According to data from 2021, the top ten countries with the largest Buddhist population are:
- China – 244 million
- Thailand – 64.4 million
- Japan – 45.8 million
- Vietnam – 43.1 million
- Myanmar – 38 million
- Sri Lanka – 14.6 million
- South Korea – 11.3 million
- Cambodia – 9.8 million
- Taiwan – 8.3 million
- Malaysia – 3.3 million
These countries have the highest number of people who identify as Buddhists, which is a major world religion that originated in ancient India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. It’s worth noting that some of these countries, such as China, have a significant Buddhist population despite the country being officially atheist. Additionally, some of these countries, such as Thailand and Sri Lanka, have a strong Buddhist cultural influence that goes beyond religion.
Top Ten Countries with Largest Buddhist Population, 2010 |
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| Rank | Country | Buddhist Population 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 244,110,000 |
| 2 | Thailand | 64,420,000 |
| 3 | Japan | 45,820,000 |
| 4 | Burma (Myanmar) | 38,410,000 |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 14,450,000 |
| 6 | Vietnam | 14,380,000 |
| 7 | Cambodia | 13,690,000 |
| 8 | South Korea | 11,050,000 |
| 9 | India | 9,250,000 |
| 10 | Malaysia | 5,010,000 |
Top 10 Countries with Largest Buddist Population
Top 10 Countries with Highest Proportion of Buddhists, 2010 |
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| Rank | Country | Buddhist Percent 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambodia | 96.9 |
| 2 | Thailand | 93.2 |
| 3 | Burma (Myanmar) | 80.1 |
| 4 | Bhutan | 74.7 |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 69.3 |
| 6 | Laos | 66.0 |
| 7 | Mongolia | 55.1 |
| 8 | Japan | 36.2 |
| 9 | Singapore | 33.9 |
| 10 | South Korea | 22.9 |
Top 10 Countries with Highest Proportion of Buddhists
World Top Ten – Demography Maps |