Obtaining exact numbers of practicing Buddhists can be difficult and may be reliant on the definition used. Adherents of Eastern religions such as Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 with local Animism

Animism

Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....

, Chinese folk religion

Chinese folk religion

Chinese folk religion or Shenism , which is a term of considerable debate, are labels used to describe the collection of ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups for most of the civilization's history until today...

, Confucianism

Confucianism

Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...

, Shinto

Shinto

or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...

, and Taoism

Taoism

Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...

 often have beliefs composed of a mix of religious ideas. While only a small proportion of the population may have taken the formal step of going for refuge

Refuge (Buddhism)

Buddhists "take refuge" in, or to "go for refuge" to, the Three Jewels . This can be done formally in lay and monastic ordination ceremonies.The Three Jewels general signification is:　* the Buddha;* the Dharma, the teachings;...

, many more may practice an informal Buddhism or hold Buddhist beliefs mixed with those of related religions. This is particularly the case in East Asia, where Buddhism has long been practiced alongside Taoism and Confucianism in an arrangement sometimes known as the "Triple Religion" or "Great Religion". The Religion in China

Religion in China

Religion in China has been characterized by pluralism since the beginning of Chinese history. The Chinese religions are family-oriented and do not demand the exclusive adherence of members. Some scholars doubt the use of the term "religion" in reference to Buddhism and Taoism, and suggest "cultural...

, Vietnam

Religion in Vietnam

The earliest established religions in Vietnam are Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism . Significant minorities of adherents to Roman Catholicism, Cao Dai, and Hoa Hao and smaller minorities of adherents to Hinduism, Islam, Protestantism and Theravada Buddhism exist.The majority of...

, Japan

Religion in Japan

Most Japanese people do not exclusively identify themselves as adherents of a single religion; rather, they incorporate elements of various religions in a syncretic fashion known as . Shinbutsu Shūgō officially ended with the Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order of 1886, but continues in practice...

, Korea

Religion in Korea

Religion in Korea encompasses a number of different traditions. Traditional Buddhism, Mugyo with a background of Korean Confucianism and later Christianity all play a role in Korea's religious tradition...

; Vinegar tasters

Vinegar tasters

The Vinegar Tasters , is a traditional subject in Chinese religious painting. The allegorical composition depicts the three founders of China's major religious and philosophical traditions: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism...

; Sinosphere

Sinosphere

In areal linguistics, Sinosphere refers to a grouping of countries and regions that are currently inhabited with a majority of Chinese population or were historically under Chinese cultural influence...

; Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty....

; East Asian Buddhism

East Asian Buddhism

East Asian Buddhism is a collective term for the schools of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in the East Asian region and follow the Chinese Buddhist canon...

 and Buddhism and Eastern teaching

Buddhism and Eastern teaching

Buddhism has interacted with several East Asian religious traditions since it spread from India during the 2nd century AD.-Confucianism:Confucianism in particular raised fierce opposition to Buddhism in early history, principally because it perceived Buddhism to be a nihilistic worldview, with a...

 articles discuss this phenomenon in greater detail.

In India, the land where Buddhism was born, the religion has severely declined over the past centuries. The decline started after foreign invasions of India, starting Islamic invasions in the early first millenium, which established rule over North India, leading to gradual decline of Buddhism from the country. Many unique works related to the religion, particularly Nalanda

Nalanda

Nālandā is the name of an ancient center of higher learning in Bihar, India.The site of Nalanda is located in the Indian state of Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from the fifth or sixth century CE to 1197 CE. It has been called "one of the...

 University were destroyed by the conquerors, since the religion was particularly concentrated in North India. Most followers of Buddhism do not belong to structured congregations nor practice publicly making it difficult to accurately estimate the number of worldwide practitioners with some estimates reporting between 350 million to perhaps over one billion Buddhists throughout the world. The largest major branch of Buddhism is Mahayana

Mahayana

Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...

, with no fewer than 185 million adherents. Mahayana is a dominant force in the religious landscape of East Asia, leading it to also be known as East Asian Buddhism

East Asian Buddhism

East Asian Buddhism is a collective term for the schools of Mahayana Buddhism that developed in the East Asian region and follow the Chinese Buddhist canon...

