Buddhism by country
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The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [1]. Other sources used were CIA Factbook [2] and adherents.com [3]. The total population of each country was taken from census.gov [4] (2005 estimates). Some adherents give much higher figures: [5]
By country
Buddhism by country | Region | Country | Population(2005E) | % of Buddhists | Buddhist total |
|---|
| South America | Buddhism in Argentina | 39,537,943 | 0.1% | 39,538 |
| Oceania | Buddhism in Australia | 20,090,437 | 1.9% | 381,718 |
| Central Europe | Buddhism in Austria | 8,184,691 | 0.127% | 10,395 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in Bangladesh | 144,319,628 | 0.5% | 721,598 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Belgium | 10,364,388 | 0.2% | 20,729 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in Bhutan | 2,232,291 | 90% | 2,000,000 |
| South America | Buddhism in Bolivia | 8,857,870 | 0.1% | 8,858 |
| South America | Buddhism in Brazil | 186,112,794 | 0.125% | 232,641 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Brunei | 372,361 | 13% | 48,406 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Cambodia | 13,607,069 | 93% | 12,654,574 |
| North America | Buddhism in Canada | 32,805,041 | 0.8% | 262,440 |
| East Asia | Buddhism in China | 1,306,313,812 | 8% | 104,500,000 |
| Central America | Buddhism in Costa Rica | 4,016,173 | 0.1% | 4,016 |
| Balkans | Buddhism in Croatia | 4,495,904 | 0.02 | 1,000 |
| North America | Buddhism in Cuba | 11,346,670 | 0.1% | 11,347 |
| South America | Buddhism in Ecuador | 13,363,593 | 0.1% | 13,364 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Finland | 5,223,442 | 0.1% | 5,223 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in France | 60,656,178 | 0.8% | 485,249 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Germany | 82,431,390 | 0.1% | 82,431 |
| East Asia | Buddhism in Hong Kong | 6,437,738 | 50% | 3,218,869 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in India | 1,080,264,388 | 0.7% | 7,561,851 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Indonesia | 241,973,879 | 0.84% | 2,032,581 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Ireland | 4,015,676 | 0.1 | 4,016 |
| East Asia | Buddhism in Japan | 127,417,244 | 71% | 90,466,243 |
| East Asia | Buddhism in Korea, North | 22,912,177 | about 1.67% | 400,000 (est) |
| East Asia | Buddhism in Korea, South | 48,422,644 | 23.33% | 11,297,003 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Laos | 6,217,141 | 60% | 3,730,285 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Malaysia | 23,953,136 | 19.2% | 4,599,002 |
| Southern Africa | Buddhism in Mauritius | 1,230,602 | 0.3% | 3,692 |
| Central Asia | Buddhism in Mongolia | 2,791,272 | 93% | 2,595,883 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Myanmar | 42,909,464 | 90% | 38,618,518 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in Nepal | 27,676,547 | 11% | 3,044,420 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in the Netherlands | 16,407,491 | 0.5% | 80,237 |
| Oceania | Buddhism in New Zealand | 4,035,461 | 1.08% | 43,583 |
| Central America | Buddhism in Nicaragua | 5,465,100 | 0.1% | 5,465 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Norway | 4,593,041 | 0.1% | 4,593 |
| Middle East | Buddhism in Oman | 3,001,583 | 0.5% | 15,008 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in Pakistan | 162,419,946 | 0.1% | 162,420 |
| Central America | Buddhism in Panama | 3,039,150 | 0.5% | 16,546 |
| Oceania | Buddhism in Papua New Guinea | 5,545,268 | 0.2% | 11,091 |
| South America | Buddhism in Paraguay | 6,347,884 | 0.5% | 31,739 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in the Philippines | 87,857,473 | 1.5% | 1,317,862 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Portugal | 10,566,212 | 0.6% | 63,397 |
