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Hinduism in Asia

Hinduismis a majorreligionand one of the most-followedreligions in Asia.In 2020, the total number of Hindus in Asia is more than 1.2 billion, more than 26.2% of Asia's total population.[1][2]About 99.2% of the world'sHinduslive in Asia, withIndiahaving 94% of theglobal Hindu population.[citation needed]OtherAsian nationswith a notable Hindu population includeNepal,Bangladesh,Pakistan,Indonesia,Sri Lanka,Malaysia,andthe United Arab Emirates.[3][4][5][6]

History

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Hinduism expansion in Asia, from its heartland in Indian Subcontinent, to the rest of Asia, especially Southeast Asia, started circa 1st century marked with the establishment of early Hindu settlements and polities in Southeast Asia.
Further information:History of HinduismandIndia
See also:History of Indian influence on Southeast Asia

The roots ofHinduismstarted and emerged in theIndus Riverat theIndus Valley civilisation,nearly 3,000BCEand spread through theIndian subcontinent,[7]though the history ofHinduismoverlaps or coincides with the development of religion in the Indian subcontinent since theIron Age,with some of its traditions tracing back toprehistoric religionssuch as those of the Bronze AgeIndus Valley civilization.It has thus been called the "oldest religion"in the world.[8]

Hinduism spread in theSouthandSoutheast Asiaby the Hindu rulers and dynasties and the reign ofGupta EmpireorGupta erawas considered as the "Golden period" forHinduismand the religion also spread toCentral AsiaandAfghanistanthrough theSilk route.[9][10][11]There were also many Hindu colonies in the middle-east Asia with significance of trade with the parts of the world.[12]Though with theSpread of IslamandMuslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent,AfghanistanandSoutheast Asia,especially inIndonesia,theHinduismstarted declining and shrunk in theIndian subcontinent religion.[13][14]

Demographics

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ABalineseHindufamily after puja at Bratan temple inBali,Indonesia
Natarajan Temple
ASadhuinVaranasi,Uttar Pradesh

Central Asia

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Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
Kazakhstan 18,744,548 0.01% 12,732
Kyrgyzstan 6,019,480 <0.01% <1,000
Tajikistan 8,734,951 <0.01 <1,000
Turkmenistan 5,851,466 <0.01 <1,000
Uzbekistan 32,653,900 0.01% 2,778
Total 72,004,345 <0.01% 16,000 (approx)

East Asia

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Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
China 1,425,178,782 0.1% 20,000
Hong Kong 7,448,900 1.6% 119,182
Macau 658,900 <0.01% <1,000
Japan 126,420,000 <0.01% 30,000
North Korea 25,610,672 <0.01% <1,000
South Korea 51,635,256 0.04% 24,414
Mongolia 3,231,200 <0.01% <1,000
Taiwan 23,577,488 <0.01% 1,900
Total 1,633,202,416 0.09% (approx) 1,551,037

Middle-East

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See also:Hinduism in Arab states
Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
Bahrain 1,496,300 9.8% 144,286
Kuwait 4,226,920 7.1%[α] 300,667
Oman 4,651,706 5.7% 182,679
Qatar 2,561,643 13.8% 358,800
Saudi Arabia 33,413,660 1.1% 303,611
Arab Emirates 9,582,340 7.5%[β] 660,000
Yemen 28,915,284 0.7% 200,000
Total 84,847,853 2.52% 2,140,574

South Asia

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Main article:Hinduism in South Asia
Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
Afghanistan 37,466,414 <0.01% <1,000
Bangladesh 165,158,616 7.95% 13,130,109
Bhutan 742,737 22.6% 185,700
India 1,320,000,000 79.8% 1,053,000,000
Maldives 369,031 0.01% <1,000
Nepal 28,901,790 81.3% 23,500,000
Pakistan 224,864,293 2.14% 4,678,078
Sri Lanka 21,200,000 12.6% 2,671,000
Total 2,032,080,415 52.57% 1,068,728,901

Southeast Asia

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Main article:Hinduism in Southeast Asia
Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
Brunei Darusalem 374,577 0.035% 131
Cambodia 13,995,904 0.3% 41,988
Indonesia 259,000,000 1.74% 4,646,357[γ]
Malaysia 30,949,962 6.3% 1,949,850
Myanmar 50,279,900 0.5% 252,763
Philippines 102,000,000 <0.1% 30,634 (2015)[19]
Singapore 5,600,000 5.0% 280,000
Thailand 65,068,149 0.1% 65,000
Vietnam 85,262,356 0.07% 20,000
Total 571,337,070 1.118% 6,386,614

