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Hinduism has over 1.09 billion adherents worldwide (15% of world's population) with about 95% living in India . Along with Christianity (31.5%), Islam (23.2%) and Buddhism (7.1%), Hinduism is one of the four major religions of the world by percentage of population.
Contents
Most Hindus are found in Asian countries. The countries with more than 500,000 Hindu residents and citizens include (in decreasing order) - India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia (especially in Bali- 84% Hindu), Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, United States, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Mauritius, the Caribbean (West Indies), and Fiji.
Background
Hinduism is a heterogeneous religion and consists of many schools of thought. Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralised religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s); Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, monotheistic, pantheistic, monistic, agnostic, humanist or atheistic. Estimates of Hinduism by country reflects this diversity of thought and way of life.
Demographic estimates
Demographic estimates of Hindu population by country has been published by the Pew Research Center in 2012, as well as US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006.
By total number, India has the most Hindus. By percentage, Nepal has the largest majority of Hindu population in the world followed by India and Mauritius. There are an estimated 60 to 70 million Hindus who lived outside India in 2010. Only three countries in the world, in 2010, had a majority of its population as Hindus - Nepal, India and Mauritius.
By country
Sources used for the table below include the US State Department, the CIA World Factbook adherents.com, Pew Research Center. and as identified.
By region
These percentages were calculated by using the above numbers. The first percentage, 4th column, is the percentage of population that is Hindu in a 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).
(Note: Egypt, Sudan, and other Arab Maghreb countries are counted as part of North Africa, not Middle East).