Hinduism by country
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hinduism has approximately 1.17 billion adherents worldwide (14.9% of the world's population).[1] Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, behind Christianity (32.8%) and Islam (23.3%).[2] Pew Research Center data shows the global Hindu population grew steadily from 2010 to 2020 and is expected to keep rising. This increase is driven largely by higher fertility rates in India and Nepal and by growing Hindu populations in regions receiving more migrants.[3]
The two Hindu-majority countries are India and Nepal and together account for more than 95% of the Hindu population worldwide.[4] The past two centuries have seen large-scale migration of Hindus from Southeast Asia, to around the world.[5] Countries with more than 500,000 Hindu residents and citizens are (in decreasing order) India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United States, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Myanmar, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. Global data shows Hinduism is still concentrated in the Indian Subcontinent, but significant communities also exist in Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Oceania. WorldData.info reports that India holds most of the world’s Hindus, with notable populations in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.[6]
There are significant numbers of Hindu enclaves around the world, with many in South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Hinduism is also practiced by the non-Indic people including the Balinese of Bali island (Indonesia), Tengger of Java (Indonesia), the Balamon Chams of Vietnam, and Butuanon people in Philippines. Outside South Asia, Hindu communities often adapt traditional practices to multicultural environments. The Hindu American Foundation notes that diaspora groups modify rituals, language use, and temple organization to meet the needs of diverse generations.[7]
Background
Hinduism is a heterogeneous religion and consists of many schools of thought. Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has no ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can be polytheistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, monistic, agnostic, humanist, or atheistic.[8]
Early migration
One of the first major waves of Hindus leaving South Asia was a result of colonialism in India during 19th and early 20th century. Under indenture contracts, many Hindus migrated far across the world to Guyana, Surinam, Trinidad, Mauritius, South Africa, Eastern Africa, Fiji, Burma and Malaysia. These were some of the first countries with Hinduism established outside of the Indian sub-continent, many of which still have a thriving Hindu community today.[5] Migration has played a major role in spreading Hindu communities worldwide. Kramer and Tong report that many Hindu migrants have settled in North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and East Africa, creating expanding diaspora networks [9]
Demographic estimates
Demographic estimates of Hindu populations by country have been published by the Pew Research Center in 2012,[10] as well as US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006.[11]
By total number, India has the most Hindus. As a percentage, Nepal has the largest percentage of Hindus in the world, followed by India and Mauritius.[12] The Hindu population around the world as of 2020 is about 1.17 billion, making it the world's third-largest religion after Christianity and Islam, of which nearly 1.1 billion Hindus live in India.[1][4][13][14] India contains 94% of the global Hindu population.[15][16] According to a statistical study, an estimated 100 million Hindus live outside of India.[17] In 2010, only two countries in the world had a majority of their population as Hindus – Nepal and India.[citation needed] In Mauritius, 47.9 percent of the population were Hindu, according to the 2022 census.[18]
By country
Sources used for the table below include the US State Department,[11] the CIA World Factbook,[19] adherents.com, thearda.com,[20][21] and Pew Research Center.[22][23] and as identified.
