Bahá'í statistics
Encyclopedia
Statistical estimates of the worldwide Bahá'í
population are difficult to judge. The religion is almost entirely contained in a single, organized, hierarchical community, but the Bahá'í population is spread out into almost every country and ethnicity in the world, being recognized as the second-most geographically widespread religion after Christianity.
Official estimates of the worldwide Bahá'í population come from the Bahá'í World Centre
, which claims "more than five million Bahá’ís" as early as 1991 "in some 100,000 localities." The official agencies of the religion often publish data on numbers of local and national spiritual assemblies
, Counselors and their auxiliaries, countries of representation, languages, and publishing trusts. http://bahai-library.com/bolhuis_bahai_statistics_2001 Less often, they publish membership statistics. In recent years, the United States Bahá'í community has been releasing detailed membership statistics.
Other than signing a card and being acknowledged by a Spiritual Assembly
, there is no initiation or requirement of attendance to remain on the official roll sheets. Members receive regular mailings unless they request not to be contacted.
, making it difficult for even Bahá'ís to maintain a count.
The World Christian Database (WCD), and its predecessor the World Christian Encyclopedia
, has reviewed religious populations around the world and released results of their investigations at various times. The Bahá'í Faith has consistently placed high in the statistics of growth over these various releases of data - 1970 to 1985, 1990 to 2000, and most recently from 2000 to 2005.
A review examining the reliability and bias of the World Christian Database found it "highly correlated with other sources of data" but "consistently gave a higher estimate for percent Christian." In conclusion they found that, "Religious composition estimates in the World Christian Database are generally plausible and consistent with other data sets."
The large growth of the religion in the 20th century means that most Bahá'í's were not born into the religion of their grandparents, or of the society around them, combined with the Bahá'í principle of independent investigation, makes it difficult to compare Bahá'í statistics with religion
s in which people are automatically assigned to statistics at birth. Some would say that this results in an overcount for major religions; others point out that as a sociological reality, Baha'i membership is often more transient than say, Catholic identity.
Rapid growth and a spotty retention rate also make membership statistics difficult to maintain, because a certain number of Bahá'ís move on to other religions without asking to be removed from the Bahá'í membership rolls. From the mid-1960s until 2000, the US Baha'i population went from 10,000 to 140,000 on official rolls, but the percent of members with known addresses dropped to fifty percent.
On the other hand, most denominations make no effort at all to maintain a national membership database and must rely on local churches or surveys of the general population. Local church membership rolls are often maintained poorly because there may be no need for an official membership list (Bahá'ís at least must maintain accurate voting lists) and local congregations sometimes do not provide their denomination's membership data even when asked. Counting American Jews, half of whom are married to non-Jews and the majority of whom do not attend a synagogue, is immensely difficult. Estimates for the numbers of American Muslims and Eastern Orthodox often vary by a factor of two.
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
population are difficult to judge. The religion is almost entirely contained in a single, organized, hierarchical community, but the Bahá'í population is spread out into almost every country and ethnicity in the world, being recognized as the second-most geographically widespread religion after Christianity.
Official estimates of the worldwide Bahá'í population come from the Bahá'í World Centre
Bahá'í World Centre
The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the spiritual and administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. The World Centre consists of the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh near Acre, Israel, the Shrine of the Báb and its gardens on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, and various other buildings in the area...
, which claims "more than five million Bahá’ís" as early as 1991 "in some 100,000 localities." The official agencies of the religion often publish data on numbers of local and national spiritual assemblies
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
, Counselors and their auxiliaries, countries of representation, languages, and publishing trusts. http://bahai-library.com/bolhuis_bahai_statistics_2001 Less often, they publish membership statistics. In recent years, the United States Bahá'í community has been releasing detailed membership statistics.
Definition of membership
In the 1930s the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada began requiring new adherents to sign a declaration of faith, stating their belief in Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb, and `Abdu'l-Bahá, and an understanding that there are laws and institutions to obey (the card does not specify them). The purpose of signing a declaration card was to allow followers to apply for lawful exemption from active military service. The signature of a card later became optional in Canada, but in the US is still used for records and administrative requirements. Many countries follow the pattern of the US and Canada.Other than signing a card and being acknowledged by a Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly
Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdu'l-Bahá to refer to elected councils that govern the Bahá'í Faith. Because the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, they carry out the affairs of the community...
, there is no initiation or requirement of attendance to remain on the official roll sheets. Members receive regular mailings unless they request not to be contacted.
