Hinduism by country

Hinduism by country

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Hinduism by country, worldmap (estimate 2010).[1]

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Hinduism by country

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Hinduism has about 1.1 billion adherents worldwide (15%).[1][2] Along with Christianity (31.5%), Islam (23%.2) and Buddhism (7.1%), Hinduism is one of the four major religions of the world by percentage of population.[2]

Most Hindus are found in Asian countries. The countries with more than 500,000 Hindu residents and citizens include (in decreasing order) – India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, United States, Malaysia, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Mauritius and South Africa.[1]

Background

Hinduism is a heterogeneous religion and consists of many schools of thought. Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, monistic, agnostic, humanist or atheistic.[3] Estimates of Hinduism by country reflects this diversity of thought and way of life.

Demographic estimates

Demographic estimates of Hindu population by country has been published by the Pew Research Center in 2012,[1] as well as US State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report 2006.[4]

By total number, India has the most Hindus. By percentage, Nepal has the largest majority of Hindu population in the world followed by India and Mauritius.[5] There are an estimated 60 to 70 million Hindus who lived outside India in 2010.[1] Only three countries in the world, in 2010, had majority of its population as Hindus – Nepal, India and Mauritius.[1]

By country

Sources used for the table below include the U.S. State Department,[4] the CIA World Factbook[6] adherents.com,[7] Pew Research Center.[8][9] and as identified.

