The percentage of Buddhist population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 Other sources used were CIA Factbook *." target="_blank" >The total population of each country was taken from census.gov 2005 estimates). Some adherents give much higher figures: [http://vipassanafoundation.com/Buddhists.html" target="_blank" >*
By country
Buddhism by country
| Region
| Country
| Population(2005E)
| % of Buddhists
| Buddhist total
|
| Central Asia
| Buddhism in Afghanistan
| 29,928,987
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Albania
| 3,563,112
| n/a
| n/a
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Algeria
| 32,531,853
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Angola
| 11,190,786
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Argentina
| 39,537,943
| 0.1%
| 39,538
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Armenia
| 2,982,904
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Oceania
| Buddhism in Australia
| 20,090,437
| 1.9%
| 381,718
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Austria
| 8,184,691
| 0.127%
| 10,395
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Azerbaijan
| 7,911,974
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Bahrain
| 688,345
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South Asia
| Buddhism in Bangladesh
| 144,319,628
| 0.5%
| 721,598
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Belarus
| 10,300,483
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Belgium
| 10,364,388
| 0.2%
| 20,729
|
| Central America
| Buddhism in Belize
| 279,457
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Benin
| 7,460,025
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South Asia
| Buddhism in Bhutan
| 2,232,291
| 74%
| 1,651,895
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Bolivia
| 8,857,870
| 0.1%
| 8,858
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
| 4,025,476
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Botswana
| 1,640,115
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Brazil
| 186,112,794
| 0.125%
| 232,641
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Brunei
| 372,361
| 13%
| 48,406
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Bulgaria
| 7,450,349
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Burkina Faso
| 13,925,313
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Africa
| Buddhism in Burundi
| 6,370,609
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Cambodia
| 13,607,069
| 93%
| 12,654,574
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Cameroon
| 16,380,005
| n/a
| n/a
|
| North America
| Buddhism in Canada
| 32,805,041
| 0.8%
| 262,440
|
| Central Africa
| Buddhism in Central African Republic
| 3,799,897
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Africa
| Buddhism in Chad
| 9,826,419
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Chile
| 15,980,912
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Asia
| Buddhism in China
| 1,306,313,812
| 30% （？ sourcing)
| 391,894,144 （？ sourcing)
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Colombia
| 42,954,279
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Comoros
| 671,247
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Africa
| Buddhism in Congo (Brazzaville)
| 3,039,126
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Africa
| Buddhism in Congo (Kinshasa)
| 60,085,004
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Cyprus
| 780,133
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Czech Republic
| 10,241,138
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Côte d'Ivoire
| 17,298,040
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Denmark
| 5,432,335
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Djibouti
| 476,703
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Caribbean
| Buddhism in Dominican Republic
| 8,950,034
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in East Timor
| 1,040,880
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Ecuador
| 13,363,593
| 0.1%
| 13,364
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Egypt
| 77,505,756
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central America
| Buddhism in El Salvador
| 6,704,932
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Eritrea
| 4,561,599
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Estonia
| 1,332,893
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Ethiopia
| 73,053,286
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Oceania
| Buddhism in Fiji
| 893,354
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Finland
| 5,223,442
| 0.1%
| 5,223
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in France
| 60,656,178
| 0.8%
| 485,249
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Gabon
| 1,389,201
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in The Gambia
| 1,593,256
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Georgia
| 4,677,401
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Germany
| 82,431,390
| 0.1%
| 82,431
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Ghana
| 21,029,853
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Greece
| 10,668,354
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Caribbean
| Buddhism in Grenada
| 89,502
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central America
| Buddhism in Guatemala
| 14,655,189
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Guinea
| 9,467,866
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Guinea-Bissau
| 1,416,027
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Guyana
| 765,283
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Caribbean
| Buddhism in Haiti
| 8,121,622
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central America
| Buddhism in Honduras
| 6,975,204
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Asia
| Buddhism in Hong Kong
| 6,437,738
| 50%
| 3,218,869
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Hungary
| 10,006,835
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Iceland
| 296,737
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Iran
| 68,017,860
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Iraq
| 26,074,906
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Ireland
| 4,015,676
| 0.1
| 4,016
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Israel
| 6,276,883
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Italy
| 58,103,033
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Caribbean
| Buddhism in Jamaica
| 2,731,832
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Asia
| Buddhism in Japan
| 127,417,244
| 71%
| 90,466243
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Jordan
| 5,759,732
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Asia
| Buddhism in Kazakhstan
| 15,185,844
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Kenya
| 33,829,590
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Asia
| Buddhism in Korea, North
| 22,912,177
| 23.33%
| 5,345,411
|
| East Asia
| Buddhism in Korea, South
| 48,422,644
| 23.33%
| 11,297,003
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Kuwait
| 2,335,648
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Asia
| Buddhism in Kyrgyzstan