Difficulties in enumeration
The fact that the religion is diffuse rather than concentrated is the major barrier to demographic research by outsiders. Surveys and censuses (except government census, which ask individuals their religion in many countries) simply cannot yet be conducted with such a scope, especially not at the level required to accurately gauge religious minorities. In some countries the Bahá'í Faith is illegal and Bahá'ís endure some degree of persecutionPersecution of Bahá'ís
The persecution of Bahá'ís is the religious persecution of Bahá'ís in various countries, especially in Iran, where the Bahá'í Faith originated and the location of one of the largest Bahá'í populations in the world...
, making it difficult for even Bahá'ís to maintain a count.
The World Christian Database (WCD), and its predecessor the World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
, has reviewed religious populations around the world and released results of their investigations at various times. The Bahá'í Faith has consistently placed high in the statistics of growth over these various releases of data - 1970 to 1985, 1990 to 2000, and most recently from 2000 to 2005.
A review examining the reliability and bias of the World Christian Database found it "highly correlated with other sources of data" but "consistently gave a higher estimate for percent Christian." In conclusion they found that, "Religious composition estimates in the World Christian Database are generally plausible and consistent with other data sets."
The large growth of the religion in the 20th century means that most Bahá'í's were not born into the religion of their grandparents, or of the society around them, combined with the Bahá'í principle of independent investigation, makes it difficult to compare Bahá'í statistics with religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s in which people are automatically assigned to statistics at birth. Some would say that this results in an overcount for major religions; others point out that as a sociological reality, Baha'i membership is often more transient than say, Catholic identity.
Rapid growth and a spotty retention rate also make membership statistics difficult to maintain, because a certain number of Bahá'ís move on to other religions without asking to be removed from the Bahá'í membership rolls. From the mid-1960s until 2000, the US Baha'i population went from 10,000 to 140,000 on official rolls, but the percent of members with known addresses dropped to fifty percent.
On the other hand, most denominations make no effort at all to maintain a national membership database and must rely on local churches or surveys of the general population. Local church membership rolls are often maintained poorly because there may be no need for an official membership list (Bahá'ís at least must maintain accurate voting lists) and local congregations sometimes do not provide their denomination's membership data even when asked. Counting American Jews, half of whom are married to non-Jews and the majority of whom do not attend a synagogue, is immensely difficult. Estimates for the numbers of American Muslims and Eastern Orthodox often vary by a factor of two.
Worldwide figures
The following table was provided by the Bahá'í World Center Department of Statistics to view growth and basic statistics.1968 | ± 1986 | 2001 | |
National Spiritual Assemblies | 81 | 165 | 182 |
Local Spiritual Assemblies | 6,840 | 18,232 | 11,740 |
Countries where the Bahá'í Faith is established: independent countries | 187 | 190 | |
Countries where the Bahá'í Faith is established: - dependent territories/overseas departments | 45 | 46 | |
Localities where Bahá'ís reside | 31,572 | >116,000 | 127,381 |
Indigenous tribes, races, and ethnic groups | 1,179 | >2,100 | 2,112 |
Languages into which Bahá'í literature is translated | 417 | 800 | 802 |
Bahá'í Publishing Trusts | 9 | 26 | 33 |
Bahá’í sources
- The official international website claims to have "more than five million Bahá’ís resident in some 100,000 localities in every part of the world."
- The current US national website states that there are: "more than 5 million" Bahá'ís in the world.
- The introduction to a 1995 printing of The Promise of World Peace (Special Ideas, Heltonville, IN) claims: "more than five million members… in over 120,000 localities… in over 230 countries or significant territories."
- A pamphlet currently published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia estimates: "At present there are over 6 million Bahá'ís who live in more than 118,000 localities in over 200 countries and territories."
- A 1997 statement by the NSA of South Africa wrote: "…the Bahá'í Faith enjoys a world-wide following in excess of six million people."
- The Department of Statistics, Bahá'í World Centre, does not provide an estimated total, but claims that in 2001 there were 11,740 local Spiritual Assemblies, and 127,381 localities in 236 countries and territories. http://bahai-library.com/bolhuis_bahai_statistics_2001
- A 1987 report, Achievements of the Seven Year Plan published in Bahá'í News (July, 1987,) pages 2–7, reports 4.74 million Bahá'ís in 1986 growing at a rate of 31% over 1979, or 4.4% per year on average.
Other sources
- The World FactbookThe World FactbookThe World Factbook is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official paper copy version is available from the National Technical Information Service and the Government Printing Office...
states that Bahá'ís make up 0.12% of the world based on a 2007 estimate, corresponding to 7.9 million people. - The 2005 Association of Religion Data ArchivesAssociation of religion data archivesThe Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
estimate is of 7.6 million. - Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
in mid-2004 estimated a total of 7.5 million Bahá’ís residing in 218 countries.Worldwide Adherents of All Religions, Mid-2004 Its statistics are derived from the World Christian Encyclopedia. - The World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001,p 4 estimated 7.1 million Bahá'ís in the world in 2000, representing 218 countries. The same source estimated 5.7 million in 1990.http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_63.html Its definition of membership is broader than the official Bahá'í definition and would include people who attend Bahá'í gatherings regularly even if they have not declared their faith or persons who state they are Bahá'ís in government censuses as a result of reading about the religion or hearing about it on the radio.
