |
India | 1,224,610,000 | 0.8% | 9,250,000 |
Indonesia | 266,535,000 | 0.8% | 2,062,150 |
Iran | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Iraq | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Ireland | 4,470,000 | 0.2% | < 10,000 |
Israel | 7,420,000 | 0.3% | 20,000 |
Italy | 60,550,000 | 0.2% | 110,000 |
Jamaica | 2,740,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Japan | 126,540,000 | 36.2% | 45,820,000 |
Jordan | 6,190,000 | 0.4% | 20,000 |
Kazakhstan | 16,030,000 | 0.2% | 40,000 |
Kenya | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
North Korea | 24,350,000 | 1.5% | 370,000 |
South Korea | 48,180,000 | 22.9% | 11,050,000 |
Kuwait | 2,740,000 | 2.8% | 80,000 |
Kyrgyzstan | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Laos | 6,200,000 | 66.1% | 4,100,000 |
Latvia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Lebanon | 4,230,000 | 0.2% | < 10,000 |
Lesotho | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Liberia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Libya | 6,360,000 | 0.3% | 20,000 |
Liechtenstein | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Lithuania | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Luxembourg | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Macau | 540,000 | 17.3% | 90,000 |
Madagascar | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Malawi | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Malaysia | 28,400,000 | 19.8% | 5,010,000 |
Maldives | 320,000 | 0.6% | < 10,000 |
Mali | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Malta | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Martinique | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Mauritius | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Mexico | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Mongolia | 2,760,000 | 55.1% | 1,520,000 |
Montenegro | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Morocco | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Mozambique | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Myanmar (Burma) | 47,960,000 | 89.9% | 38,410,000 |
Namibia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Nauru | 10,000 | 1.1% | < 10,000 |
Nepal | 29,960,000 | 10.3% | 3,080,000 |
Netherlands | 16,610,000 | 0.2% | 40,000 |
New Caledonia | 250,000 | 0.6% | < 10,000 |
New Zealand | 4,370,000 | 1.6% | 70,000 |
Nicaragua | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Nigeria | 158,420,000 | < 0.1% | 10,000 |
North Macedonia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Northern Mariana Islands | 60,000 | 10.6% | < 10,000 |
Norway | 4,880,000 | 0.6% | 30,000 |
Oman | 2,780,000 | 0.8% | 20,000 |
Pakistan | 173,590,000 | < 0.1% | 20,000 |
Palau | 20,000 | 0.8% | < 10,000 |
Palestine | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Panama | 3,520,000 | 0.2% | < 10,000 |
Papua New Guinea | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Paraguay | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Peru | 29,080,000 | 0.2% | 50,000 |
Philippines | 93,260,000 | 2.0% | 1,861,600 |
Poland | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Portugal | 10,680,000 | 0.6% | 60,000 |
Puerto Rico | 3,750,000 | 0.3% | 10,000 |
Qatar | 1,760,000 | 3.1% | 50,000 |
Réunion | 850,000 | 0.2% | < 10,000 |
Romania | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Russia | 142,960,000 | 0.1% | 170,000 |
Saudi Arabia | 27,450,000 | 0.3% | 90,000 |
Senegal | 12,430,000 | 0.3% | < 10,000 |
Serbia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Seychelles | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Sierra Leone | 5,870,000 | 0.3% | < 10,000 |
Singapore | 5,090,000 | 33.9% | 1,730,000 |
Slovakia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Slovenia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Solomon Islands | 540,000 | 0.3% | < 10,000 |
South Africa | 50,130,000 | 0.2% | 100,000 |
Spain | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Sri Lanka | 20,860,000 | 69.3% | 14,450,000 |
Sudan | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Suriname | 520,000 | 0.6% | < 10,000 |
Swaziland | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Sweden | 9,380,000 | 0.4% | 40,000 |
Switzerland | 7,660,000 | 0.4% | 30,000 |
Taiwan | 23,220,000 | 21.3% | 4,950,000 |
Tajikistan | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Tanzania | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Thailand | 69,120,000 | 93.2% | 64,420,000 |
Togo | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Tonga | 100,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Tunisia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1,340,000 | 0.3% | < 10,000 |
