Percentage of Buddhists by country, according to the Pew Research Center
This list shows the distribution of the Buddhist religion, practiced by about 535 million people as of the 2010s, [ 4] representing 7% to 8% of the world's total population. It also includes other entities such as some territories.
Buddhism is the State religion in four countries — Cambodia , Myanmar , Bhutan and Sri Lanka .[ 5] The religion also holds a special status in four countries — Thailand , Laos , Mongolia , and Japan .
Buddhism is the majority religion in Cambodia , Japan , Myanmar , Bhutan , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Laos , and Mongolia . It is also the most followed religion in certain nations or territories without any majority religion, such as Mainland China , Hong Kong ,[ 6] Macau ,[ 7] [ 8] Singapore ,[ 9] Taiwan , Vietnam ,[ 10] and Kalmykia in Russia . Large Buddhist populations live in, South Korea , Nepal , and India .
Mahayana , also practised in broader East Asia , is followed by over half of the world's Buddhists.[ 1] The second largest body of Buddhist schools is Theravada , mostly followed in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka .[ 1] The third largest body of schools Vajrayana , is followed mostly in Tibet , Bhutan , Nepal , Mongolia and parts of Russia ,[ 1] but is disseminated throughout the world. The fourth largest body of Buddhist schools is Navayana , mostly followed in Maharashtra , India .[ 11] [ 12]
^ a b c d "Global Religious Landscape: Buddhists" . Pew Research Center . 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2019 .
^ Johnson, Todd M.; Grim, Brian J. (2013). The World's Religions in Figures: An Introduction to International Religious Demography (PDF) . Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 34– 37. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013 .
^ Harvey, Peter (2013). An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 5. ISBN 9780521676748 . Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2013 .
^ Estimates include: 488 million (Pew 2012),[ 1] 495 million (Johnson & Grim 2013),[ 2] and 535 million (Harvey 2013).[ 3]
^ Mitchell, T. (2022, April 26). Many countries favor specific religions. Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/10/03/many-countries-favor-specific-religions-officially-or-unofficially/ Archived 20 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine
^ Planet, Lonely. "Religion & Belief in Hong Kong, China" . Lonely Planet . Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021 .
^ "Religion in Macau – Festivals and Places of Worship – Holidify" . holidify.com . Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021 .
^ "ASIA SOCIETY: THE COLLECTION IN CONTEXT" . asiasocietymuseum.org . Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021 .
^ Kuah, Khun Eng (1991). "State and Religion: Buddhism and NationalBuilding in Singapore" . Pacific Viewpoint . 32 (1): 24– 42. doi :10.1111/apv.321002 . ISSN 2638-4825 .
^ "Vietnam Buddhism" . Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021 .
^ "Manu Moudgil, Dalits Are Still Converting to Buddhism, but at a Dwindling Rate, The Quint, 17.06.17" . 17 June 2017. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2019 .
^ Moudgil, Manu (July 2017). "Conversion To Buddhism Has Brought Literacy, Gender Equality And Well-Being To Dalits – IndiaSpend-Journalism India -Data Journalism India-Investigative Journalism-IndiaSpend" . indiaspend.com . Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2019 .