, and is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

, and Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

. Vajrayana

Vajrayana

Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...

, particularly in the form of Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...

, is a school related to but distinct from Mahayana, with approximately 20 million adherents largely living in the Tibet Autonomous Region

Tibet Autonomous Region

The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....

, Bhutan, Mongolia

Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...

, and surrounding areas in China, India, and Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

. Theravada

Theravada

Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...

 is the other most widespread branch of Buddhism, with no fewer than 125 million adherents, and is the predominant form of Buddhism practiced in Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

, Thailand, Laos

Laos

Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...

, Sri Lanka, and Burma.

An additional challenge in gathering accurate estimates regarding Buddhist adherents in many Asian countries is the presence of national governments (often Communist

Communist state

A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...

) that are hostile either 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 under-estimate the number of religious practitioners in these countries. This phenomenon is a confounding factor in gathering data for countries such as China and North Korea. Similar historical policies, coupled with shortcomings of infrastructure, make census data for Laos and Vietnam difficult to assess.

Most of the Buddhists live in Asia, and the provisional state of the numbers in governments who evolve from the Communism forces a constant revision, although each new annual revision shows an increase the very significant discharge of the Buddhism. The main reason for this enormous discrepancy in the present numbers is the combination of three types different from difficulties to give to a Chinese number on, the greatest country of population in World recently. The Buddhism has a very important historical root in those countries, nevertheless is officially an atheist country, in which in addition it practices syncretist

Syncretism

Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...

 a very heterogeneous traditional religion popular and that, among others, it includes Buddhist elements, and that frequently are listed separately.