Turkey | 72,750,000 | < 0.1% | 40,000 |
Turkmenistan | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Tuvalu | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Uganda | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Ukraine | 45,450,000 | < 0.1% | 20,000 |
United Arab Emirates | 7,510,000 | 2.0% | 150,000 |
United Kingdom | 62,040,000 | 0.4% | 240,000 |
United States | 310,380,000 | 1.2% | 3,570,000 |
Uruguay | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
US Virgin Islands | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Uzbekistan | 27,440,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 |
Vanuatu | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Venezuela | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Vietnam | 87,850,000 | 16.4% | 14,380,000 |
Yemen | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Zambia | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
Zimbabwe | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |
World | 6,895,890,000 | 7.1% | 487,540,000 |
Country/territory | Population | % Buddhist | No. of Buddhists | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | 47,327,407 | 2022 | National census | ||
Australia | 25,422,788 | 2.4% | 615,800 | 2021 | National census [13] |
Bangladesh | 165,158,616 | 0.61% | 2022 | National census [14] | |
Belgium | 0.3% | 2018 | Other [15] | ||
Bhutan | 735,553 | 2017 | National census | ||
Cambodia | 97.9% | 2013 | Other [16] | ||
Canada | 1.1% | 366,830 | 2011 | Census [17] [18] | |
China | 33.4% | 470,000,000 | 2023 | Studies [19] | |
Costa Rica | 2.34% | 100,000 | 2012 | Other [20] | |
Denmark | 1.1% | 64,000 | 2018 | Other [21] | |
Germany | 270,000 | 2016 | Other [22] | ||
India | 1,210,854,977 | 0.7% | 8,442,972 | 2011 | National census |
Italy | 0.3% | 160,000 | Caritas Italiana [23] | ||
Japan | 67.0% | 84,336,539 | 2018 | ACA Religious Yearbook [24] | |
Up to 20.0% | 2017 | JGSS [25] | |||
Kuwait | 4.0% | 100,000 | 2006 | Other [26] | |
Macau | 80.0% | 455,000 | 2012 | Government report [27] | |
Mongolia | Up to 93.0% | Other [28] | |||
Myanmar | 50,279,900 | 89.8% | 45,185,449 | 2014 | National census [29] |
Oman | 1.2% | 30,501 | Other [30] | ||
Philippines | 1,861,600 | Other [31] | |||
Russia | 0.6% | 866,500 | 2016 | Other [32] | |
Saudi Arabia | 1.5% | 414,016 | 2007 | Other [33] | |
Singapore | 4,044,210 | 31.1% | 1,257,749 | 2020 | National census |
Sri Lanka | 20,359,439 | 70.2% | 14,272,056 | 2011 | National census [34] |
Sweden | 0.7% | 57,064 | 2020 | Other [35] | |
Taiwan | 35.0% | 8,050,000 | 2006 | Other [36] | |
Thailand | 67,706,048 | 93.5% | 63,299,193 | 2018 | National census |
94.5% | 63,620,298 | 2015 | Census [37] | ||
United Arab Emirates | 5.0% | 222,201 | 2006 | Other [38] [39] | |
Vietnam | Up to 66.7% | Other [40] |
Region | Estimated total population | Estimated Buddhist population | % |
---|---|---|---|
Asia-Pacific | 4,054,990,000 | 481,290,000 | 11.9% |
North America | 344,530,000 | 3,860,000 | 1.1% |
Europe | 742,550,000 | 1,330,000 | 0.2% |
Middle East-North Africa | 341,020,000 | 500,000 | 0.1% |
Latin America-Caribbean | 590,080,000 | 410,000 | <0.1% |
Total | 6,895,890,000 | 487,540,000 | 7.1% |
Country | Estimated Buddhist population | % of the total population of the country | % of world Buddhist population |
---|---|---|---|
China | 244,130,000 | 18.2% | 50.1% |
Thailand | 64,420,000 | 94.5% | 13.2% |
Japan | 45,820,000 | 36.2% | 9.4% |
Myanmar | 38,410,000 | 87.9% | 7.9% |
Vietnam | 14,910,000 | 14.9% | 2.9% |
Sri Lanka | 14,450,000 | 70.2% | 3.0% |
Cambodia | 13,690,000 | 96.9% | 2.8% |
South Korea | 11,050,000 | 22.9% | 2.3% |
India | 9,250,000 | 0.8% | 1.9% |
Malaysia | 5,010,000 | 19.8% | 1.0% |
Subtotal for the ten countries | 460,620,000 | (% of total of all ten countries) 15.3% | 94.5% |
Subtotal for the rest of the world | 26,920,000 | (% of rest of world population) 0.4% | 5.5% |
World total | 487,540,000 | 7.1% | 100% |
General:
China is the second most-populous country in the world and Asia with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, only surpassed by India. Historically, China has always been one of the nation-states with the most population.
Christianity is the largest religion in Belgium, with the Catholic Church representing the largest community, though it has experienced a significant decline since the 1950s. Belgium's policy separates the state from the churches, and freedom of religion of the citizens is guaranteed by the country's constitution.
