Buddhism by country

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Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are one, a painting in the litang style portraying three men laughing by a river stream, 12th century, Song Dynasty.

Estimating the number of Buddhists in the world, or in many countries, is difficult due to definitional issues as well as practical problems of enumeration. To begin with, the religious beliefs, practices, and identities of East Asians (who comprise the majority of the world's Buddhists by any measure) often blend Buddhism with other traditions including Confucianism, the Chinese folk religion, Daoism, Shinto, and Korean shamanism.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Most followers of Buddhism do not belong to structured congregations, or observe a definite ritual of adherence such as taking Refuge, making it difficult to accurately estimate the number of practitioners. An additional challenge is the hostility of several national governments (often Communist ones such as China or North Korea) to religion generally or to Buddhism specifically. Government policies in these countries may encourage the under-reporting or non-reporting of religious adherence, resulting in official totals that may drastically underestimate the number of religious practitioners in these countries. [8][9][10]

Estimate of the worldwide Buddhist population range from 350 million to over one billion, but cluster nearer to the first figure.[11][12][13][14][15] Adherents.com (as of 2012) suggests a figure of 397 million. [16] By major branches, the numbers are as follows:

(1) Mahayana Buddhism, including East Asian Buddhism, with no fewer than 185 million adherents, and possibly several times that many (again, depending on definitional issues). This is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Vietnam.
(2) Theravada Buddhism, with no fewer than 125 million adherents. This is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Burma.
(3) Vajrayana Buddhism, with approximately 20 million adherents. This form predominates in the greater Tibetan and Mongolian regions, as well as in the Himalayas. Besides the independent countries of Mongolia and Bhutan, and various territories within what is now western China, Vajrayana is traditional to certain regions of Russia (e.g. Kalmykia, Buryatia), India (e.g. Ladakh, Sikkim), and Nepal (e.g. Khumbu). Vajrayana, also known as Tibetan Buddhism, is often conflated with Tantric Buddhism, but this is imprecise, as Shingon and other forms of East Asian Buddhism also practice tantra.

At least 7 countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Bhutan, and Mongolia) have unambiguous Buddhist majorities. Depending on how one calculates Chinese and other East Asian adherents, this figure might expand to include several more countries. In addition, Buddhism is the state religion of Cambodia and Bhutan, and receives prominent mention in the constitutions of Thailand and Sri Lanka.

In northern India and Nepal, the land where Buddhism was born, the religion severely declined during the first millennium. Whether this decline was due to the Islamic conquest of northern India, or to other factors, remains controversial. See the article Decline of Buddhism in India.

Contents

By Country [edit]