By Country

Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 by Country

Region	Country or Territory	Population(2007E)	% Buddhist	Buddhist total
Central Asia	Afghanistan Buddhism in Afghanistan Buddhism in Afghanistan was one of the major religions during pre-Islamic era. The religion was wide spread south of the Hindu Kush mountains. Buddhism first arrived to Afghanistan in 305 BCE when the Seleucid Empire made an alliance with the Indian Maurya Empire...	31,889,923	0.2%	63,780
South America	Argentina Buddhism in Argentina Buddhism in Argentina has been well known since the early 1980s.Even though this is a mainly Catholic country, Chinese immigrants established the first Chinese temple in 1986. By the same time, Korean immigrants founded their own temple...	40,301,927	0.1%	40,302
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Aruba	100,018	1.2% (approx)	1,200
Oceania	Australia Buddhism in Australia In Australia, Buddhism is a small but growing religion. According to the 2006 census, 2.1 percent of the total population of Australia, or 418,749 people, identified as Buddhist. It was also the fastest-growing religion by percentage, having increased its number of adherents by 79 percent between...	20,434,176	2.1%	429,119
Central Europe	Austria Buddhism in Austria Buddhism is a legally recognized religion in Austria and it is followed by more than 10,000 Austrians.Although still small in absolute numbers , Buddhism in Austria enjoys widespread acceptance...	8,199,783	0.130%	10,660
Middle East	Bahrain Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	708,573	1%	7,086
South Asia	Bangladesh Buddhism in Bangladesh Buddhism is the third largest religion in Bangladesh with about 0.7% of population adhering to Theravada Buddhism. Most of the practiconers are the tribal Jumma people who are found mainly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where they constitute about 45% of the area's population.- Demographic Overview...	150,448,339	0.7%	1,053,138
Western Europe	Belgium Buddhism in Belgium Buddhism is a small religion in Belgium but despite lack of official recognition by the Belgian government has grown rapidly in recent years...	10,392,226	0.29%	31,177
Central America	Belize	294,385	0.35%	1,030
South Asia	Bhutan Buddhism in Bhutan Mahayana Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan, and Buddhists comprise two-thirds to three-quarters of its population. Although originating in Tibetan Buddhism, the Buddhism practiced in Bhutan differs significantly in its rituals, liturgy, and monastic organization...	2,327,849	66% – 75% – 94%	1,536,380 – 1,745,888 – 2,141,622
South America	Bolivia	9,119,152	0.26%	23,710
Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...	Bosnia and Herzegovina	4,552,198	0.01%	455
South America	Brazil Buddhism in Brazil With nearly 250,000 Buddhists, Brazil is home to the third largest Buddhist population in the Americas, after the United States and Canada. Buddhism in Brazil consists of practitioners from various Buddhist traditions and schools...	190,010,647	0.130%	247,014
Southeast Asia	Brunei Buddhism in Brunei Mahayana Buddhism is the most popular and alongside with Ancestor Worship, Taoism and Confucianism as one which is the traditional faith of general Han Chinese people ....	374,577	9.09%	29,822
Eastern Europe	Bulgaria Buddhism in Bulgaria Buddhism is a small minority religion in Bulgaria, with about a thousand practitioners. The Vietnamese community in Bulgaria traditionally practices Mahayana Buddhism alongside Ancestor Worship, but the population of this community, which mostly hails from North Vietnam has declined from tens of...	7,322,858	0.015% (approx)	1,098
Southeast Asia	Burma	55,400,000	90%	42,636,562 – 48,019,200
Southeast Asia	Cambodia Buddhism in Cambodia The kind of Buddhism practiced in Cambodia is called Theravada Buddhism. Buddhism has existed in Cambodia since at least the 5th century CE, with some sources placing its origin as early as the 3rd century BCE...	14,805,358	96.4%	14,272,365
North America	Canada Buddhism in Canada There is a small, rapidly growing Buddhist community in Canada. As of the 2001 count, 300,346 Canadians identified their religion as Buddhist ....	33,390,141	1.0	300,345
South America	Chile	16,284,741	0.04%	6,514
East Asia	China Buddhism in China Chinese Buddhism refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China since ancient times. Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people, affecting their aesthetics, politics, literature, philosophy and medicine.At the peak of the...	1,321,851,888	8% – 21% – +80% – 91%	105,748,151 – 277,588,896 – 1,057,481,510 – 1,202,885,218
South America	Colombia	44,379,598	0.01%	4,438
