Hinduism has approximately 1.2 billion adherents worldwide, which represents 14.9% of the world's population. In 2012, Hinduism (15%) was the third largest religion in the world, behind Christianity (31.5%) and Islam (23.2%), as well as Unaffiliated (16.3%).Table: Religious Composition (%) by Country Global Religious Composition, Pew Research Center (2012) 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.
The two Hindu-majority countries are India and Nepal and together account for more than 95% of the Hindu population worldwide. The past two centuries have seen large-scale migration of Hindus from Southeast Asia, to around the world. 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 largely 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.
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, including by modifying rituals, language use, and temple organization.
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.Julius J. Lipner, Hindus: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition, Routledge, , 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."
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. 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
Demographic estimates Demographic estimates of Hindu populations by country have been published by the Pew Research Center in 2012,Hindu population totals in 2010 by Country Pew Research, Washington DC (2012) as well as US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006.
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. 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. Nearly 1.1 billion Hindus live in India. representing about 94% of the global Hindu population. According to a statistical study, an estimated 100 million Hindus live outside of India. In 2010, only two countries in the world had a majority of their population as Hindus – Nepal and India. In Mauritius, 47.9 percent of the population were Hindu, according to the 2022 census.
By country Sources used for the table below include the US State Department, the CIA World Factbook, adherents.com, thearda.com, and Pew Research Center. and as identified. +Hinduism by country Region CountryHindu totalPercentageTotal populationCensus year South Asia/Central Asia Afghanistan 10,511 0.03% 35,036,667 -NA- Western Europe Andorra 382 0.5% 82,887 2020 Caribbean Anguilla 58 0.4% 13,452 2011 Caribbean Antigua and Barbuda 379 0.4% 81,799 -NA- South America Argentina 4,000+ 0.01% 40,301,927 -NA- Oceania Australia 684,000 2.7% 23,401,400 2021 Central Europe Austria 11,000 0.1% 8,900,000 Middle East Bahrain 7,000 – 144,286 <1%–9.8% 708,573 South Asia Bangladesh 13,100,000 7.9% 165,000,000 2022 Caribbean Barbados 1,055 0.46% 226,193 Western Europe Belgium 6,235 0.06% 10,392,226 Central America and Caribbean Belize 612 0.2% 294,385 South Asia Bhutan 185,700 22.6%–25% 742,737 Southern Africa Botswana 3,353 0.3% 1,372,675 South America Brazil 5,675–9,500 0.0029%–0.01% 192,755,799 Southeast Asia Brunei 131 0.035% 374,577 West Africa Burkina Faso 150 0.001% 14,326,203 Central Africa Burundi 8,391 0.1% 8,390,505 Southeast Asia Cambodia 41,988 0.3% 13,995,904 North America Canada 828,200 2.3% 36,990,141 2021 Central Europe Czech Republic 2,404 0.023% 10,436,560 East Asia China20,000<0.1%1,412,600,000 South America Colombia 8,876 0.02% 44,379,598 East Africa Comoros 711 0.1%(approx) 711,417 Central Africa Congo (Kinshasa) 30,000 0.18% 65,751,512 Balkans Croatia 449 0.01% (approx) 4,493,312 North America Cuba 23,927 0.21% 11,394,043 West Africa Côte d'Ivoire 18,013 0.1% 18,013,409 Middle East Cyprus 4,640 0.4% 1,160,987 2015 Western Europe Denmark 5,468 0.1% 5,468,120 East Africa Djibouti 99 0.02% 496,374 Caribbean Dominica 145 0.2% 72,386 North Africa Egypt 2,700 0.003% 82,761,244 2010 East Africa Eritrea 4,907 0.1% (approx) 4,906,585 Eastern Europe Estonia 295 0.027% 1,094,564 Oceania Fiji 261,136 27.9% 935,974 Western Europe Finland 5,000 0.1% 5,238,460 Western Europe France 121,000 0.2% 63,718,187 Eastern Europe Georgia 465 0.01% (approx) 4,646,003 Western Europe Germany 130,000 0.15% (approx) 82,660,000 West Africa Ghana 12,500 0.05% (approx) 22,931,299 Western Europe Gibraltar6282.0%32,194 Caribbean Grenada 630 0.7% 89,971 Caribbean Guadeloupe2,3000.5%460,000 South America and Caribbean Guyana 190,966 24.9% 769,095 Central Europe Hungary 3,307 0.03% 