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] Japan,[7] Tibet, Macau,[8] Singapore,[9] Taiwan, Kalmykia, and Vietnam.[10] Large Buddhist populations live in North Korea, Nepal, India and South Korea. China has the largest population of Buddhists, approximately 244 million or 18.2% of its total population.[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]
By country
| Country/Territory | Most recent national census data | Pew estimates (2010)[1] | Other estimates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | % Buddhist | No. of Buddhists | Census Year | 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 | 47,327,407 | 2022 | 40,410,000 | < 0.1% | 20,000 | |||
 Armenia | 3,090,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Aruba | 110,000 | 0.1% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Australia | 25,422,788 | 2.4% | 615,800 | 2021[13] | 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 | 165,158,616 | 0.61% | 2022[14] | 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 | 0.3% (2018)[15] | ||||
 Belize | 310,000 | 0.5% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Benin | 8,850,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Bermuda | 60,000 | 0.5% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Bhutan | 735,553 | 2017 | 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 | 97.9% | 13,690,000 | 97.9% (2013)[16] | ||||
 Cameroon | 19,600,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Canada | 34,020,000 | 0.8% | 280,000 | 1.1% / 366,830 (2011 Census)[17][18] | ||||
 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 | 18.3% / 254,700,000 (2020)[19] | ||||
 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 | 2.34% / 100,000 (2012)[20] | ||||
 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 | 1.1% / 64,000 (2018)[21] | ||||
 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 | 270,000 (2016)[22] | ||||
 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 | 1,210,854,977 | 0.7% | 8,442,972 | 2011 | 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 | 0.3% / 160,000 (According to Caritas Italiana)[23] | ||||
 Jamaica | 2,740,000 | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | |||||
 Japan | 126,540,000 | 36.2% | 45,820,000 | 67% or 84,336,539 (2018, ACA Religious Yearbook);[24] less than 20% (2017, JGSS)[25] | ||||
 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 | 4% / 100,000 (2006)[26] | ||||
 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 | 80% / 455,000 (2012 government report)[27] | ||||
 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 | Up to 93%[28] | ||||
 Montenegro | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | ||||||
 Morocco | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | ||||||
 Mozambique | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | ||||||
 Myanmar (Burma) | 50,279,900 | 89.8% | 45,185,449 | 2014[29] | 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 | 1.20% / 30,501[30] | ||||
 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% | 1,861,600 | 1,861,600[31] | ||||
 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 | 0.6% / 866,500 (2016)[32] | ||||
 Saudi Arabia | 27,450,000 | 0.3% | 90,000 | 1.5% / 414,016 (2007)[33] | ||||
 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 | 4,044,210 | 31.1% | 1,257,749 | 2020 | 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 | 20,359,439 | 70.2% | 14,272,056 | 2011[34] | 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 | 35% / 8,050,000 (2006)[35] | ||||
 Tajikistan | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | ||||||
 Tanzania | < 0.1% | < 10,000 | ||||||
 Thailand | 67,706,048 | 93.5% | 63,299,193 | 2018 | 69,120,000 | 93.2% | 64,420,000 | 94.5% / 63,620,298 (2015 census)[36] |
 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% | 150,000 | 5% / 222,201 (2006)[37][38] | ||||
 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 | Up to two-thirds[39] | ||||
 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 | |||||
By region
| 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% |
Ten countries with the largest Buddhist populations
| 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% |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buddhism by country.
General:
References
External links
- The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2010
- CIA FactBook Archived 10 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- adherents.com
🔥 Top keywords: Main PageSpecial:SearchIndian Premier LeagueWikipedia:Featured picturesPornhubUEFA Champions League2024 Indian Premier LeagueFallout (American TV series)Jontay PorterXXXTentacionAmar Singh ChamkilaFallout (series)Cloud seedingReal Madrid CFCleopatraRama NavamiRichard GaddDeaths in 2024Civil War (film)Shōgun (2024 miniseries)2024 Indian general electionJennifer PanO. J. SimpsonElla PurnellBaby ReindeerCaitlin ClarkLaverne CoxXXX (film series)Facebook2023–24 UEFA Champions LeagueYouTubeCandidates Tournament 2024InstagramList of European Cup and UEFA Champions League finalsJude BellinghamMichael Porter Jr.Andriy LuninCarlo AncelottiBade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024 film)