Central America	Costa Rica Buddhism in Costa Rica Costa Rica has more Buddhists than the other countries in Central America with almost 100,000 , followed closely by Panama, with almost 70,000 . Buddhism was primarily driven by the presence of Chinese immigrants during the earlier part of the 19th century...	4,133,884	2.34%	96,733
West Africa	Cote d'Ivoire	18,013,409	0.06%	10,808
Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...	Croatia Buddhism in Croatia The first Croatian Buddhist group was founded in Zagreb in the 80's. Several groups have formed since, affiliated with different traditions. Estimates of the number of Buddhists in Croatia vary from 500 to 1000, depending on the definition. At present, active Buddhist groups are working to...	4,493,312	0.03%	1,348
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Cuba	11,394,043	0.25%	28,485
Middle East	Cyprus	788,457	1%	7,885
Central Europe	Czech Republic	10,228,744	0.5%	51,144
Western Europe	Denmark Buddhism in Denmark Buddhism is the 4th largest religion in Denmark with approximately 20,000 - 25,000 members.-History:In the 19th century, knowledge about Buddhism was brought back from expeditions that explored the East and but interest was mainly from authors, Buddhologists and Philologists. In 1921, Dr. Christian F...	5,468,120	>0.5%	20,000–25,000
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Dominica	72,386	0.25%	181
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Dominican Republic	9,365,818	0.1%	9,366
Southeast Asia	East Timor	1,084,971	0.1% (approx)	1,085
South America	Ecuador	13,755,680	0.2%	27,511
South America	El Salvador	6,948,073	0.03%	2,084
East Africa	Eritrea	4,906,585	0.1%	4,907
Eastern Europe	Estonia	1,315,912	0.4%	5,264
Oceania	Fiji	918,675	1%	9,187
Western Europe	Finland Buddhism in Finland Buddhism in Finland represents a very small percentage of that nation's religious practices. Out of the 5,238,460 people living in Finland, only 0.1% of the population is identified as being Buddhist....	5,238,460	0.1%	5,238
Western Europe	France Buddhism in France Buddhism is widely reported to be the third largest religion in France, after Christianity, and Islam.France has over two hundred Buddhist meditation centers, including about twenty sizable retreat centers in rural areas...	63,718,187	1.2%	764,618
South America	French Guiana	203,321	4%	8,132
Oceania	French Polynesia	278,963	7.5%	20,922
Caucasus Caucasus The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...	Georgia	4,646,003	0.1% (approx)	4,646
Western Europe	Germany Buddhism in Germany Buddhism in Germany looks back to a history of over 150 years. Arthur Schopenhauer was one of the earliest Germans who were influenced by Buddhism. Schopenhauer got his knowledge of Buddhism from authors like Isaac Jacob Schmidt...	82,400,996	1%	824,001
West Africa	Ghana	22,931,299	0.05%	11,466
Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...	Greece	10,706,290	0.1% (approx)	10,706
Central America	Guatemala	12,728,111	0.1%	12,728
West Africa	Guinea	9,947,814	0.1% (approx)	9,948
South America	Guyana	769,095	0.25%	1,923
Central America	Honduras	7,483,763	0.1%	7,484
East Asia	Hong Kong Buddhism in Hong Kong thumb|250px|right|The [[Tian Tan Buddha|Big Buddha]], on [[Lantau Island]], Hong KongBuddhism, often practiced with Taoism, is the majority religion of Hong Kong. 90% of the population of Hong Kong are thought to practice an eclectic mixture of the two, sometimes combined with other practices.)...	6,980,412	10.1% – 92%	705,022 – 6,421,980
Eastern Europe	Hungary	9,956,108	0.05%	5,223
Western Europe	Iceland Buddhism in Iceland Buddhism in Iceland has existed since the 1990s after immigration from countries with Buddhist populations, mainly Thailand. As of 2008, there are three Buddhist organizations in Iceland officially recognized as religious organizations by the Icelandic government...	301,931	0.15%	453
South Asia	India	1,129,866,154	0.8%- 3.25%	12,248,969 – 37,913,134
Southeast Asia	Indonesia Buddhism in Indonesia Buddhism in Indonesia has a long history, with a considerable range of relics dated from its earlier years in Indonesia. Buddhism is recognized as one of six official religions in Indonesia, along with Islam, Christianity , Hinduism and Confucianism.According to the 2000 national census, roughly...	234,693,997	1%	2,346,940
Middle East	Iran Buddhism in Iran Buddhism in Iran may date as far back as the 5th or 6th century BC, during the life of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni. A Pali legend suggests that the spread of Buddhism to Balkh was initiated by two merchant brothers from Bactria ....	72,212,000	N/A	N/A
Western Europe	Ireland	4,109,086	0.2%	8,218
Middle East	Israel	6,426,679	0.1%	6,426