- In 2005, the Encyclopedia of Religion, second edition, vol 2, pg. 739, (ISBN 0-02-865733-0) records that:
- "In the early twenty-first century the Bahá’ís number close to six million in more than two hundred countries. The number of adherents rose significantly in the late twentieth century from a little more than one million at the end of the 1960s."
- adherents.com estimates 7 million Bahá’ís in 2000 based on research from David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, 2000, and the Population Reference Bureau www.prb.org.
- In 2003, The World Book Encyclopedia reports that "there are about 5,500,000 Bahá’ís worldwide." http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Article?id=ar042020(registration required)
- In 2001, Paul Oliver wrote in World Faiths that there were "approximately five million Bahá’ís" in 1963.
- In 2004, the Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa vol 1, reports that "By 1900, the community… had reached 50,000-100,000… Bahá’ís worldwide [are] estimated in 2001 at 5 million."
- In 2000, Denis MacEoinDenis MacEoinDenis M. MacEoin is a former editor of the Middle East Quarterly and is also a novelist. A former lecturer in Islamic studies, his academic specialisations are Shi‘ism, Shaykhism, Bábism, and the Bahá'í Faith, on all of which he has written extensively. His novels are written under the pen names...
wrote in the Handbook of Living Religions that:
- "the movement has had remarkable success in establishing itself as a vigorous contender in the mission fields of Africa, India, parts of South America, and the Pacific, thus outstripping other new religions in a world-wide membership of perhaps 4 million and an international spread recently described as second only to that of Christianity. The place of Baha'ism among world religions now seems assured."
- In 1997, Dictionary of World Religions estimated "five million Bahá’ís" in the world.
- In 1997, Religions of the World published: "today there are about 5 million" Bahá’ís.
- In 1993, the Columbia EncyclopediaColumbia EncyclopediaThe Columbia Encyclopedia is a one-volume encyclopedia produced by Columbia University Press and sold by the Gale Group. First published in 1935, and continuing its important relationship with Columbia University, the encyclopedia underwent major revisions in 1950 and 1963; the current edition is...
published: "There are about 5 million Bahá’ís in the world." - In 1998, the Academic American Encyclopedia said that the Bahá’ís "are estimated to number about 2 million."
- In 1995 the HarperCollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
Dictionary of Religion states: "In 1985, it was estimated that there were between 1.5 to 2 million Baha'is, with the greatest areas of recent growth in Africa, India, and Vietnam."
See also
- Bahá'í Faith by countryBahá'í Faith by countryThe Bahá'í Faith is a diverse and widespread religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in the 19th century in Iran. Bahá'í sources usually estimate the worldwide Bahá'í population to be above 5 million. Most encyclopedias and similar sources estimate between 5 and 6 million Bahá'ís in the world in the early...
- Statistics on National Spiritual AssembliesStatistics on National Spiritual AssembliesStatistics on National Spiritual Assemblies refers to the number of National Spiritual Assemblies, which are approximately national levels of institutional administration of the Bahá'í Faith, in the world. NSAs exist in most member states of the United Nations but also in some nations that are...
- Religions by countryReligions by countryThis article gives an overview about religion by country. Note that the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, will show dual figures; those are the percentage of people who believe in God and the percentage of nominal adherents who celebrate traditional religious holidays although...
- Islam by countryIslam by countryIslam is the world's second largest religion after Christianity. According to a 2009 demographic study, Islam has 1.57 billion adherents, making up 23% of the world population....
- Judaism by country
- Hinduism by countryHinduism by countryThe percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. Other sources used were the CIA World Factbook and adherents.com...
- Christianity by countryChristianity by countryAs of the early 21st century, Christianity has around 2.1 billion adherents. The faith represents nearly one-third of the world's population and is the largest religion in the world, with approximately 38,000 Christian denominations. Christians have composed about 33 percent of the world's...
- Sikhism by countrySikhism by countrySikhism can be found predominantly in the Punjab region of India but Sikh communities exist on every inhabited continent, with the largest emigrant population being Indian Britons in the United Kingdom...
- No Faith by CountryIrreligionIrreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as...
External links
- Bahá'í World Statistics
- adherents.com - A website about religious adherents of numerous faiths
- adherents.com - Specific compiled stats on Bahá'í communities