| Eastern Europe | Buddhism in Russia | 143,420,309 | 0.5% | 717,101 |
| Middle East | Buddhism in Saudi Arabia | 26,417,599 | 0.3% | 70,253 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Singapore | 4,425,720 | 42.5% | 1,880,931 |
| Southern Africa | Buddhism in South Africa | 44,344,136 | 0.1% | 44,344 |
| South Asia | Buddhism in Sri Lanka | 20,064,776 | 70% | 14,045,343 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Sweden | 9,001,774 | 0.2% | 18,004 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in Switzerland | 7,489,370 | 0.1% | 7,489 |
| East Asia | Buddhism in Taiwan | 22,894,384 | 25% | 5,723,596 |
| Central Asia | Buddhism in Tajikistan | 7,163,506 | 0.1% | 7,164 |
| East Africa | Buddhism in Tanzania | 36,766,356 | 0.1% | 36,766 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Thailand | 65,444,371 | 94% | 61,517,709 |
| Central America | Buddhism in Trinidad and Tobago | 1,088,644 | 0.3% | 3,266 |
| Middle East | Buddhism in Turkey | 69,660,559 | 0.1% | 69,661 |
| Middle East | Buddhism in the United Arab Emirates | 2,563,212 | 2% | 51,264 |
| Western Europe | Buddhism in the United Kingdom | 60,441,457 | 0.5% | 302,207 |
| North America | Buddhism in the United States | 295,734,134 | 1% | 2,957,341 |
| Central Asia | Buddhism in Uzbekistan | 26,851,195 | 0.2% | 53,702 |
| South America | Buddhism in Venezuela | 25,375,281 | 0.1% | 25,375 |
| Southeast Asia | Buddhism in Vietnam | 83,535,576 | 50% | 41,767,788 |
| Total | 6,437,293,959 | 6.5% | 415,800,000 |
|---|
By region
These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, 4th column, is the percentage of population that is Buddhist in a region (Buddhists in the region * 100/total population of the region). The last column 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 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 | 83,121,055 | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| East Africa | 193,741,900 | 36,766 | 0.019% | 0.005% |
| North Africa | 202,151,323 | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Southern Africa | 137,092,019 | 48,035 | 0.035% | 0.007% |
| West Africa | 268,997,245 | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Total | 885,103,542 | 84,801 | 0.01% | 0.012% |
|---|
Buddhism in Asia | Region | Total Population | Buddhists | % of Buddhists | % of Buddhist total |
|---|
| Central Asia | 92,019,166 | 2,657,000 | 2.887% | 0.375% |
| East Asia | 1,527,960,261 | 502,345,411 | 32.877% | 70.918% |
| Middle East | 274,775,527 | 220,000 | 0.08% | 0.031% |
| South Asia | 1,437,326,682 | 27,187,525 | 1.892% | 3.84% |
| Southeast Asia | 571,337,070 | 166,920,075 | 29.216% | 23.565% |
| Total | 3,903,418,706 | 699,324,941 | 17.916% | 98.73% |
|---|
Buddhism in Europe | Region | Total Population | Buddhists | % of Buddhists | % of Buddhist total |
|---|
| Balkans | 65,407,609 | 1000 | 0% | 0% |
| Central Europe | 74,510,241 | 10,394 | 0.014% | 0.001% |
| Eastern Europe | 212,821,296 | 717,101 | 0.337% | 0.101% |
| Western Europe | 375,832,557 | 1,068,354 | 0.28% | 0.254% |
| Total | 728,571,703 | 1,795,849 | 0.244% | 0.254% |
|---|
Buddhism in The Americas | Region | Total Population | Buddhists | % of Buddhists | % of Buddhist total |
|---|
| Caribbean | 23,809,622 | 0 | 0% | 0% |
| Central America | 42,223,849 | 27,941 | 0.066% | 0.004% |
| North America | 446,088,748 | 3,231,127 | 0.724% | 0.456% |
| South America | 371,075,531 | 351,511 | 0.095% | 0.05% |
| Total | 883,197,750 | 3,610,579 | 0.409% | 0.51% |
|---|
Buddhism in Oceania | Region | Total Population | Buddhists | % of Buddhists | % of Buddhist total |
|---|
| Oceania | 30,564,520 | 436,390 | 1.428% | 0.062% |
Top 21
Top 20 countries with the most Buddhists.
Top 20 countries with the highest percent of Buddhists.
Top 20 by population on the left and by percentage on the right.