Western Europe	Italy Buddhism in Italy Buddhism in Italy is represented by two major associations. The Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana schools of Buddhism are represented by the Italian Buddhist Union , which is a member of the European Buddhist Union. The UBI was founded in Milan in 1985 and received recognition by the President of...	58,147,733	0.2%	116,295
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Jamaica	2,780,132	0.3%	8,340
East Asia	Japan Buddhism in Japan The history of Buddhism in Japan can be roughly divided into three periods, namely the Nara period , the Heian period and the post-Heian period . Each period saw the introduction of new doctrines and upheavals in existing schools...	127,433,494	20% – 45% – 96.7%	57,061,994–91,000,000–123,317,953
Central Asia	Kazakhstan Buddhism in Central Asia About the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia the Encyclopædia Britannica writes, "The spread of Buddhism into Central Asia is still not completely understood...	15,284,929	0.55%	84,067
East Asia	North Korea Korean Buddhism Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...	23,301,725	4.5% (approx)	10,000 – 15,029,613
East Asia	South Korea Korean Buddhism Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...	49,044,790	22.8%-38%	11,427,436–18,572,500
Central Asia	Kyrgyzstan Buddhism in Central Asia About the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia the Encyclopædia Britannica writes, "The spread of Buddhism into Central Asia is still not completely understood...	5,284,149	0.35%	18,495
Middle East	Kuwait Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	2,505,559	4%	100,222
Southeast Asia	Laos Buddhism in Laos Buddhism is the primary religion of Laos. The Buddhism practiced in Laos is of the Theravada tradition. Lao Buddhism is a unique version of Theravada Buddhism and is at the basis of Lao culture...	6,521,998	67% – 98%	4,369,739 – 6,391,558
Eastern Europe	Latvia	2,259,810	0.004%	90
Middle East	Lebanon Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	3,925,502	0.1%	3,926
Southern Africa	Lesotho	2,125,262	0.1% (approx)	2,125
West Africa	Liberia	3,195,931	0.1%	3,196
North Africa	Libya Buddhism in Libya Libya's 2007 census has over 13,000 workers from Sri Lanka and some other Buddhist countries which made up about 0.3% of total population of Libya. This makes Libya the country with the one of highest proportion of Buddhists in North Africa...	6,036,914	0.3%	18,120
Western Europe	Liechtenstein Buddhism in Liechtenstein According to the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006; there are 72 Buddhists in Liechtenstein or 0.22% of the total population as of 2002. It could be the smallest Buddhist community in the World....	34,247	0.22%	75
East Asia	Macau	456,989	17% – 50% – 85%	77,688 – 228,495 – 388,441
East Africa	Madagascar	19,448,815	0.1%	19,449
Southeast Asia	Malaysia Buddhism in Malaysia Buddhism is the second largest religion in Malaysia, after Islam, with 19.2% of Malaysia's population being Buddhist although some estimates put that figure up to 21.6% when combined with Chinese religions...	24,821,286	22%	5,460,683
South Asia	Maldives	369,031	0.45%	1,661
East Africa	Mauritius Sino-Mauritian Sino-Mauritians, also referred to as Chinese Mauritians or Mauritian Chinese, are Mauritians of Chinese descent. They form about 3% of the local population.-Migration history:...	1,250,882	2.5%	31,272
North America	Mexico Buddhism in Mexico Buddhism in Mexico possesses a minuscule demographic presence in the mostly-Roman Catholic country. Approximately, only 108,701 Buddhists are counted in Mexico.-Tibetan Buddhism:...	108,700,891	0.1% (approx)	108,701
Central Asia	Mongolia Buddhism in Mongolia Buddhism in Mongolia derives much of its recent characteristics from Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school. Traditionally, Mongols worshiped heaven and their ancestors, and they followed ancient northern Asian practices of shamanism, in which human intermediaries went into trance and spoke to...	2,951,786	50% – 94%	1,475,893 – 2,774,679
Southern Africa	Namibia	2,055,080	0.1%	2,055
South Asia	Nepal Buddhism in Nepal Buddha was born in Shakya kingdom which lies in Rupandehi district, Lumbini zone of Nepal.10.74% of Nepal's population practice Buddhism, consisting mainly of groups of Tibeto-Burman origin.-Overview:...	28,901,790	11% – 21%	3,179,197 – 6,159,510
Western Europe	Netherlands Buddhism in the Netherlands Buddhism is a small minority religion in the Netherlands, but it has shown rapid growth in recent years. As of the 2006 estimate, 170,000 Dutch people identified their religion as Buddhist .-Early history:...	16,570,613	0.105% – 1%	17,399 – 165,706
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Netherlands Antilles	223,652	0.7% (approx)	1,566
Oceania	New Caledonia	221,943	3%	6,657
Oceania	New Zealand	4,115,771	1.2%	49,389
