The global population of Buddhists is projected to slightly increase up until the year 2030, at which point it will begin a gradual decline. In terms of its share of total world population, however, Buddhism has already seen a decline from over seven percent in 2010, with this being projected to decline further to close to five percent in 2050. This decline is related to Buddhism being popular in countries whose populations are in a natural decline, such as Japan or South Korea (and Thailand in the near future), as well as demographic developments in countries that have a policy of state atheism, such as China or Vietnam.While this decline in its traditional regions of influence in East and Southeast Asia will cause an aggregate fall in the number of Buddhists, there is likely to be some growth in other regions of the globe, such as Western European and North American countries, where the popularity of the ideas of Buddhism have grown in influence in recent decades.

This statistic shows the top 25 countries in the world with the largest number of Buddhist population in 2010. In 2010, there were about 244 million Buddhists living in China.

In 2022, around 31.6 percent of the global population were identify as Christian. Around 25.8 percent of the global population identify as Muslims, followed by 15.1 percent of global populations as Hindu.

According to the population census data in 2010, 18.64 percent of Buddhist population in Indonesia resided in Jakarta, making it the province where the largest Buddhist population in Indonesia lived. Indonesia has the largest Islamic population in the world and therefore the largest Muslim nation. However, Indonesia is not a Muslim nation by constitution. The archipelago has six official religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Buddhist Supply market size will be USD 12654.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.60% from 2024 to 2031. North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 5061.6 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% from 2024 to 2031. Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 3796.2 million. Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 2910.4 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6% from 2024 to 2031. Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 632.7 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.0% from 2024 to 2031. Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 253.0 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% from 2024 to 2031. The Buddha Statue Type segment held the highest Buddhist Supply market revenue share in 2024. Market Dynamics of Buddhist Supply Market Key Drivers for Buddhist Supply Market Expanding Worldwide Interest in Buddhism to Increase the Demand Globally The growing interest in Buddhism has heightened the demand for essential materials such as statues, prayer beads, incense, and ritual objects. This interest surge is driven by the increased accessibility and appeal of Buddhist philosophies globally, facilitated by extensive travel and cultural exchanges. As per 2020 census data, 31.1 percent of the four million citizens and permanent residents identify as Buddhist. The Pew Research Center estimates a worldwide Buddhist population of around 488 million. Growth of Mindfulness and Meditation Practices to Propel Market Growth Mindfulness and meditation, integral to Buddhist practice, have surged in popularity due to their recognized mental health benefits. This trend has directly increased the demand for Buddhist supplies. The proliferation of books and digital applications focusing on mindfulness techniques rooted in Buddhism has fueled the need for educational materials and resources. In 2019, the top 10 meditation apps collectively generated $195 million in sales. Calm emerged as the leading meditation app in 2020 with 5.26 million downloads, followed by Headspace with 2.08 million downloads, and Meditopia with 1.89 million downloads. Fitbit reported a staggering 2,900% average rise in meditation logs across all age groups of its global users. Restraint Factor for the Buddhist Supply Market Cultural Sensitivity and Appropriation to Limit the Sales The commercialization of Buddhist supplies can raise concerns regarding cultural sensitivity and appropriation. Misusing sacred Buddhist symbols and items, or placing them out of context, can provoke backlash from religious communities. The commercialization of spiritual and religious goods may be perceived negatively by both adherents and non-adherents, potentially reducing demand. A significant factor contributing to the market decline is the growing disconnection of young people from spiritual paths. This trend restricts supply growth, projecting these challenges to limit market expansion during the forecast period. Over time, efforts to address these issues are expected to mitigate their impact. Resolving these challenges could catalyze market recovery and growth in the future. Impact of Covid-19 on the Buddhist Supply Market During the COVID-19 pandemic, closures and restrictions at Buddhist sites and pilgrimage destinations worldwide significantly reduced tourist and pilgrim numbers. This decline notably affected the demand for souvenirs, gifts, and ritual items typically purchased at these locations. In response, Buddhist communities and practitioners shifted to virtual practices, such as online meditation sessions, virtual temple visits, and digital religious ceremonies. This transition influenced the types of supplies sought, with a preference for digital resources and meditation aids for home use. Concerns about health and safety also prompted a reassessment of traditional practices involving communal gatherings and rituals, impacting the use and distribution of items like incense and ceremonial goods. Introduction of the Buddhist Suppl...

From 2022 to 2060, the worldwide population of Muslims is expected to increase by 45.7 percent. For the same period, the global population of Buddhists is expected to decrease by 12.2 percent.

Ireland: Buddhists as percent of the total population: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.0 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Ireland from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

Liberia: Buddhists as percent of the total population: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.0 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Liberia from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

In 2023, over 87 percent of Indonesians declared themselves to be Muslim, followed by 7.4 percent who were Christians. Indonesia has the largest Islamic population in the world and for this reason is often recognized as a Muslim nation. However, Indonesia is not a Muslim nation according to its constitution. The archipelago is a multifaith country and officially recognizes six religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

Not all provinces in Indonesia are Muslim majority
The spread of Islam in Indonesia began on the west side of the archipelago, where the main maritime trade routes were located. Until today, most of the Indonesian Muslim population are residing in Western and Central Indonesia, while the majority religion of several provinces in Eastern Indonesia, such as East Nusa Tenggara and Bali, is Christian and Hindu, respectively.

Discrimination towards other beliefs in Indonesia The Indonesian constitution provides for freedom of religion. However, the Government Restrictions Index Score on religion in Indonesia is relatively high. Indonesians who practice unrecognized religions, including Indonesia’s indigenous or traditional belief systems, such as animism, dynamism, and totemism, face legal restrictions and discrimination. Indonesian law requires its citizens to put one of the recognized religions on their national identity cards, with some exceptions for indigenous religions. Although legally citizens may leave the section blank, atheism or agnosticism is considered uncommon in Indonesia.