| Region | Country | Hindu total | Percentage | Total population | Census year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Asia/Central Asia |  Afghanistan |
10,511 | 0.03%[24][25][26] | 35,036,667 | -NA- |
| Western Europe |  Andorra |
382 | 0.5%[27][28] | 82,887 | 2020 |
| Caribbean |  Anguilla |
58 | 0.4%[29] | 13,452 | 2011 |
| Caribbean |  Antigua and Barbuda |
379 | 0.4%[30] | 81,799 | -NA- |
| South America |  Argentina |
4,000+ | 0.01%[31] | 40,301,927 | -NA- |
| Oceania |  Australia |
684,000 | 2.7%[32] | 23,401,400 | 2021 |
| Central Europe |  Austria |
11,000 | 0.1%[33] | 8,900,000 | |
| Middle East |  Bahrain |
7,000 – 144,286[note 1] | <1%–9.8%[36][note 1] | 708,573 | |
| South Asia |  Bangladesh |
13,100,000 | 7.9%[37][38] | 165,000,000 | 2022 |
| Caribbean |  Barbados |
1,055 | 0.46%[39] | 226,193 | |
| Western Europe |  Belgium |
6,235 | 0.06%[40] | 10,392,226 | |
| Central America and Caribbean |  Belize |
612 | 0.2%[41] | 294,385 | |
| South Asia |  Bhutan |
185,700 | 22.6%–25%[42][43] | 742,737 | |
| Southern Africa |  Botswana |
3,353 | 0.3%[44] | 1,372,675 | |
| South America |  Brazil |
5,675–9,500 | 0.0029%[45]–0.01% | 192,755,799 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Brunei |
131 | 0.035%[46] | 374,577 | |
| West Africa |  Burkina Faso |
150 | 0.001%[citation needed] | 14,326,203 | |
| Central Africa |  Burundi |
8,391 | 0.1%[47][48] | 8,390,505 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Cambodia |
41,988 | 0.3%[49][50] | 13,995,904 | |
| North America |  Canada |
828,200 | 2.3%[51] | 36,990,141 | 2021 |
| Central Europe |  Czech Republic |
2,404 | 0.023%[52] | 10,436,560 | |
| East Asia |  China |
20,000[53] | <0.1%[54] | 1,412,600,000 | |
| South America |  Colombia |
8,876 | 0.02%[55] | 44,379,598 | |
| East Africa |  Comoros |
711 | 0.1%(approx) [citation needed] |
711,417 | |
| Central Africa |  Congo (Kinshasa) |
30,000[23] | 0.18%[23] | 65,751,512 | |
| Balkans |  Croatia |
449 | 0.01% (approx)[56] | 4,493,312 | |
| North America |  Cuba |
23,927 | 0.21%[57] | 11,394,043 | |
| West Africa |  Côte d'Ivoire |
18,013 | 0.1%[58][59] | 18,013,409 | |
| Middle East |  Cyprus |
4,640 | 0.4%[60] | 1,160,987 | 2015 |
| Western Europe |  Denmark |
5,468 | 0.1%[61][62] | 5,468,120 | |
| East Africa |  Djibouti |
99 | 0.02%[63] | 496,374 | |
| Caribbean |  Dominica |
145 | 0.2%[64] | 72,386 | |
| North Africa |  Egypt |
2,700 | 0.003%[65] | 82,761,244 | 2010 |
| East Africa |  Eritrea |
4,907 | 0.1% (approx)[66] | 4,906,585 | |
| Eastern Europe |  Estonia |
295 | 0.027%[67] | 1,094,564 | |
| Oceania |  Fiji |
261,136 | 27.9%[68][69] | 935,974 | |
| Western Europe |  Finland |
5,000 | 0.1%[70] | 5,238,460 | |
| Western Europe |  France |
121,000 | 0.2%[71] | 63,718,187 | |
| Eastern Europe |  Georgia |
465 | 0.01% (approx)[72] | 4,646,003 | |
| Western Europe |  Germany |
130,000 | 0.15% (approx)[73] | 82,660,000 | |
| West Africa |  Ghana |
12,500 | 0.05% (approx)[74] | 22,931,299 | |
| Western Europe |  Gibraltar |
628 | 2.0%[75] | 32,194 | |
| Caribbean |  Grenada |
630 | 0.7%[76] | 89,971 | |
| Caribbean | Guadeloupe |
2,300 | 0.5%[77] | 460,000 | |
| South America and Caribbean |  Guyana |
190,966 | 24.9%[78] | 769,095 | |
| Central Europe |  Hungary |
3,307[79][80][81] | 0.03% | 9,603,634 | 2022 |
| South Asia |  India |
1,053,000,000 | 79.8%[82][83][84] | 1,320,000,000 | (2011 Census) |
| Southeast Asia |  Indonesia |
4,679,053[85] | 1.71%[85] | 273,873,000 | 2021 |
| Middle East |  Iran |
20,000[23] | <0.1[23] | 65,397,521 | |
| Western Europe |  Ireland |
14,300 | 0.30%[86] | 4,761,865 | 2016 |
| Middle East |  Israel |
c.500–1,400 | 0.01%[87] | 9,412,850 | 2020 |
| Western Europe |  Italy |
108,950 | 0.2% (approx)[88] | 60,418,000 | |
| Caribbean |  Jamaica |
1,836 | 0.07%[89] | 2,780,132 | |
| East Asia |  Japan |
30,000[23] | <0.1[23] | 127,433,494 | |
| Middle East |  Jordan |
10,185 | 0.1[90] | 10,185,500 | 2020 |
| Central Asia |  Kazakhstan |
1,878 | 0.01%[91] | 18,632,000 | 2020 |
| East Africa |  Kenya |
60,000[23] | 0.1%[23] | 37,000,000 | |