Central America	Nicaragua Buddhism in Nicaragua Buddhism in Nicaragua has existed since the late 19th century, after immigration from countries with Buddhist populations, mainly China. Although sources are not readily available, Buddhists are believed to constitute 0.1% of the total population in Nicaragua....	5,675,356	0.1%	5,675
Western Europe	Norway Buddhism in Norway Buddhism in Norway has existed since the beginning of the 1970s, after immigration from countries with Buddhist populations, mainly Vietnam. Buddhistforbundet in Norway was established as a religious society in 1979 by two Buddhist groups who wanted to create a common organization to preserve...	4,627,926	0.42%	19,437
Middle East	Oman Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	3,204,897	1%	32,049
South Asia	Pakistan Buddhism in Pakistan Buddhism has a long history in Pakistan.-Buddhism in antiquity:The region that is today known as Pakistan once had a large Buddhist population, with the majority of people in Gandhara being Buddhist. Gandhara was largely Mahayana Buddhist, and was also a stronghold of Vajrayana Buddhism...	164,741,924	0.1%	164,742
Central America	Panama	3,242,173	2.1%	68,086
Oceania	Papua New Guinea	5,795,887	0.3%	17,388
South America	Paraguay	6,669,086	0.5%	33,345
South America	Peru	28,674,757	0.31%	88,892
Southeast Asia	Philippines Buddhism in the Philippines Buddhism is a relatively minor religion in the Philippines. It is largely confined to the Filipino Chinese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese communities. There are temples in Manila, Davao, and Cebu, and other places. Estimates at the Buddhist population of the Philippines varies...	91,077,287	3%	2,759,490
Western Europe	Portugal	10,642,836	0.18%	20,000
Central Europe	Poland Buddhism in Poland The roots of Buddhism in Poland can be found in the early 20th century in the nation's connections to the origin countries of the religion, like China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. After World War II, primarily expatriate Poles joined various Buddhist groups and organizations...	38,518,241	0.1%	38,518
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Puerto Rico	3,944,259	0.03%	1,183
Middle East	Qatar Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	907,229	5% (approx)	45,361
East Africa	Reunion Buddhism in Réunion *Buddhism is practised by the Chinese community. Many of them are Chinese who became Roman Catholics. There are some beautiful Buddhist temples in the island.- Festivals of Buddhists in Réunion :...	784,000	1%	7,840
Eastern Europe	Romania	22,276,056	0.01% (approx)	2,228
Eastern Europe	Russia Buddhism in Russia Historically, Buddhism was incorporated into Russian lands in the early 17th century, when Kalmyk people traveled to and settled in Siberia and what is now the Russian Far East. Buddhism is considered as one of Russia’s traditional religions, legally a part of Russian historical heritage.The main...	141,377,752	0.75% – 1.1% – 1.45%	1,060,333 – 1,555,155 – 2,049,977
Middle East	Saudi Arabia Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	27,601,038	1.5%	414,016
West Africa	Senegal Buddhism in Senegal In Senegal, Mahayana Buddhism is followed by a very tiny portion of the Vietnamese community, but it is informal Buddhism because they only worship their ancestors by burning the incenses on a small altar and in the end of all prayers are: "Nam mô A Di Đà Phật" as traditional of Vietnamese faith...	12,521,851	0.01%	1,252
Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...	Serbia	10,150,265	0.01% (approx)	1,015
East Africa	Seychelles Sino-Seychellois Sino-Seychellois are overseas Chinese who reside in Seychelles. As of 1999, their population was estimated at roughly 1,000 individuals, making them one of Africa's smaller Chinese communities.-History:The first Chinese immigrants to Seychelles arrived...	81,895	1%	819
Southeast Asia	Singapore Buddhism in Singapore As of 2010, 33.6% of Singaporeans identified themselves as Buddhist. Adherents of Buddhism are mostly of the Chinese majority ethnic group, although small minorities of Sinhalese and Thai Buddhists do exist as well....	4,553,009	42.5% 51% – 61.1%	1,935,029 – 2,322,035 – 2,781,888
Central Europe	Slovakia Buddhism in Slovakia Buddhism is not officially recognized as a religion in Slovakia. The 2001 census findings included Buddhism under "other religions, " so the total number of Buddhists is not known....	5,447,502	0.1%	5,447
Central Europe	Slovenia Buddhism in Slovenia Buddhism is a legally recognized religion in Slovenia and it is followed by more than 1,000 Slovenes, though no official number are establish as the previous census didn't include Buddhism specifically...	2,009,245	0.075% (approx)	1,500
Western Europe	Spain	40,448,191	0.025% – 0.5% – 0.75%	10,112 – 200,000 – 300,000