Religion in Singapore is characterised by a wide variety of religious beliefs and practices due to its diverse ethnic mix of people originating from various parts of the world. A secular state, Singapore is commonly termed as a "melting pot" or "cultural mosaic " of various religious practices originating from different religions and religious denominations around the world. Most major religious denominations are present in the country, with the Singapore-based Inter-Religious Organisation recognising 10 major religions. A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.
The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome ." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the "Temple of the Holy Spirit", among other names. According to Vatican II's Gaudium et spes, the "church has but one sole purpose–that the kingdom of God may come and the salvation of the human race may be accomplished."
Hinduism has approximately 1.2 billion adherents worldwide. Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world behind Christianity (31.5%) and Islam (23.3%).
Christianity is the largest religion in Denmark. As of 2024, 71.2% of the population of Denmark were registered members of the Church of Denmark, the officially established church, which is Protestant in classification and Lutheran in orientation.
As of the year 2023, Christianity had approximately 2.4 billion adherents and is the largest religion by population. According to a PEW estimation in 2020, Christians made up to 2.38 billion of the worldwide population of about 8 billion people. It represents nearly one-third of the world's population and is the largest religion in the world, with the three largest groups of Christians being the Catholic Church, Protestantism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The largest Christian denomination is the Catholic Church, with 1.3 billion baptized members. The second largest Christian branch is either Protestantism, or the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Religion has been a major influence on the societies, cultures, traditions, philosophies, artistic expressions and laws within present-day Europe. The largest religion in Europe is Christianity. However, irreligion and practical secularisation are also prominent in some countries. In Southeastern Europe, three countries have Muslim majorities, with Christianity being the second-largest religion in those countries. Ancient European religions included veneration for deities such as Zeus. Modern revival movements of these religions include Heathenism, Rodnovery, Romuva, Druidry, Wicca, and others. Smaller religions include Indian religions, Judaism, and some East Asian religions, which are found in their largest groups in Britain, France, and Kalmykia.
Buddhism in Southeast Asia includes a variety of traditions of Buddhism including two main traditions: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Theravāda Buddhism. Historically, Mahāyāna had a prominent position in the region, but in modern times, most countries follow the Theravāda tradition. Southeast Asian countries with a Theravāda Buddhist majority are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, all of them mainland countries.
Accurate demographics of atheism are difficult to obtain since conceptions of atheism vary considerably across different cultures and languages, ranging from an active concept to being unimportant or not developed. Also in some countries and regions atheism carries a strong stigma, making it harder to count atheists in these countries. In global studies, the number of people without a religion is usually higher than the number of people without a belief in a deity and the number of people who agree with statements on lacking a belief in a deity is usually higher than the number of people who self-identify as "atheists".
Growth of religion involves the spread of individual religions and the increase in the numbers of religious adherents around the world. In sociology, desecularization is the proliferation or growth of religion, most commonly after a period of previous secularization. Statistics commonly measure the absolute number of adherents, the percentage of the absolute growth per-year, and the growth of converts in the world.
Bhutan is a Buddhist country culturally, socially, politically, and constitutionally, and Buddhism plays a vital role in the cultural and spiritual heritage of the nation.
Christianity is the dominant religion in Kenya, adhered to by an estimated 85.5% of the total population. Islam is the second largest religion in Kenya, practiced by 10.9 percent of Kenyans. Other faiths practiced in Kenya are Baháʼí, Buddhism, Hinduism and traditional religions.
Buddhism in the United Kingdom is the fifth-largest religious group in the United Kingdom. The 2021 United Kingdom census recorded just under 290,000 Buddhists, or about 0.4% of the total population, with the largest number of Buddhists residing in Greater London and South East England. According to a Buddhist organisation, the growth of Buddhism in the United Kingdom is mainly a result of conversions.
This is an overview of religion by country or territory in 2010 according to a 2012 Pew Research Center report. The article Religious information by country gives information from The World Factbook of the CIA and the U.S. Department of State.
Myanmar (Burma) is a Buddhist majority country with a significant minority of Christians and other groups residing in the country.
Buddhism is practised in Africa. Though there have been some conversions amongst Africans, the majority of Buddhists in Africa are of Asian descent, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese.
Adherents of Islam constitute the world's second largest and fastest growing major religious grouping, maintaining suggested 2017 projections in 2022. As of 2020, Pew Research Centre (PEW) projections suggest there are a total of 1.9 billion adherents worldwide. Further studies indicate the worldwide spread and percentage growth of Islam, may be attributed to high birth rates followed by a trend of worldwide adoption and conversion to Islam.
Buddhism is New Zealand's third-largest religion after Christianity and Hinduism standing at 1.5% of the population of New Zealand. Buddhism originates in Asia and was introduced to New Zealand by immigrants from East Asia.
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