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5 countries with the largest population of Buddhists in the world. Photos/Illustrations
JAKARTA – There are a number of countries that have the largest Buddhist populations in the world. Most of the Buddhist countries are located in the East Asia and Southeast Asia regions.
Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world, in which there are more than 535 million or the equivalent of 7% of the total population in the world.
Based on data from the world population review, the population of Indonesia who adheres to Buddhism is around 1.8 million people. This number is very small when compared to neighboring countries.
So which country has the largest Buddhist religion in the world? Here are five countries with the largest Buddhist population in the world:
1. China
China has occupied the first position as the country with the largest population of Buddhists in the world. Buddhism, which brought Siddhartha Gautama, spread from India to China since the first century AD.
The total population of Buddhists in China reaches around 254,700,000 people or the equivalent of more than 50% of the total population. One of the reasons Buddhism is popular and easily accepted by Chinese people is because it is considered a traditional religion.
2. Thailand
Thailand is the second largest Buddhist in the world and is in first position in the Southeast Asian region. The population who adheres to Buddhism in Thailand reaches 66,120,000 people or the equivalent of 92.60% of the total population.
Respect for Buddha is an important principle that Buddhists in Thailand must practice. Insulting or defaming the Buddha is something that is strictly prohibited, and can even be punished.