Southern Africa	South Africa Buddhism in South Africa Buddhist traditions are represented in South Africa in many forms. Although the inherently introspective nature of Buddhism does not encourage census, adherents to these traditions are usually outspoken and supported by perhaps an even greater, though hidden number of sympathisers...	43,997,828	0.1%	43,998
South Asia	Sri Lanka	20,926,315	70%	14,648,421
South America	Suriname	470,784	1%	4,708
Western Europe	Sweden Buddhism in Sweden Buddhism is a relatively small religion in Sweden. Most of the practicing Buddhists have various Asian heritage. There are current plans of constructing a Buddhist Temple in Fredrika, a small town in the north part of Sweden. This Thai-style temple will be the biggest Buddhist temple in Europe...	9,031,088	0.2%	18,062
Western Europe	Switzerland Buddhism in Switzerland According to the 2000 census of Switzerland, 21,305 Swiss residents self-identified as Buddhists. About a third of them were born in Thailand.-History:...	7,554,661	0.29%	21,909
East Asia	Taiwan Buddhism in Taiwan Buddhism is a major religion in Taiwan. Many Taiwanese people practice the Chinese traditional religion which integrates Buddhist elements, Confucian principles, local practices and Taoist tradition....	22,858,872	35% – 75% – 93%	8,000,605 – 17,144,154 – 21,530,358
Central Asia	Tajikistan Buddhism in Central Asia About the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia the Encyclopædia Britannica writes, "The spread of Buddhism into Central Asia is still not completely understood...	7,076,598	0.1%	7,076
East Africa	Tanzania	39,384,223	0.1%	39,384
Southeast Asia	Thailand Buddhism in Thailand Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. Nearly 95% of Thailand's population is Buddhist of the Theravada school, though Buddhism in this country has become integrated with folk beliefs as well as Chinese religions from the large Thai-Chinese population.Buddhist temples in Thailand...	65,068,149	95%	61,814,742
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	Trinidad and Tobago	1,056,608	0.7%	7,396
Middle East	Turkey Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	71,158,647	0.1%	71,159
Central Asia	Turkmenistan Buddhism in Central Asia About the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia the Encyclopædia Britannica writes, "The spread of Buddhism into Central Asia is still not completely understood...	5,097,028	0.1%	50,970
Eastern Europe	Ukraine Buddhism in Ukraine Buddhism in Ukraine has existed since the 19th and 20th century, after immigration from countries with Buddhist populations, mainly North Vietnam and Korea under Communist period...	46,299,862	0.1% (approx)	46,300
Middle East	United Arab Emirates Buddhism in the Middle East It is estimated that in the Middle East around 900,000 people, perhaps more, profess Buddhism as their religion. Buddhist adherents make up just over 0.3% of the total population of the Middle East...	4,444,011	5%	222,201
Western Europe	United Kingdom Buddhism in the United Kingdom Buddhism in the United Kingdom has a small but growing number of adherents which, according to a Buddhist organisation, is mainly the result of conversion. In the UK census for 2001, there were about 152,000 people who registered their religion as Buddhism, and about 174,000 who cited religions...	60,776,238	0.3%	152,000
North America	United States Buddhism in the United States Buddhism is one of the largest religions in the United States behind Christianity, Judaism and Nonreligious, and approximate with Islam and Hinduism. American Buddhists include many Asian Americans, as well as a large number of converts of other ethnicities, and now their children and even...	301,139,947	0.7%	1,505,700 – 6,022,799
South America	Uruguay	3,460,607	0.1%	3,461
Central Asia	Uzbekistan Buddhism in Central Asia About the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia the Encyclopædia Britannica writes, "The spread of Buddhism into Central Asia is still not completely understood...	27,780,059	0.2%	55,560
Oceania	Vanuatu	211,971	1%	2,120
South America	Venezuela Buddhism in Venezuela Buddhism in Venezuela is practiced by over 52,000 people . The Buddhist community is made up mainly of Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans....	26,023,528	0.2%	52,047
Southeast Asia	Vietnam Buddhism in Vietnam Buddhism in Vietnam as practiced by the ethnic Vietnamese is mainly of the Mahāyāna tradition. Buddhism came to Vietnam as early as the 2nd century CE through the North from Central Asia and via Southern routes from India...	85,262,356	16% – >50% – 85% (approx)	13,641,977 – >42,631,178 – 72,473,003
Southern Africa	Zimbabwe	12,311,143	0.1%	37
Total		6,679,252,040	7.342% – 10.356% – 28.775% (depending on extent of syncretism Syncretism Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word... )	489,807,761 – 690,847,214 – 1,921,989,641