Top 20 | Rank | Country | Buddhist Population | % of Buddhists | Country | % of Buddhists | Buddhist Population |
|---|
| 1 </th> <td> China </th><td align="right"> 104,500,000 </th><td align="center"> 8% </th><td> Thailand </th><td align="center"> 94% </th><td align="right"> 61,517,708 </th> | <tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 2 </th><td> Japan </th><td align="right"> 90,466,243 </th><td align="center"> 71% </th><td> Cambodia </th><td align="center"> 93% </th><td align="right"> 12,654,574 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 3 </th><td> Thailand </th><td align="right"> 61,517,708 </th><td align="center"> 94% </th><td> Mongolia </th><td align="center"> 93% </th><td align="right"> 2,595,882 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 4 </th><td> Vietnam </th><td align="right"> 41,767,788 </th><td align="center"> 50% </th><td> Myanmar </th><td align="center"> 90% </th><td align="right"> 38,618,517 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 5 </th><td> Myanmar </th><td align="right"> 38,618,517 </th><td align="center"> 90% </th><td> Bhutan </th><td align="center"> 74% </th><td align="right"> 1,651,895 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 6 </th><td> Sri Lanka </th><td align="right"> 14,045,343 </th><td align="center"> 70% </th><td> Japan </th><td align="center"> 71% </th><td align="right"> 90,466,243 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 7 </th><td> Cambodia </th><td align="right"> 12,654,574 </th><td align="center"> 93% </th><td> Sri Lanka </th><td align="center"> 70% </th><td align="right"> 14,045,343 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 8 </th><td> South Korea </th><td align="right"> 11,297,002 </th><td align="center"> 23.33% </th><td> Laos </th><td align="center"> 60% </th><td align="right"> 3,730,284 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 9 </th><td> India </th><td align="right"> 7,561,850 </th><td align="center"> 0.7% </th><td> Vietnam </th><td align="center"> 50% </th><td align="right"> 41,767,788 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 10 </th><td> Taiwan </th><td align="right"> 5,723,596 </th><td align="center"> 25% </th><td> Singapore </th><td align="center"> 42.5% </th><td align="right"> 1,880,931 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 11 </th><td> Malaysia </th><td align="right"> 4,599,002 </th><td align="center"> 19.2% </th><td> Taiwan </th><td align="center"> 25% </th><td align="right"> 5,723,596 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 12 </th><td> Laos </th><td align="right"> 3,730,284 </th><td align="center"> 60% </th><td> South Korea </th><td align="center"> 23.33% </th><td align="right"> 11,297,002 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 13 </th><td> Nepal </th><td align="right"> 3,044,420 </th><td align="center"> 11% </th><td> Malaysia </th><td align="center"> 19.2% </th><td align="right"> 4,599,002 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 14 </th><td> United States </th><td align="right"> 2,957,341 </th><td align="center"> 1% </th><td> Brunei </th><td align="center"> 13% </th><td align="right"> 48,406 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 15 </th><td> Mongolia </th><td align="right"> 2,595,882 </th><td align="center"> 93% </th><td> Nepal </th><td align="center"> 11% </th><td align="right"> 3,044,420 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 16 </th><td> Indonesia </th><td align="right"> 2,032,580 </th><td align="center"> 0.84% </th><td> China </th><td align="center"> 8% </th><td align="right"> 104,500,000 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 17 </th><td> Singapore </th><td align="right"> 1,880,931 </th><td align="center"> 42.5% </th><td> United Arab Emirates </th><td align="center"> 2% </th><td align="right"> 51,264 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 18 </th><td> Bhutan </th><td align="right"> 1,651,895 </th><td align="center"> 74% </th><td> Australia </th><td align="center"> 1.9% </th><td align="right"> 381,718 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 19 </th><td> Philippines </th><td align="right"> 1,317,862 </th><td align="center"> 1.5% </th><td> North Korea </th><td align="center"> 1.7% </th><td align="right"> 400,000</th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 20 </th><td> Bangladesh </th><td align="right"> 721,598 </th><td align="center"> 0.5% </th><td> Philippines </th><td align="center"> 1.5% </th><td align="right"> 1,317,862 </th></td><tr bgcolor=#F0F8FF><td> 21 </th><td> Russia </th><td align="right"> 717,101 </th><td align="center"> 0.5% </th><td> New Zealand </th><td align="center"> 1.08% </th><td align="right"> 43,582 </th></td></table>See also
References
- The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 [6]
- CIA FactBook [7]
- adherents.com [8]
- Religious Freedom page [9]
- census.gov[10]
- Stockholm Buddhist center[11]
Categories
Accuracy disputes | Buddhism by country | Religion by country
