Demographics of Raëlism
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Raëlism is a UFO religion established in France during the 1970s. It soon spread to Quebec and then on to other parts of the world. There have been various attempts to estimate the number of Raëlians at different points.
Estimates
| Date | Estimate | Scope | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 170 | World | International Raëlian Movement | [1] |
| 1975 | 700 | World | Raël | [2]: p. 122 |
| 1979 | 3,000 | World | Raël | [2]: p. 323 |
| 1987-04-16 | 20,000 | World | Chicago Sun-Times | [3] |
| 1990-01-09 | 25,000 | World | The Wichita Eagle | [4] |
| 1992-08-28 | 30,000 | 40 countries | US Raëlian Movement | [5] |
| 1993 | 35,000 | World | Dr. Susan J. Palmer | [6]: p. 9 |
| 1995-05-04 | 45,000 | World | The Miami Herald | [7] |
| 1996-01-14 | 35,000 | World | The Miami Herald | [8] |
| 1997-06-19 | 35,000 | 85 countries | San Jose Mercury News | [9] |
| 1997-08-12 | 35,000 | 85 countries | The New York Times | [10] |
| 1998-01 | 27,000 | 67 countries | Australian Association for the Study of Religions | [11] |
| 1998 | 40,000 | 80 countries | University of Virginia | [12] |
| 1998 | 40,000 | World | St. Paul Pioneer Press | [13] |
| 2000-10-10 | 50,000 | 85 countries | The Washington Post | [14] |
| 2001-03-13 | 30,000 | World | 60 Minutes | [15] |
| 2001 | 55,000 | World | Dr. Susan J. Palmer | [6]: p. 9 |
| 2001-06-30 | 55,000 | 84 countries | CNN | [16] |
| 2002 | 55,000 | World | Dr. Susan J. Palmer | [6]: p. 120 |
| 2002-08-14 | 55,000 | 84 countries | Wired News | [17] |
| 2002-12-29 | 40,000 | World | Lexington Herald-Leader | [18] |
| 2002-12-31 | 55,000 | 84 countries | The Orlando Sentinel | [19] |
| 2002-12-31 | 55,000 | World | AP Worldstream | [20] |
| 2003-01-03 | 55,000 | 84 countries | AAP General News | [21] |
| 2003-01-29 | 30,000 | World | University Wire | [22] |
| 2003-02-10 | 55,000 | 84 countries | Japan Today | [23] |
| 2003 | 65,000 | World | Dr. Susan J. Palmer | [6]: p. 120 |
| 2003-08-03 | 60,000 | World | Korea Times | [24] |
| 2004-03-16 | 60,000 | 90 countries | Financial Times | [25] |
| 2004-03-26 | 80,000 | World | KLAS.com | [26] |
| 2004-04-23 | 60,000 | World | New Truth & TV Extra | [27] |
| 2005-03-13 | 60,000 | World | Japan Today | [28] |
| 2005-05-05 | 65,000 | 85 countries | NBC 4 | [29] |
| 2005-11-18 | 60,000 | 92 countries | Middle East Times | [30] |
| 2006-06-25 | 55,000 | World | The Daily Telegraph | [31] |
| 2006-12 | 65,000 | 86 countries | International Raëlian Movement | [1] |
| 2010-11 | 14,192 | World Includes only members whose identity (name) is traced |
International Raëlian Movement (Leaked Documents) | [32] |
| 2011-9 | 85,000 | 90 countries | International Raëlian Movement | [33] |
| 2013-12 | 90,000 | 90 countries | International Raëlian Movement | [33] |
| 2017-09 | 18,111 | World Includes only members whose identity (name) is traced |
International Raëlian Movement (Leaked Documents) | [34] |
| Date | Estimate | Scope | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 4,000 | Japan | University of Virginia | [12] |
| 1995 | 4,000 | Quebec | University of Virginia | [12] |
| 1995 | 10,000 | Europe | University of Virginia | [12] |
| 1996-01-14 | 50 | Miami | The Miami Herald | [8] |
| 1996-01-14 | 600 | United States | The Miami Herald | [8] |
| 2001-08-08 | 24 | South Florida | South Florida Sun-Sentinel | [35] |
| 2002-12-31 | 5,000 | South Korea | AP Worldstream | [36] |
| 2003-02-10 | 6,000 | Japan | Japan Today | [23] |
| 2003-02-12 | 20 or more | Utah | KSL-TV | [37] |
| 2003-04-04 | 1,000 | United States | Las Vegas Sun | [38] |
| 2003-04-20 | 50 | Ireland | Irish Independent | [39] |
| 2003-08-03 | 4,000 | South Korea | Korea Times | [24] |
| 2004-04-23 | 80 | New Zealand | New Truth & TV Extra | [27] |
| 2005-05-05 | 100 | Southern California | NBC 4 | [29] |
| 2006-06-04 | 200 | Australia | The Daily Telegraph | [31] |
| 2021-06-08 | 27 | India | Homegrown | [40] |
From 1980 to 1992, Raël and his movement became increasingly global. In 1980, Claude Raël's fifth Raëlian book Sensual Meditation was published and formal publication of the Raëlian Messages in the Japanese language began[41] as part of the Raëlian mission to Japan.[6]: p. 64 Two years later, Africa became another target area in the mission to spread the Raëlian messages.[6]: p. 64