By region

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

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 in Africa

Region	Total Population	Buddhists	% of Buddhists	% of Buddhist total
Central Africa	88,166,923	0	0%	0%
East Africa	202,711,873	40,454	0.019%
North Africa	211,584,604	0	0%	0%
Southern Africa	143,871,660	77,127	0.035%
West Africa	280,965,354	40,000	0%	0%
Total	927,300,414	157,581	0.012%

Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 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

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 in Europe

Region	Total Population	Buddhists	% of Buddhists	% of Buddhist total
Balkans Balkans The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...	67,379,383	101,070	0.15%
Central Europe	77,052,660	2,912,591	3.78%
Eastern Europe	212,144,987	387,165	1.825%
Western Europe	389,933,160	20,666,457	5.3%
Total	746,510,190	24,067,283	3.223%

Buddhism

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 in The Americas

Region	Total Population	Buddhists	% of Buddhists	% of Buddhist total
Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...	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

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 in Oceania

Region	Total Population	Buddhists	% of Buddhists	% of Buddhist total
Oceania	32,021,885	542,920	1.695%

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	People's Republic of China	277,588,896 – 1,202,885,218	8%–91%	Laos Laos Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...	98%	6,195,898
2	Japan	91,000,000 – 123,317,953	71%–96.3%	Mongolia Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...	98%	2,816,644
3	Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...	74,268,750	85%	Japan	96.7%	123,317,953
4	Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...	61,814,742	95%	Cambodia Cambodia Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...	96.4%	13,938,460
5	Burma	48,019,200	96%	Burma	96%	48,019,200
6	Republic of China Republic of China The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...  (Taiwan)	21,530,358	93%	Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...	95%	61,814,742
7	Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...	16,050,484	71%	Bhutan Bhutan Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...	94%	2,141,622
8	South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...	10,931,874 – 18,572,500	22.8% – 38%	Republic of China Republic of China The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...  (Taiwan)	93%	21,530,358
9	North Korea North Korea The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...	17,677,646	73.5%	Hong Kong	92%	6,496,304
10	Cambodia Cambodia Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...	13,938,460	96.4%	China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...	91%	277,588,896 – 1,202,885,218
11	India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...	13,274,668	4.05%	Macau Macau Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...	89%	408,850
12	Indonesia Indonesia Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...	8,092,000	3.4%	Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...	85%	74,268,750
13	Hong Kong	6,496,304	92%	North Korea North Korea The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...	73.5%	17,677,646
14	Laos Laos Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...	6,195,898	98%	Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...	71%	16,050,484
15	Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...	6,159,510	21%	Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...	67%	3,341,692
16	United States	6,039,800	2%	Christmas Island Christmas Island The Territory of Christmas Island is a territory of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It is located northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth, south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, and ENE of the Cocos Islands....	67%	940
17	Malaysia	5,970,800	22%	South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...	38%	10,931,874 – 18,572,500
18	Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...	3,341,692	67%	Malaysia	22%	5,970,800
19	Mongolia Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...	2,816,644	98%	Nepal Nepal Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...	21%	6,159,510
20	Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...	2,759,490	3%	French Polynesia French Polynesia French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...	11%	29,040

See also

• List of religious populations
• Religions by country
  Religions by country
  This 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 country
  Islam by country
  Islam 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 country
  Hinduism by country
  The 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 country
  Christianity by country
  As 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 country
  Sikhism by country
  Sikhism 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 Country
  Irreligion
  Irreligion 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...
  
  
• :Category:Bahá'í Faith by country and Bahá'í statistics
  Bahá'í statistics
  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...
  
  

External links

• The US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2010
• CIA FactBook
• adherents.com
• Religious Freedom page
• Religious Intelligence http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/
• census.gov