Buddhism by Country
Region Country or Territory Population(2007E)  % Buddhist Buddhist total
Central Asia Afghanistan Afghanistan 31,889,923 0.2%[17][not in citation given] 63,780
South America Argentina Argentina 40,301,927 0.1%[18] 40,302
Caribbean Aruba Aruba 100,018 1.2% (approx)[19][not in citation given] 1,200
Oceania Australia Australia 20,434,176 2.1%[20] 429,119
Central Europe Austria Austria 8,199,783 0.130%[citation needed] 10,660
Middle East Bahrain Bahrain 708,573 1%[21][not in citation given] 7,086
South Asia Bangladesh Bangladesh 150,448,339 0.7%[22] 1,053,138
Western Europe Belgium Belgium 10,392,226 0.29%[23] 31,177
Central America Belize Belize 294,385 0.35%[24] 1,030
South Asia Bhutan Bhutan 708,427 94%[25] 467,562 – 531,320 – 665,921
South America Bolivia Bolivia 9,119,152 0.26%[26] 23,710
Balkans Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,552,198 0.01%[citation needed] 455
South America Brazil Brazil 190,010,647 0.130%[27] 247,014
Southeast Asia Brunei Brunei 374,577 9.09%[28] 29,822
Eastern Europe Bulgaria Bulgaria 7,322,858 0.015% (approx) 1,098
Southeast Asia Myanmar Myanmar 55,400,000 90%[29] 42,636,562 – 48,019,200
Southeast Asia Cambodia Cambodia 14,805,358 96.4%[30] 14,272,365
North America Canada Canada 33,390,141 1.0[31] 300,345
South America Chile Chile 16,284,741 0.04%[32][33] 6,514
East Asia China China 1,321,851,888 8%[34][35] – 21%[36][37] – +80%[38][14][39][40][41] – 91%[42] 105,748,151 – 277,588,896 – 1,057,481,510 – 1,202,885,218
South America Colombia Colombia 44,379,598 0.01%[43] 4,438
Central America Costa Rica Costa Rica 4,133,884 2.34%[44] 96,733
West Africa Ivory Coast Cote d'Ivoire 18,013,409 0.06%[45] 10,808
Balkans Croatia Croatia 4,493,312 0.03% 1,348
Caribbean Cuba Cuba 11,394,043 0.25%[46] 28,485
Middle East Cyprus Cyprus 788,457 1% 7,885
Central Europe Czech Republic Czech Republic 10,228,744 0.5% 51,144
Western Europe Denmark Denmark 5,468,120 >0.5%[47] 20,000–25,000[47]
Caribbean Dominica Dominica 72,386 0.25%[48] 181
Caribbean Dominican Republic Dominican Republic 9,365,818 0.1%[49] 9,366
Southeast Asia East Timor East Timor 1,084,971 0.1% (approx)[50] 1,085
South America Ecuador Ecuador 13,755,680 0.2%[51] 27,511
Central America El Salvador El Salvador 6,948,073 0.03%[52] 2,084
East Africa Eritrea Eritrea 4,906,585 0.1%[53] 4,907
Eastern Europe Estonia Estonia 1,315,912 0.4%[54] 5,264
Oceania Fiji Fiji 918,675 1% 9,187
Western Europe Finland Finland 5,238,460 0.1%[55] 5,238
Western Europe France France 63,718,187 1.2% 764,618
South America French Guiana French Guiana 203,321 4%[56] 8,132
Oceania French Polynesia French Polynesia 278,963 7.5% 20,922
Caucasus Georgia (country) Georgia 4,646,003 0.1% (approx)[57] 4,646
Western Europe Germany Germany 82,400,996 1% 824,001
West Africa Ghana Ghana 22,931,299 0.05%[58] 11,466
Balkans Greece Greece 10,706,290 0.1% (approx) 10,706
Central America Guatemala Guatemala 12,728,111 0.1%[59] 12,728
West Africa Guinea Guinea 9,947,814 0.1% (approx)[60] 9,948
South America Guyana Guyana 769,095 0.25%[61] 1,923
Central America Honduras Honduras 7,483,763 0.1%[62] 7,484
East Asia Hong Kong Hong Kong 6,980,412 10.1%[63] – 92%[64] 705,022 – 6,421,980
Eastern Europe Hungary Hungary 9,956,108 0.05% 5,223[65]
Western Europe Iceland Iceland 301,931 0.15%[66] 453
South Asia India India 1,129,866,154 0.8%[67]- 3.25%[68] 12,248,969 – 37,913,134
Southeast Asia Indonesia Indonesia 234,693,997 1%[69] 2,346,940
Middle East Iran Iran 72,212,000 N/A N/A
Western Europe Republic of Ireland Ireland 4,109,086 0.2%[70] 8,218[71]
Middle East Israel Israel 6,426,679 0.1%[72] 6,426
Western Europe Italy Italy 58,147,733 0.2%[73][74][75] 116,295
Caribbean Jamaica Jamaica 2,780,132 0.3%[76] 8,340
East Asia Japan Japan 127,433,494 20% – 45%[77] – 96.7% 57,061,994–91,000,000–123,317,953
Central Asia Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 15,284,929 0.55%[78] 84,067
East Asia North Korea North Korea 23,301,725 4.5% (approx)[79][80][81] 10,000[82] – 15,029,613
East Asia South Korea South Korea 49,044,790 22.8%[83][84][85][86][87]-38% 11,427,436–18,572,500
Central Asia Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan 5,284,149 0.35%[88] 18,495
Middle East Kuwait Kuwait 2,505,559 4%[89] 100,222
Southeast Asia Laos Laos 6,521,998 67%[90] – 98% 4,369,739 – 6,391,558
Eastern Europe Latvia Latvia 2,259,810 0.004%[91] 90
Middle East Lebanon Lebanon 3,925,502 0.1%[92] 3,926