| 5,146,281
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Laos
| 6,217,141
| 60%
| 3,730,285
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Latvia
| 2,290,237
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Lebanon
| 3,826,018
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Lesotho
| 1,867,035
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Liberia
| 3,482,211
| n/a
| n/a
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Libya
| 5,765,563
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Lithuania
| 3,596,617
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Luxembourg
| 468,571
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Macedonia
| 2,045,262
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Madagascar
| 18,040,341
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Malawi
| 12,158,924
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Malaysia
| 23,953,136
| 19.2%
| 4,599,002
|
| South Asia
| Buddhism in Maldives
| 349,106
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Mali
| 12,291,529
| n/a
| n/a
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Mauritania
| 3,086,859
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Mauritius
| 1,230,602
| 0.3%
| 3,692
|
| North America
| Buddhism in Mexico
| 106,202,903
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Moldova
| 4,455,421
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Asia
| Buddhism in Mongolia
| 2,791,272
| 93%
| 2,595,883
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Morocco
| 32,725,847
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Mozambique
| 19,406,703
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Myanmar
| 42,909,464
| 90%
| 38,618,518
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Namibia
| 2,030,692
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Niger
| 11,665,937
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Nigeria
| 128,771,988
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Palestine
| 3,761,904
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Peru
| 27,925,628
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in the Philippines
| 87,857,473
| 1.5%
| 1,317,862
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Poland
| 38,635,144
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Portugal
| 10,566,212
| 0.6%
| 63,397
|
| Caribbean
| Buddhism in Puerto Rico
| 3,916,632
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Qatar
| 863,051
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Romania
| 22,329,977
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Russia
| 143,420,309
| 0.5%
| 717,101
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Rwanda
| 8,440,820
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Saudi Arabia
| 26,417,599
| 0.3%
| 70,253
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Senegal
| 11,126,832
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Balkans
| Buddhism in Serbia and Montenegro
| 10,829,175
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Seychelles
| 81,188
| n/a
| n/a
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Sierra Leone
| 6,017,643
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southeast Asia
| Buddhism in Singapore
| 4,425,720
| 42.5%
| 1,880,931
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Slovakia
| 5,431,363
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central Europe
| Buddhism in Slovenia
| 2,011,070
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Somalia
| 8,591,629
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in South Africa
| 44,344,136
| 0.1%
| 44,344
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Spain
| 40,341,462
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South Asia
| Buddhism in Sri Lanka
| 20,064,776
| 70%
| 14,045,343
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Sudan
| 40,187,486
| n/a
| n/a
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Suriname
| 438,144
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Swaziland
| 1,173,900
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Sweden
| 9,001,774
| 0.2%
| 18,004
|
| Western Europe
| Buddhism in Switzerland
| 7,489,370
| 0.1%
| 7,489
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Syria
| 18,448,752
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| West Africa
| Buddhism in Togo
| 5,681,519
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Central America
| Buddhism in Trinidad and Tobago
| 1,088,644
| 0.3%
| 3,266
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Tunisia
| 10,074,951
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Turkey
| 69,660,559
| 0.1%
| 69,661
|
| Central Asia
| Buddhism in Turkmenistan
| 4,952,081
| n/a
| n/a
|
| East Africa
| Buddhism in Uganda
| 27,269,482
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Eastern Europe
| Buddhism in Ukraine
| 47,425,336
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| South America
| Buddhism in Uruguay
| 3,415,920
| n/a
| n/a
|
| 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
|
| North Africa
| Buddhism in Western Sahara
| 273,008
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Middle East
| Buddhism in Yemen
| 20,727,063
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Zambia
| 11,261,795
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Southern Africa
| Buddhism in Zimbabwe
| 12,746,990
| n/a
| n/a
|
| Total
| 6,437,293,959
| 11.01%
| 708,102,000
|
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 20
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
| China
| 391,894,143
| 30%
| Thailand
| 94%
| 61,517,708
|
| 2
| Japan
| 90,466,243
| 71%
| Cambodia
| 93%
| 12,654,574
|
| 3
| Thailand
| 61,517,708
| 94%
| Mongolia
| 93%
| 2,595,882
|
| 4
| Vietnam
| 41,767,788
| 50%
| Myanmar
| 90%
| 38,618,517
|
| 5
| Myanmar
| 38,618,517
| 90%
| Bhutan
| 74%
| 1,651,895
|
| 6
| Sri Lanka
| 14,045,343
| 70%
| Japan
| 71%
| 90,466,243
|
| 7
| Cambodia
| 12,654,574
| 93%
| Sri Lanka
| 70%
| 14,045,343
|
| 8
| South Korea
| 11,297,002
| 23.33%
| Laos
| 60%
| 3,730,284
|
| 9
| India
| 7,561,850
| 0.7%
| Vietnam
| 50%
| 41,767,788
|
| 10
| Taiwan
| 5,723,596
| 90%
| Singapore
| 42.5%
| 1,880,931
|
| 16
| Indonesia
| 2,032,580
| 0.84%
| China
| 30%
| 391,894,143
|
| 11
| Malaysia
| 4,599,002
| 19.2%
| Taiwan
| 25%
| 5,723,596
|
| 12
| Laos
| 3,730,284
| 60%
| South Korea
| 23.33%
| 11,297,002
|
| 13
| Nepal
| 3,044,420
| 11%
| Malaysia
| 19.2%
| 4,599,002
|
| 14
| United States
| 2,957,341
| 1%
| Brunei
| 13%
| 48,406
|
| 15
| Mongolia
| 2,595,882
| 93%
| Nepal
| 11%
| 3,044,420
|
| 17
| Singapore
| 1,880,931
| 42.5%
| United Arab Emirates
| 2%
| 51,264
|
| 18
| Bhutan
| 1,651,895
| 74%
| Australia
| 1.9%
| 381,718
|
| 19
| Bangladesh
| 721,598
| 0.5%
| North Korea
| 23.33%
| 5,345,411
|
| 20
| Russia
| 717,101
| 0.5%
| New Zealand
| 1.08%
| 43,582
|
See also
References
- The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 *
- CIA FactBook *
- adherents.com *
- Religious Freedom page *
- census.gov*
- Stockholm Buddhist center*
Buddhism by country | Religion by country
Bouddhisme dans le monde | Pagilian ken Rehion iti Budhismo | Boeddhisme per land | Буддизм по странам
"Buddhism by country"