Burundi: Buddhists as percent of the total population: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.0 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Burundi from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

Monaco: Buddhists as percent of the total population: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.0 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Monaco from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

In 2022, 99 percent of Hindus and Buddhists worldwide lived in Asia-Pacific. In comparison, 43 percent of Jews lived in North America, and 45.4 percent lived in the Middle East and North Africa. Christians were more evenly divided around the continents.

Islam is the major religion in many African countries, especially in the north of the continent. In Comoros, Libya, Western Sahara, at least 99 percent of the population was Muslim as of 202. These were the highest percentages on the continent. However, also in many other African nations, the majority of the population was Muslim. In Egypt, for instance, Islam was the religion of 79 percent of the people. Islam and other religions in Africa Africa accounts for an important share of the world’s Muslim population. As of 2019, 16 percent of the Muslims worldwide lived in Sub-Saharan Africa, while 20 percent of them lived in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Together with Christianity, Islam is the most common religious affiliation in Africa, followed by several traditional African religions. Although to a smaller extent, numerous other religions are practiced on the continent: these include Judaism, the Baha’i Faith, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Number of Muslims worldwide Islam is one of the most widespread religions in the world. There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims globally, with the largest Muslim communities living in the Asia-Pacific region. Specifically, Indonesia hosts the highest number of Muslims worldwide, amounting to over 200 million, followed by India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Islam is also present in Europe and America. The largest Islamic communities in Europe are in France (5.72 million), Germany (4.95 million), and the United Kingdom (4.13 million). In the United States, there is an estimated number of around 3.45 million Muslims.

The majority of Japanese adhere to Shintoism, a traditional Japanese religion focusing on rituals and worship at shrines. In 2021, around 48.6 percent of the total population of Japan participated in Shinto practices. Closely behind is Buddhism, with more than 46 percent of the population adhering to its practices. Most Japanese thus practice both religions. The original ShintoShintoism adherents worship spirits or gods at shrines, often publicly, through rituals and traditions. Shintoism is deeply ingrained in the Japanese culture and way of life, but the number of followers has been decreasing over the past years, as has the number of Japanese who are adhering to any kind of religion. Tradition seems to have to make way for modern attitudes and choices – still the number of people who call themselves Shinto adherents is quite high, even if they do not actively practice it. Everything zen in BuddhismWhile Shintoism seems to become a thing of the past, the number of Buddhists, on the other hand, has been stable over the last decade, and if anything, has only slightly decreased. Japan is, in fact, among the countries with the largest Buddhist communities, right after China, of course, and Thailand. This might be due to Buddhism being able to adapt much easier to modern times and its adherents’ everyday lives, as well as a better PR machine – Buddhism is, after all, also quite popular in the Western world.

In 2021, around 86.8 percent of the population in Bali were Hindus. Indonesia has the largest Islamic population in the world and therefore the largest Muslim nation. However, Indonesia is not a Muslim nation by constitution. The archipelago has six official religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

In 2023, approximately 244.4 million people in Indonesia identified as Muslims. Indonesia has the largest Islamic population in the world. However, it is a multi-faith country and officially recognizes six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

Christianity was the largest religion in a high number of the countries included in the survey. Of the countries, Peru, South Africa, and Poland had the highest share of Christians at around 75 percent. Moreover, around 90 percent in India and Thailand stated that they believed in another religion, with Hinduism and Buddhism being the major religion in the two countries respectively. Sweden and South Korea were the only two countries where 50 percent or more of the respondents stated that they did not have any religious beliefs.

When asked about their personal attitude towards various religions in Australia, 40 percent of Australians surveyed had a negative attitude towards Muslims. Buddhists appeared to be least likely to elicit negative responses and around 14 percent of respondents responded negatively to Christians.

 Islam in Australia

Muslims represent almost a quarter of the religious diversity in the Asia Pacific region and Australia’s neighbor, Indonesia, has the largest Muslim population in the world. In Australia, Islam is the second largest religious group but less than three percent of the population are Muslim, compared to over 50 percent of the population identifying as Christian. The Australian Muslim community is very diverse, consisting of migrants from Bangladesh, Lebanon, Turkey, as well as Australian-born Muslims of European heritage.

 Australians increasingly less religious

The 2016 Australian census revealed that an ever-increasing number of Australians are selecting “no religion” in the optional census question on religious affiliation. This drop in religious affiliation is a common trend in many economically developed countries, although some of Australia’s minority religions like Islam and Buddhism are still showing some growth. In contrast, Christianity appears to be declining, especially amongst people under the age of 35, an age group that also recorded higher numbers of people with no religion.

In 2021, 53.3 percent of the total population in Canada were Christian, 4.9 percent were Muslim, but almost more than a third are not religious at all – with the rest stating they adhere to Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, the Jewish faith, and other Christian denominations. Canada’s religious pluralismCanada is not a very religious country in general. Canadians adhere to a wide variety of beliefs and faiths, with the majority following Christianity, followed by those who do not believe in any deity or religion at all. As with many Western countries, the younger generations are less inclined to identify with faith, and Christianity in particular is not as popular as it is among the older generations. Alternative worship for the younger generations?Canadian teenagers are no less enthusiastic about religion than their parents, and they are just as grounded in their faith as the older generations. They are, however, also just as indecisive when it comes to whether they would call themselves religious or not. Interestingly, they seem much more interested in traditional aboriginal spirituality than in the Judeo-Christian model. They also seem quite interested in another alternative to Christianity: Buddhism is quite popular among the younger generations. Whether this signifies a general trend away from Christianity and towards religious alternatives remains to be seen.