West Asia

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Country Totalpop Hindus%age Hinduspop
Armenia 2,975,000 <0.01% <1,000
Azerbaijan 10,027,874 <0.01% <1,000
Iran 81,871,500 <0.01% 20,000
Iraq 39,339,753 <0.01% <1,000
Israel 8,930,680 0.12% 11,500
Lebanon 6,093,509 <0.01% <1,000
State of Palestine 4,816,503 <0.01% <1,000
Syria 18,284,407 <0.01% <1,000
Turkey 80,810,525 <0.01% <1,000
Total 253,149,751 0.018% 46,000 (est)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^The estimates vary depending on whether temporary workers – with no residency nor right to openly practice their religion – are included or not. The official Kuwaiti government census data does not count Hindus as residents or citizens of Kuwait.
  2. ^In theUnited Arab Emirates,onlySunni Muslimscan become citizens, nonMuslimsthere are working as work-class laborers and employees on a particular time and contract basis.[15]
  3. ^The lower number is based on Pew Research estimate and is primarily concentrated in the island of Bali, Indonesia and nearby provinces of Indonesia. The higher number is based on a 2010 estimate by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Government of Indonesia.[16]The largest Hindu organization in IndonesiaParisada Hindu Dharma Indonesiastates that the Indonesian census greatly underestimates Hindu population, because predominantly Muslim nation of Indonesia does not recognize all forms of Hinduism, and only recognizes monotheistic Hinduism under its constitution.[17][18]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^"Projected Changes in the Global Hindu Population".Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project.2 April 2015.Retrieved8 June2021.
  2. ^"Hindus".Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project.18 December 2012.Retrieved8 June2021.
  3. ^"Table: Religious Composition by Country, in Numbers".Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project.18 December 2012.Retrieved8 June2021.
  4. ^Reyaz, M. (30 May 2014)."[Analysis] Are there any takeaways for Muslims from the Narendra Modi government?".DNA India.Retrieved8 June2021.
  5. ^"Gorkhas to march for restoration of Nepal's Hindu nation status".Hindustan Times.10 August 2017.Retrieved8 June2021.
  6. ^"Hinduism - The spread of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and the Pacific".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved8 June2021.
  7. ^Brodd 2003.
  8. ^Klostermaier 2007,p. 1.
  9. ^Flood, Gavin D.(1996).An Introduction to Hinduism.Cambridge University Press.p. 21.ISBN978-0-521-43878-0.
  10. ^Klostermaier 2007,p. 78-81.
  11. ^Michaels 2004,p. 40.
  12. ^Pillalamarri, Akhilesh."The Origins of Hindu-Muslim Conflict in South Asia".thediplomat.Retrieved8 June2021.
  13. ^Werner, Karel (11 August 2005).A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism.Routledge. p. 728.ISBN978-1-135-79753-9.
  14. ^Brodd 2003,p. 57;Michaels 2004,pp. 147–158.
  15. ^Marsh 2015e,p. 3.
  16. ^Indonesia: Religious Freedoms Report 2010,US State Department (2011), Quote: "The Ministry of Religious Affairs estimates that 10 million Hindus live in the country and account for approximately 90 percent of the population in Bali. Hindu minorities also reside in Central and East Kalimantan, the city of Medan (North Sumatra), South and Central Sulawesi, and Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara). Hindu groups such as Hare Krishna and followers of the Indian spiritual leader Sai Baba are present in small numbers. Some indigenous religious groups, including the" Naurus "on Seram Island in Maluku Province, incorporate Hindu and animist beliefs, and many have also adopted some Protestant teachings."
  17. ^F.K. Bakker (1997),Balinese Hinduism and the Indonesian State: Recent Developments,Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde, Deel 153, 1ste Afl., Brill Academic, pp. 15–41
  18. ^Martin Ramstedt (2004).Hinduism in Modern Indonesia: A Minority Religion Between Local, National, and Global Interests.Routledge. pp. 7–12.ISBN978-0-7007-1533-6.
  19. ^"Philippines, Religion And Social Profile".thearda.Archived fromthe originalon 23 June 2021.Retrieved11 January2021.

Bibliography

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