| East Asia |  Korea, South |
12,452 | 0.015% (approx) | 49,044,790 | |
| Middle East |  Kuwait |
300,667[note 2] | 12%[93] | 2,505,559 | |
| Eastern Europe |  Latvia |
179 | 0.012%[94] | 1,481,823 | |
| Middle East |  Lebanon |
4,926 | 0.1% (approx)[95] | 4,925,502 | |
| Eastern Europe |  Lithuania |
344 | 0.01%[96] | 2,561,000 | |
| Southern Africa |  Lesotho |
2,125 | 0.1% (approx)[97][98] | 2,125,262 | |
| West Africa |  Liberia |
3,196 | 0.1% (approx)[99] | 3,195,931 | |
| North Africa |  Libya |
6,037 | 0.1%[100][101] | 6,036,914 | |
| Western Europe |  Luxembourg |
336 | 0.07% (approx)[102] | 480,222 | |
| Southern Africa |  Madagascar |
19,449 | 0.1%[103][104] | 19,448,815 | |
| Southern Africa |  Malawi |
2,721 – 2,726 | 0.02%[105] – 0.2%[106] | 13,603,181 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Malaysia |
1,949,850 | 6.3%[107][108] | 30,949,962 | |
| Caribbean |  Martinique |
1,317 | 0.3%[109] | 439,202 | |
| South Asia |  Maldives |
37 | 0.01%[110] | 369,031 | |
| Southern Africa |  Mauritius |
474,000 | 39%[18] | 1,261,000 | 2022 |
| Eastern Europe |  Moldova |
433 | 0.01% (approx)[111] | 3,200,000 | |
| North Africa |  Morocco |
200 | 0.0006[112] | 32,781,860 | 2011 |
| Southern Africa |  Mozambique |
10,453 – 41,811 | 0.05%[113] – 0.2%[114] | 20,905,585 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Myanmar |
252,763[115] | 0.5%[116] | 50,279,900[117] | 2014 |
| South Asia |  Nepal |
23,677,744 | 81.19%[118] | 29,164,578[119] | 2021 |
| Western Europe |  Netherlands |
96,110 – 200,000 | 0.58%[120] – 1.20%[121] | 16,570,613 | |
| Oceania |  New Zealand |
144,753 | 2.9%[122] | 4,115,771 | |
| Western Europe |  Norway |
23,140 | 0.5% | 4,627,926 | |
| Middle East |  Oman |
96,147 – 182,679 | 3%[123] – 5.7%[124] | 3,204,897 | |
| South Asia |  Pakistan |
5,217,216 | 2.17%[125] | 240,458,089 | 2023 |
| Central America |  Panama |
9,726 | 0.3%[126][127] | 3,242,173 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Philippines |
32,711[20] | <0.1%[20] | 102,000,000[128][129] | |
| Western Europe |  Portugal |
7,396 | 0.07% | 10,642,836 | |
| Central Europe |  Poland |
2,421 | 0.008%[130] | 30,575,000 | |
| Caribbean |  Puerto Rico |
3,550 | 0.09%[131] | 3,944,259 | |
| Middle East |  Qatar |
422,118 | 15.1%[132] | 2,795,484[133] | 2020 |
| East Africa | Réunion |
55,409 | 6.7%[134] | 927,000 | |
| Eastern Europe |  Russia |
143,000 | 0.1%[135] | 141,377,752 | |
| Oceania |  Samoa |
38 | 0.02% (approx) | 187,429 | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |  Saint Kitts and Nevis |
860 | 1.82%[136] | 47,195 | 2011 |
| Middle East |  Saudi Arabia |
303,611[note 3] | 0.6%[138] – 1.1%[139] | 27,601,038 | |
| East Africa |  Seychelles |
5,508 | 5.4%[140][141] | 102,812 | 2022 |
| West Africa |  Sierra Leone |
2,458 – 6,145 | 0.04%[142] – 0.1%[143] | 6,144,562 | |
| Southeast Asia |  Singapore |
280,000 | 5.0%[144][145] | 5,600,000 | 2011 |
| Central Europe |  Slovakia |
5,448 | 0.1% (approx) [citation needed] |
5,447,502 | |
| Central Europe |  Slovenia |
500 | 0.025% (approx) [citation needed] |
2,009,245 | |
| Eastern Africa |  Somalia |
8,278 | 0.06%[146] | 13,797,204 | 2015 |
| Southern Africa |  South Africa |
505,000 | 0.9%[147]-1.1%[23] | 49,991,300 | |
| Western Europe |  Spain |
75,000 | 0.11%[148] | 48,692,804 | 2024 |
| South Asia |  Sri Lanka |
2,671,000 | 12.6%[149] | 21,200,000 | 2011 |
| South America and Caribbean |  Suriname |
120,623 – 128,995 | 22.3%[150] – 27.4%[151] | 470,784 | |
| Southern Africa |  Eswatini |
1,700 – 2,266 | 0.15%[152] – 0.2%[153] | 1,133,066 | |
| Western Europe |  Sweden |
7,044 – 10,837 | 0.078% – 0.12%[154] | 9,031,088 | |
| Western Europe |  Switzerland |
28,708-50,000[155][156] | 0.38%[157][158]-0.6%[159] | 7,554,661 | |
| East Africa |  Tanzania |
50,000[160] | 0.11%[160] | 39,384,223 | |
| Caribbean |  Trinidad and Tobago |
240,100 | 18.2%[161][162][163] | 1,056,608 | 2011 |
| Southeast Asia |  Thailand |
65,000 | 0.1%[164] | 65,068,149 | |
| Oceania |  Tonga |
100 | 0.1%[165] | 103,043 | |
| North Africa |  Tunisia |
120 | 0.001%[166] | 11,303,942 | 2016 |