Hinduism by country
Region Country Total Population (2011 est) Hindu % of population Hindu total
South Asia Afghanistan 31,889,923 0.4%[10][11] 127,560
Europe Andorra 84,082 0.4%[12] 336
Caribbean Antigua 86,754 0.1%[12] 87
South America Argentina 40,301,927 0.01%[13] 4,030
Oceania Australia 20,434,176 1.28%[14] 276,000
Central Europe Austria 8,199,783 0.1% (approx)[15] 8,200
Middle East Bahrain 708,573 6.25%[16] 44,286
South Asia Bangladesh 150,448,339 9.2%[17] – 12.4%[18][19] 13,841,247 – 18,665,594
Western Europe Belgium 10,392,226 0.06%[20] 6,235
Central America Belize 294,385 2.3%[21] 6,771
South Asia Bhutan 2,327,849 2%[22] – 25%[23][24] 46,557 – 581,962
Southern Africa Botswana 1,815,508 0.17%[25] 3,086
South America Brazil 190,010,647 0.0016%[26] 3,040
Southeast Asia Brunei 374,577 0.035%[27] 131
West Africa Burkina Faso 14,326,203 0.001% 150
Central Africa Burundi 8,390,505 0.1%[28][29] 8,391
Southeast Asia Cambodia 13,995,904 0.3%[30][31] 41,988
North America Canada 33,390,141 1.6%[32][33] 497,200
South America Colombia 44,379,598 0.02%[34] 8,876
East Africa Comoros 711,417 0.1%(approx) 711
Central Africa Congo (Kinshasa) 65,751,512 0.18%[35] 118,353
Balkans Croatia 4,493,312 0.01% (approx)[36] 449
North America Cuba 11,394,043 0.21%[37] 23,927
West Africa Côte d’Ivoire 18,013,409 0.1%[38][39] 18,013
Western Europe Denmark 5,468,120 0.1%[40][41] 5,468
East Africa Djibouti 496,374 0.02%[42] 99
Caribbean Dominica 72,386 0.2%[43] 145
East Africa Eritrea 4,906,585 0.1% (approx)[44] 4,907
Oceania Fiji 918,675 30%[45] – 33%[46][47] 275,603 – 303,163
Western Europe Finland 5,238,460 0.01%[48] 524
Western Europe France 63,718,187 0.1%[49][50] 63,718
Middle East Georgia 4,646,003 0.01% (approx)[51] 465
Western Europe Germany 82,400,996 0.119%[52] 98,057
West Africa Ghana 22,931,299 0.05% (approx)[53] 11,466
Caribbean Grenada 89,971 0.7%[54] 630
South America Guyana 769,095 28.3%[55][56] – 33%[57][58][59] 217,654 – 253,801
Central Europe Hungary 9,956,108 0.02% 1,767[60]
South Asia India 1,241,451,960 80.5%[61][62][63] 1,010,023,827
Southeast Asia Indonesia 234,693,997 1.69%[64][65][66] 4,693,880
Middle East Iran 65,397,521 0.02% (approx) 13,079
Western Europe Ireland 4,588,252 0.23%[67] 10,688
Middle East Israel 6,426,679 0.1% (approx)[68] 6,427
Western Europe Italy 60,418,000 0.2% (approx)[69] 108,950
Caribbean Jamaica 2,780,132 0.06%[70] 1,668
East Asia Japan 127,433,494 0.004% (approx) 5,097
East Africa Kenya 36,913,721 1%[71] 369,137
East Asia Korea, South 49,044,790 0.015% (approx) 12,452
Middle East Kuwait 2,505,559 12%[72] 300,667
Eastern Europe Latvia 2,259,810 0.006%[73] 136
Middle East Lebanon 3,925,502 0.1% (approx)[74] 3,926
Southern Africa Lesotho 2,125,262 0.1% (approx)[75][76] 2,125
West Africa Liberia 3,195,931 0.1% (approx)[77] 3,196
North Africa Libya 6,036,914 0.1%[78][79] 6,037
Western Europe Luxembourg 480,222 0.07% (approx)[80] 336
Southern Africa Madagascar 19,448,815 0.1%[81][82] 19,449
Southern Africa Malawi 13,603,181 0.02%[83] – 0.2%[84] 2,721 – 2,726
Southeast Asia Malaysia 28,401,017 7%[85][86] 1,630,000
South Asia Maldives 369,031 0.01%[87] 37
Southern Africa Mauritius 1,250,882 48%[88] – 49%[89] 600,423 – 625,441
Eastern Europe Moldova 4,328,816 0.01% (approx)[90] 433
Southern Africa Mozambique 20,905,585 0.05%[91] – 0.2%[92] 10,453 – 41,811
Southeast Asia Myanmar 47,963,012 1.5%[93] 893,000
South Asia Nepal 28,901,790 80.6%[94] – 81%[95][96] 23,294,843 – 23,410,450
Western Europe Netherlands 16,570,613 0.58%[97] – 1.20%[98] 96,110 – 200,000
Oceania New Zealand 4,115,771 1%[99] 41,158
Western Europe Norway 4,627,926 0.5% 23,140
Middle East Oman 3,204,897 3%[100] – 5.7%[101] 96,147 – 182,679
South Asia Pakistan 164,741,924 1.5%[102] – 3.3%[103] 5,900,000 – 9,000,000
Central America Panama 3,242,173 0.3%[104][105] 9,726
Southeast Asia Philippines 98,215,000[106] 2% (approx) 2,000,000
Western Europe Portugal 10,642,836 0.07% 7,396
Caribbean Puerto Rico 3,944,259 0.09%[107] 3,550
Middle East Qatar 907,229 7.2%[108][109] 65,320
East Africa Réunion 827,000 6.7%[110] 55,409
Eastern Europe Russia 141,377,752 0.043%[111][112] 60,792
Middle East Saudi Arabia 27,601,038 0.6%[113] – 1.1%[114] 165,606 – 303,611
East Africa Seychelles 81,895 2% 1,638
West Africa Sierra Leone 6,144,562 0.04%[115] – 0.1%[116] 2,458 – 6,145
Southeast Asia Singapore 4,553,009 5.1%[117][118] 262,120
Central Europe Slovakia 5,447,502 0.1% (approx) 5,448
Central Europe Slovenia 2,009,245 0.025% (approx) 500
Southern Africa South Africa 49,991,300 1.9%[119][120] 959,000
South Asia Sri Lanka 20,926,315 7.1%[121] – 12.1%[122] 1,485,768 – 3,138,947
South America Suriname 470,784 20%[123] – 27.4%[124] 94,157 – 128,995
Southern Africa Swaziland 1,133,066 0.15%[125] – 0.2%[126] 1,700 – 2,266
Western Europe Sweden 9,031,088 0.078% – 0.12%[127] 7,044 – 10,837
Western Europe Switzerland 7,554,661 0.38%[128][129] 28,708
East Africa Tanzania 39,384,223 0.9%[130][131] 354,458
Southeast Asia Thailand 65,068,149 0.1%[132] 2,928
Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago 1,056,608 22.5%[133][134][135] 237,737
East Africa Uganda 30,262,610 0.2%[136] – 0.8%[137] 60,525 – 242,101
Middle East United Arab Emirates 4,444,011 21.25%[138] 944,352
Western Europe United Kingdom 60,776,238 1.7%[139][140] 832,000
North America United States 307,006,550 0.4%[141][142] 1,204,560
Central Asia Uzbekistan 27,780,059 0.01% (approx) 2,778
Southeast Asia Vietnam 85,262,356 0.059%[143] 50,305
Middle East Yemen 22,230,531 0.7%[144] 155,614
Southern Africa Zambia 11,477,447 0.14%[145][146] 16,068
Southern Africa Zimbabwe 12,311,143 1.0%[147] 123,111
Total 7,000,000,000 15.48 1,083,800,358–1,101,518,322