Southern Africa Lesotho Lesotho 2,125,262 0.1% (approx)[93] 2,125
West Africa Liberia Liberia 3,195,931 0.1%[94] 3,196
North Africa Libya Libya 6,036,914 0.3%[95] 18,120
Western Europe Liechtenstein Liechtenstein 34,247 0.22%[96] 75
East Asia Macau Macau 456,989 17%[97] – 50%[98] – 85%[99][100] 77,688 – 228,495 – 388,441
East Africa Madagascar Madagascar 19,448,815 0.1%[101] 19,449
Southeast Asia Malaysia Malaysia 24,821,286 22%[102] 5,460,683
South Asia Maldives Maldives 369,031 0.45%[103] 1,661
East Africa Mauritius Mauritius 1,250,882 2.5%[104] 31,272
North America Mexico Mexico 108,700,891 0.1% (approx)[105] 108,701
Central Asia Mongolia Mongolia 2,951,786 50%[106] – 94%[107] 1,475,893 – 2,774,679
Southern Africa Namibia Namibia 2,055,080 0.1%[108] 2,055
South Asia Nepal Nepal 28,901,790 11%[109] – 21% 3,179,197 – 6,159,510
Western Europe Netherlands Netherlands 16,570,613 0.105%[110] – 1%[111] 17,399 – 165,706
Caribbean Netherlands Antilles Netherlands Antilles 223,652 0.7% (approx) 1,566
Oceania New Caledonia New Caledonia 221,943 3%[112] 6,657
Oceania New Zealand New Zealand 4,115,771 1.2%[113] 49,389
Central America Nicaragua Nicaragua 5,675,356 0.1%[114] 5,675
Western Europe Norway Norway 4,627,926 0.42%[115] 19,437
Middle East Oman Oman 3,204,897 1%[116] 32,049
South Asia Pakistan Pakistan 164,741,924 0.1%[117] 164,742
Central America Panama Panama 3,242,173 2.1%[118] 68,086
Oceania Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 5,795,887 0.3%[119] 17,388
South America Paraguay Paraguay 6,669,086 0.5%[120] 33,345
South America Peru Peru 28,674,757 0.31%[121] 88,892
Southeast Asia Philippines Philippines 91,077,287 3%[122] 2,759,490
Western Europe Portugal Portugal 10,642,836 0.18% 20,000
Central Europe Poland Poland 38,518,241 0.1% 38,518
Caribbean Puerto Rico Puerto Rico 3,944,259 0.03%[123] 1,183
Middle East Qatar Qatar 907,229 5% (approx)[124] 45,361
East Africa Réunion Reunion 784,000 1% 7,840
Eastern Europe Romania Romania 22,276,056 0.01% (approx)[125] 2,228
Eastern Europe Russia Russia 141,377,752 0.75%[126] – 1.1% – 1.45%[127] 1,060,333 – 1,555,155 – 2,049,977
Middle East Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 27,601,038 1.5%[128] 414,016
West Africa Senegal Senegal 12,521,851 0.01% 1,252
Balkans Serbia Serbia 10,150,265 0.01% (approx) 1,015
East Africa Seychelles Seychelles 81,895 1% 819
Southeast Asia Singapore Singapore 4,553,009 42.5%[129] 51%[130] – 61.1%[131] 1,935,029 – 2,322,035 – 2,781,888
Central Europe Slovakia Slovakia 5,447,502 0.1%[132] 5,447
Central Europe Slovenia Slovenia 2,009,245 0.075% (approx) 1,500
Western Europe Spain Spain 40,448,191 0.025%[133] – 0.5% – 0.75% 10,112 – 200,000 – 300,000[134]
Southern Africa South Africa South Africa 43,997,828 0.1%[135] 43,998
South Asia Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 20,926,315 70%[136] 14,648,421
South America Suriname Suriname 470,784 1% 4,708
Western Europe Sweden Sweden 9,031,088 0.2%[137] 18,062
Western Europe Switzerland Switzerland 7,554,661 0.29%[138] 21,909
East Asia Taiwan Taiwan 22,858,872 35%[139] – 75%[140] – 93%[141] 8,000,605 – 17,144,154 – 21,530,358
Central Asia Tajikistan Tajikistan 7,076,598 0.1%[142] 7,076
East Africa Tanzania Tanzania 39,384,223 0.1%[143] 39,384
Southeast Asia Thailand Thailand 65,068,149 95%[144] 61,814,742
Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago 1,056,608 0.7%[145] 7,396
Middle East Turkey Turkey 71,158,647 0.1%[146] 71,159
Central Asia Turkmenistan Turkmenistan 5,097,028 0.1%[147] 50,970
Eastern Europe Ukraine Ukraine 46,299,862 0.1% (approx)[91] 46,300
Middle East United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 4,444,011 5%[148] 222,201
Western Europe United Kingdom United Kingdom 60,776,238 0.3%[149] 152,000[149]
North America United States United States 301,139,947 0.7%[150][151] 1,505,700 – 6,022,799
South America Uruguay Uruguay 3,460,607 0.1%[152] 3,461
Central Asia Uzbekistan Uzbekistan 27,780,059 0.2%[153] 55,560
Oceania Vanuatu Vanuatu 211,971 1%[154] 2,120
South America Venezuela Venezuela 26,023,528 0.2%[155] 52,047
Southeast Asia Vietnam Vietnam 85,262,356 7.9%[156]- 16%[157] – >50%[158] – 85% (approx)[159] 13,641,977 – >42,631,178 – 72,473,003
Southern Africa Zimbabwe Zimbabwe 12,311,143 0.1%[160] 37
Total 6,679,252,040 7.342% – 10.356% – 28.775% (depending on extent of syncretism) 489,807,761 – 690,847,214 – 1,921,989,641