| Middle East |  Turkey |
843 | 0.001%[167] | 83,614,362 | 2020 |
| Eastern Europe |  Ukraine |
42,386 | 0.1%[168] | 42,386,400 | |
| East Africa |  Uganda |
100,000[54] | 0.3%[54] | 38,225,447 | |
| Middle East |  United Arab Emirates |
490,000[note 4] | 5 - 20%[170] | 9,682,000 | |
| Western Europe |  United Kingdom |
1,020,000 | 1.7%[171][172] | 60,776,238 | 2017 |
| North America |  United States |
3,338,210 | 1.0%[173] | 332,000,000 | 2020 |
| Caribbean |  United States Virgin Islands |
528 | 1.9%[174] | 28,054 | |
| Central Asia |  Uzbekistan |
895[167] | 0.0025% | 34,558,900 | 2020 |
| Southeast Asia |  Vietnam |
70,000 | 0.07% | 85,262,356 | |
| Middle East |  Yemen |
155,614 | 0.7%[175] | 22,230,531 | |
| Southern Africa |  Zambia |
16,068 | 0.14%[176][177] | 11,477,447 | |
| Southern Africa |  Zimbabwe |
3,000 | 0.02% | 12,311,143 | |
| Total | 1,120,000,000 | 14.9%[178] | 7,500,000,000 | ||
By region
These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, in the 4th column, is the percentage of the population that is Hindu in a specific 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). The historical development of Hinduism in India and Nepal continues to influence how the religion is viewed and practiced globally. Williams and Moktan note that political and cultural traditions in these countries shape modern Hindu identity beyond South Asia [179]
(Note: Egypt, Sudan, and other Arab Maghreb countries are counted as part of North Africa, not the Middle East).
| Region | Total Population | Hindus | % of Hindus | % of Hindu total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Africa | 193,121,055 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| West Asia | 274,775,527 | 3,187,673 | 1.5% | 0.084% |
| South Asia | 1,437,326,682 | 1,068,728,901 | 70.05% | 98.475% |
| Southeast Asia | 571,337,070 | 6,386,614 | 1.118% | 0.677% |
| Total | 3,903,418,706 | 1,074,728,901 | 26.01% | 99.266% |
| Region | Total Population | Hindus | % of Hindus | % of Hindu total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balkans | 65,407,609 | 449 | 0.001% | 0.001% |
| 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% |
| 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 | 2,131,127 | 0.478% | 0.191% |
| South America | 371,075,531 | 389,869 | 0.105% | 0.041% |
| Total | 883,197,750 | 2,806,344 | 0.281% | 0.263% |
| Region | Total Population | Hindus | % of Hindus | % of Hindu total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceania | 38,552,683 | 791,615 | 2.053% | 0.071% |
| Total | 38,552,683 | 791,615 | 2.053% | 0.071% |
See also
Notes
- The estimates vary depending on whether temporary workers are included or not. The official census of the Bahrain government states that 99% of its citizens are Muslims, and the remaining 1% includes Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Bahais.[34] According to a 2017 publication by Abdullahi An-Na'im, the Muslims in Bahrain constitute 99.3% of the total population.[35]
- The estimates vary depending on whether temporary workers – with no residency nor right to openly practice their religion – are included or not. The Saudi Arabian government mandates that all Saudi citizens must be Muslims, and it prohibits public practice of Hinduism and other non-Muslim religions.[137]
- The estimates vary depending on whether temporary workers – with no residency nor right to openly practice their religion – are included or not. 80% of the UAE population consists of non-citizen temporary workers, and an estimated 25% of these workers may be Hindu. Only Sunni Muslims can be naturalized new citizens in the UAE. According to the US State Department, the federal constitution of the UAE designates Islam as the official religion, and Islam is also the official religion of all seven of the individual emirates in the federal union. The Government does not recognize all non-Muslim religions and only a limited number of Christian groups are granted legal recognition in UAE. Non-Muslim and non-Christian religions such as Hinduism are not recognized legally in any of the emirates.[169]