9,603,634 2022 South Asia India 1,053,000,000 79.8% 1,320,000,000 (2011 Census) Southeast Asia Indonesia 4,781,776 1.66%288,315,0892025 Middle East Iran 20,000 <0.1 65,397,521 Western Europe Ireland 14,300 0.30% 4,761,865 2016 Middle East Israel 500–1,400 0.01% 9,412,850 2020 Western Europe Italy 108,950 0.2% (approx) 60,418,000 Caribbean Jamaica 1,836 0.07% 2,780,132 East Asia Japan 30,000 <0.1 127,433,494 Middle East Jordan 10,185 0.1 10,185,500 2020 Central Asia Kazakhstan 1,878 0.01% 18,632,000 2020 East Africa Kenya 60,000 0.1% 37,000,000 East Asia Korea, South 12,452 0.015% (approx) 49,044,790 Middle East Kuwait 300,667 12% 2,505,559 Eastern Europe Latvia 179 0.012% 1,481,823 Middle East Lebanon 4,926 0.1% (approx) 4,925,502 Eastern Europe Lithuania344 0.01%2,561,000 Southern Africa Lesotho 2,125 0.1% (approx) 2,125,262 West Africa Liberia 3,196 0.1% (approx) 3,195,931 North Africa Libya 6,037 0.1% 6,036,914 Western Europe Luxembourg 336 0.07% (approx) 480,222 Southern Africa Madagascar 19,449 0.1%Madagascar Archived copy at the Library of Congress (23 January 2012). 19,448,815 Southern Africa Malawi 2,721 – 2,726 0.02% – 0.2% 13,603,181 Southeast Asia Malaysia 1,949,850 6.3% 30,949,962 Caribbean Martinique1,3170.3%439,202 South Asia Maldives 37 0.01% 369,031 Southern Africa Mauritius 474,000 39% 1,261,000 2022 Eastern Europe Moldova 433 0.01% (approx) 3,200,000 North Africa Morocco 200 0.0006 32,781,860 2011 Southern Africa Mozambique 10,453 – 41,811 0.05% – 0.2% 20,905,585 Southeast Asia Myanmar 252,763 0.5% 50,279,9002014 South Asia Nepal 23,677,744 81.19% 29,164,578 2021 Western Europe Netherlands 96,110 – 200,000 0.58% – 1.20%van de Donk et al. (2006), p. 91 16,570,613 Oceania New Zealand 144,753 2.9% 4,115,771 Western Europe Norway 23,140 0.5% 4,627,926 Middle East Oman 96,147 – 182,679 3% – 5.7% 3,204,897 South Asia Pakistan 5,217,216 2.17% 240,458,089 2023 Central America Panama 9,726 0.3% 3,242,173 Southeast Asia Philippines32,711 <0.1% 102,000,000 Western Europe Portugal 7,396 0.07% 10,642,836 Central Europe Poland 2,421 0.008% 30,575,000 Caribbean Puerto Rico3,5500.09%3,944,259 Middle East Qatar 422,118 15.1% 2,795,484 2020 East Africa Réunion55,4096.7%927,000 Eastern Europe Russia 143,000 0.1%Arena – Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia . Sreda.org 141,377,752 Oceania Samoa 38 0.02% (approx) 187,429 Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis 8601.82% 47,195 2011 Middle East Saudi Arabia 303,611 0.6% – 1.1% 27,601,038 East Africa Seychelles 5,508 5.4% 102,812 2022 West Africa Sierra Leone 2,458 – 6,145 0.04% – 0.1% 6,144,562 Southeast Asia Singapore 280,000 5.0% 5,600,000 2011 Central Europe Slovakia 5,448 0.1% (approx) 5,447,502 Central Europe Slovenia 500 0.025% (approx) 2,009,245 Eastern Africa Somalia 8,278 0.06% 13,797,204 2015 Southern Africa South Africa 505,0000.9%-1.1% 49,991,300 Western Europe Spain 75,000 0.11% 48,692,804 2024 South Asia Sri Lanka 2,671,000 12.6% 21,200,000 2011 South America and Caribbean Suriname 120,623 – 128,995 22.3%2012 Suriname Census Definitive Results . Algemeen Bureau voor de Statistiek – Suriname. – 27.4% 470,784 Southern Africa Eswatini 1,700 – 2,266 0.15% – 0.2% 1,133,066 Western Europe Sweden 7,044 – 10,837 0.078% – 0.12% 9,031,088 Western Europe Switzerland 28,708-50,000 0.38%-0.6% 7,554,661 East Africa Tanzania 50,000Table: Religious Composition by Country, in Numbers Pew Research Center (2012) 0.11% 39,384,223 Caribbean Trinidad and Tobago 240,100 18.2% 1,056,608 2011 Southeast Asia Thailand 65,000 0.1% 65,068,149 Oceania Tonga 100 0.1% 103,043 North Africa Tunisia 120 0.001% 11,303,942 2016 Middle East Turkey 843 0.001%The ARDA website, retrieved 2024-04-29 83,614,362 2020 Eastern Europe Ukraine42,386 0.1%42,386,400 East Africa Uganda 100,000 0.3% 38,225,447 Middle East United Arab Emirates 490,000 5 - 20% 9,682,000 Western Europe United Kingdom 1,020,000 1.7% 60,776,238 2017 North America United States 3,338,210 1.0% 332,000,000 2020 Caribbean United States Virgin Islands5281.9%28,054 Central Asia Uzbekistan 895 0.0025% 34,558,900 2020 Southeast Asia Vietnam 70,000 0.07% 85,262,356 Middle East Yemen 155,614 0.7% 22,230,531 Southern Africa Zambia 16,068 0.14% 11,477,447 Southern Africa Zimbabwe 3,000 0.02% 12,311,143 Total 1,120,000,000 14.9% 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