By region

These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, 4th column, is the percentage of population that is Hindu in a region (Hindus in the region * 100/total population of the region). The last column shows the Hindu percentage compared to the total Hindu population of the world (Hindus in the region * 100/total Hindu population of the world).

(Note: Egypt, Sudan, and other Arab Maghreb countries are counted as part of North Africa, not Middle East).

Hinduism in Africa
Region Total Population Hindus  % of Hindus  % of Hindu total
Central Africa 93,121,055 0 0% 0%
East Africa 193,741,900 667,694 0.345% 0.071%
North Africa 202,151,323 5,765 0.003% 0.001%
Southern Africa 137,092,019 1,269,844 0.926% 0.135%
West Africa 268,997,245 70,402 0.026% 0.007%
Total 885,103,542 2,013,705 0.225% 0.213%
Hinduism in Asia
Region Total Population Hindus  % of Hindus  % of Hindu total
Central Asia 92,019,166 149,644 0.163% 0.016%
East Asia 1,527,960,261 130,631 0.009% 0.014%
Middle East 274,775,527 792,872 0.289% 0.084%
South Asia 1,437,326,682 1,006,888,651 70.05% 98.475%
Southeast Asia 571,337,070 6,386,614 1.118% 0.677%
Total 3,903,418,706 1,014,348,412 26.01% 99.266%
Hinduism in Europe
Region Total Population Hindus  % of Hindus  % of Hindu total
Balkans 65,407,609 0 0% 0%
Central Europe 74,510,241 163 0% 0%
Eastern Europe 212,821,296 717,101 0.337% 0.076%
Western Europe 375,832,557 1,313,640 0.348% 0.138%
Total 728,571,703 2,030,904 0.278% 0.214%
Hinduism in The Americas
Region Total Population Hindus  % of Hindus  % of Hindu total
Caribbean 24,898,266 279,515 1.123% 0.030%
Central America 41,135,205 5,833 0.014% 0.006%
North America 446,088,748 5,806,720 1.3015% 0.191%
South America 371,075,531 389,869 0.105% 0.041%
Total 883,197,750 6,481,937 0.281% 0.263%
Hinduism in Oceania
Region Total Population Hindus  % of Hindus  % of Hindu total
Oceania 30,564,520 411,907 1.348% 0.044%
Total 30,564,520 411,907 1.348% 0.044%