By region [edit]

These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, 4th column, all but last row, is the percentage of population that is Buddhist in a region (Buddhists in the region * 100/total population of the region). The last row shows the Buddhist percentage compared to the total Buddhist population of the world (Buddhists in the region * 100/total Buddhist population of the world).

(Note: Egypt, Sudan, and other non-arab Maghreb countries are counted as part of North Africa, not Middle East).

Buddhism in Africa
Region Total Population Buddhists  % of Buddhists  % of Buddhist total
Central Africa 88,166,923 0 0% 0%
East Africa 202,711,873 70,454 0.019%
North Africa 211,584,604 0 0% 0%
Southern Africa 143,871,660 97,127 0.035%
West Africa 280,965,354 102,000 0% 0%
Total 927,300,414 157,581 0.012%
Buddhism in Asia
Region Total Population Buddhists  % of Buddhists  % of Buddhist total
Central Asia 95,398,532 2,879,280 3.018%
East Asia 1,585,083,298 467,848,179 – 1,397,268,963 29.515% – 88.151%
Middle East 285,194,911 585,025 0.205%
South Asia 1,491,019,011 38,997,284 2.615%
Southeast Asia 592,738,430 214,723,860 36.226%
Total 4,049,434,182 726,336,585 – 1,655,757,369 17.936% – 40.888%
Buddhism in Europe
Region Total Population Buddhists  % of Buddhists  % of Buddhist total
Balkans 67,379,383 101,070 0.15%
Central Europe 77,052,660 14,912,591 3.78%
Eastern Europe 212,144,987 387,165 1.825%
Western Europe 389,933,160 64,666,457 5.3%
Total 746,510,190 24,067,283 3.223%
Buddhism in The Americas
Region Total Population Buddhists  % of Buddhists  % of Buddhist total
Caribbean 24,683,536 43,498 0.176%
Central America 44,030,092 152,228 0.345%
North America 462,382,674 7,241,845 1.566%
South America 384,863,028 499,020 0.129%
Total 915,959,330 7,936,420 0.866%
Buddhism in Oceania
Region Total Population Buddhists  % of Buddhists  % of Buddhist total
Oceania 32,021,885 542,920 1.695%

Top 20 [edit]

Top 20 by population on the left and by percentage on the right as of 2010. (from List of religious populations)

Top 20
Top 20 by Population Top 20 by Percentage
Rank Country Buddhist Population  % of Buddhists Country Buddhists percentage (%) of country's total population Buddhist Population
1  China 107,177,990 – 1,219,149,600[161] 8% – 91%  Laos 98% 6,370,000
2  Japan 122,933,785 96%  Cambodia 96.4% 14,414,370
3  Vietnam 74,664,000 85% Japan Japan 96% 122,933,785
4  Thailand 61,943,563 94.6% Thailand Thailand 94.6% 61,943,563
5  Myanmar 53,649,200 89%  Mongolia 94% 2,989,200
6  India ~35,000,000 ~3%  Taiwan 93% 21,540,660
7  South Korea 11,265,560 – 34,587,250 22.8% – 70%  Macau 92.3% 504,880
8 Taiwan Taiwan 21,540,660 93%  Hong Kong 92% 6,496,300
9  North Korea 1,082,350 – 18,279,770 4.5% – 76% China China 91% 1,219,149,600
10 Cambodia Cambodia 14,414,370 96.4% Myanmar Myanmar 89% 53,649,200
11  Sri Lanka 14,232,846 70.19% Vietnam Vietnam 85% 74,664,000
12  United States 12,337,800 4% North Korea North Korea 76% 18,279,770
13  Malaysia 6,516,850 23%  Bhutan 76% 551,220
14 Hong Kong Hong Kong 6,496,300 92%  Christmas Island 75% 1,554
15 Laos Laos 6,370,000 98% Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 70.19% 14,282,846
16  Singapore 1,753,092 – 3,453,060 33% – 65% South Korea South Korea 70% 34,587,250
17  Nepal 3,179,353 12% Singapore Singapore 65% 3,453,060
18 Mongolia Mongolia 2,989,200 94% Malaysia Malaysia 23% 6,516,850
19  Philippines 2,770,135 3%  Brunei 15% 61,320
20  Russia 2,000,000 1.4% Nepal Nepal 12% 3,179,353

Remarks: Lower numbers/percentages are practicing adherents, or who those who have taken the Refuge. Higher numbers/percentages represent nominal or cultural Buddhists and practitioners of Buddhism alongside related faiths such as Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, etc., as well as those who subscribe to Buddhism and its philosophies but stop short of any ceremonial or formal practice. Note that communist governments in China and North Korea officially discourage religion, and lower estimates reflect those who have registered to state-sponsored Buddhist institutions.

See also [edit]

External links [edit]

  • The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2010[162]
  • CIA FactBook[163]
  • adherents.com[164]
  • Religious Freedom page[165]
  • Religious Intelligence [7]
  • census.gov[166]

References [edit]

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