Hinduism in Asia

Hinduism is an Indian religion and in terms of followers, it is one of the largest religions in Asia. In 2022, the total number of Hindus in Asia is more than 1.2 billion, more than 22.8% of Asia's total population. About 99.2% of the world's Hindus live in South Asia. with India having 94% of the global Hindu population. Other Asian nations with a notable Hindu population include Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates.

History

The roots of Hinduism started and emerged in the Indus river basin at the Indus Valley civilisation, nearly and spread through the Indian subcontinent, though the history of Hinduism overlaps or coincides with the development of religion in the Indian subcontinent since the Iron Age, with some of its traditions tracing back to prehistoric religions such as those of the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization. It has thus been called the oldest religion in the world.

Hinduism spread in South and Southeast Asia through Hindu rulers and dynasties, and the reign of the Gupta Empire (the Gupta era) was considered the Golden period for Hinduism and the religion also spread to Central Asia (including Afghanistan) through the Silk route. There were also many Hindu colonies in West Asia due to significant trade with this parts of the world. Though with the Spread of Islam and Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, Hinduism started declining and shrunk in these regions.

Demographics

Central Asia CountryTotal Hindus Hindus Kazakhstan18,744,5480.01%12,732 Kyrgyzstan6,019,480<0.01%<1,000 Tajikistan8,734,951<0.01<1,000 Turkmenistan5,851,466<0.01<1,000 Uzbekistan32,653,9000.01%2,778Total72,004,345<0.01%16,000 ()

East Asia CountryTotal Hindus Hindus China1,425,178,7820.1%20,000 Hong Kong7,448,9001.6%119,182 Macau658,900<0.01%<1,000 Japan126,420,000<0.01%30,000 North Korea25,610,672<0.01%<1,000 South Korea51,635,2560.04%24,414 Mongolia3,231,200<0.01%<1,000 Taiwan23,577,488<0.01%1,900Total1,633,202,4160.09% ()1,551,037

Middle-East

CountryTotal Hindus Hindus Bahrain1,496,3009.8%144,286 Kuwait4,226,9207.1%300,667 Oman4,651,7065.7%182,679 Qatar2,561,64313.8%358,800 Saudi Arabia33,413,660 1.1%303,611 Arab Emirates 9,582,340 7.5%660,000 Yemen28,915,2840.7%200,000Total84,847,853 2.52%2,140,574

South Asia

CountryTotal Hindus Hindus Afghanistan37,466,414<0.0001%<50 Bangladesh 165,158,6167.95%13,130,109 Bhutan742,73722.6%185,700 India1,320,000,00079.8%1,053,000,000 Maldives369,0310.01%<1,000 Nepal28,901,79081.3%23,500,000 Pakistan224,864,2932.14%4,678,078 Sri Lanka21,200,00012.6%2,671,000Total2,032,080,41568%1,068,727,901

Southeast Asia

CountryTotal Hindus Hindus Brunei Darusalem374,5770.035%131 Cambodia 13,995,9040.3%41,988 Indonesia259,000,0001.74% 4,646,357 Malaysia30,949,9626.3%1,949,850 Myanmar50,279,9000.5%252,763 Philippines102,000,000<0.1% 30,634 (2015) Singapore5,600,0005.0%280,000 Thailand65,068,1490.1%65,000 Vietnam85,262,3560.07%20,000Total571,337,0701.118%6,386,614

West Asia CountryTotal Hindus Hindus Armenia2,975,000<0.01%<1,000 Azerbaijan10,027,874<0.01%<1,000 Iran81,871,500<0.01%20,000 Iraq39,339,753<0.01%<1,000 Israel8,930,6800.12%11,500 Lebanon6,093,509<0.01%<1,000 State of Palestine4,816,503<0.01%<1,000 Syria18,284,407<0.01%<1,000 Turkey80,810,525<0.01%<1,000Total 253,149,7510.018%46,000 ()

Hinduism in Asia

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