See also

References

  1. Pew Research Center, Washington DC, Religious Composition by Country (December 2012) (2012)
  2. Table: Religious Composition (%) by Country Global Religious Composition, Pew Research Center (2012)
  3. Julius J. Lipner, Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition, Routledge, ISBN 978-0-415-45677-7, page 8; Quote: “(…) one need not be religious in the minimal sense described to be accepted as a Hindu by Hindus, or describe oneself perfectly validly as Hindu. One may be polytheistic or monotheistic, monistic or pantheistic, even an agnostic, humanist or atheist, and still be considered a Hindu.”; MK Gandhi, The Essence of Hinduism, Editor: VB Kher, Navajivan Publishing, see page 3; According to Gandhi, “a man may not believe in God and still call himself a Hindu.”
  4. “International Religious Freedom”. State.gov. 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  5. Hindu Demographics
  6. “CIA – The World Factbook”. Cia.gov. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  7. “Adherents.com”. Adherents.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  8. http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-hindu/
  9. http://features.pewforum.org/grl/population-number.php?sort=numberHindu
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  25. “Botswana”. State.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  26. “Brazil”. State.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  27. “Brunei”. State.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
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  35. [8][dead link]
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  38. [10][dead link]
  39. “Cote d’Ivoire”. State.gov. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
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  41. “Denmark”. State.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  42. [11][dead link]
  43. [12][dead link]
  44. “Eritrea”. State.gov. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
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  52. “Germany”. State.gov. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
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  63. Indian Census
  64. http://www.depag.go.id/index.php?menu=page&pageid=17
  65. Indonesia
  66. The World Factbook
  67. http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0329/census2011.pdf
  68. Israel and the Occupied Territories
  69. Italy
  70. Jamaica
  71. Kenya
  72. Kuwait
  73. Latvia
  74. Lebanon
  75. Religious Freedom Page
  76. Lesotho
  77. Liberia
  78. Religious Freedom Page
  79. Libya
  80. http://www.indembassy.be/Bilateral_Lux.asp
  81. Religious Freedom Page
  82. Madagascar
  83. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=142
  84. Religious Freedom Page
  85. The World Factbook
  86. Malaysia
  87. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=46
  88. The World Factbook
  89. “Resident population by religion and sex”. Statistics Mauritius. p. 68. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  90. Moldova
  91. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=147
  92. Religious Freedom Page
  93. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=41
  94. The World Factbook
  95. Nepal
  96. Nepal
  97. Netherlands
  98. van de Donk et al. (2006), p. 91
  99. New Zealand
  100. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=36
  101. Religious Freedom Page
  102. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=35
  103. Pakistan
  104. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=33
  105. Panama
  106. Projected Population as of May 6, 2013, PH: Commission on Population, May 6, 2013
  107. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=29
  108. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=28
  109. Qatar
  110. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=151
  111. http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=20511&sec=28&cont=5
  112. http://www.defendrussianhindus.org/index.php?fetch=letterToOrthodoxChurch
  113. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=27
  114. Religious Freedom Page
  115. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=156
  116. Religious Freedom Page
  117. The World Factbook
  118. Singapore
  119. South Africa
  120. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=158
  121. The World Factbook
  122. Sri Lanka
  123. Suriname
  124. The World Factbook
  125. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=161
  126. Religious Freedom Page
  127. Sweden
  128. http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/dienstlei.stungen/publikationen_statistik/publikationskatalog.Document.50514.pdf
  129. Swiss Tamils look to preserve their culture – swissinfo.ch
  130. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=162
  131. Religious Freedom Page
  132. Thailand
  133. The World Factbook
  134. Trinidad and Tobago
  135. Trinidad and Tobago
  136. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=165
  137. Religious Freedom Page
  138. United Arab Emirates
  139. The World Factbook
  140. United Kingdom
  141. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=8
  142. Religious Freedom Page
  143. Vietnam
  144. Religious Freedom Page
  145. http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=166
  146. Religious Freedom Page
  147. Religious Freedom Page

External links

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