Buddhism

Global Buddhist Population

Asia And Its Diasporas

Buddhism is still predominantly a religion of East, South, and Southeast Asia. Theravada Buddhism dominates in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, and Mahayana Buddhism in Japan, South Korea, China, and Vietnam. Most Buddhist growth in North America, Europe, and the Middle East is caused by Asian migrations to the regions. Asian immigration will eclipse Latin American immigration in the United States and Canada in the coming decades, making Buddhism more prominent in those contexts.

Buddhist Population Growth 2020-2050

Largest Buddhist Populations

Missionary Faiths

Some Buddhist majority countries – like Thailand and Japan– have been some of the most resistant to Christian missionary efforts for over a century.

Like Christianity, many expressions of Buddhism seek converts to the religion. While still a tiny minority of the global Buddhist population, many Westerners have been attracted to forms of Buddhism such as Zen.