Buddhism people group listing

Religion: Buddhism What is Primary Religion?

Population of Adherents

503,470,000

% of World Population

6.2 %

People Groups

684

Unreached Groups

516 (75.4 %)

Map Notes

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼

Progress Scale: ☀︎●●●●● (
☀︎
= Frontier Unreached Peoples)
Photo	People Group	Country	Population	Primary Language	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Christian Adherent	% Evangelical	Scripture Status	Est. Workers Needed *
	Japanese	Japan	117,205,000	Japanese	Buddhism	1 ●	1.20 %	0.30 %	5 Complete Bible	2,344
	Burmese	Myanmar (Burma)	31,494,000	Burmese	Buddhism	1 ●	0.35 %	0.08 %	5 Complete Bible	630
	Thai	Thailand	23,275,000	Thai	Buddhism	1 ●	1.60 %	0.90 %	5 Complete Bible	466
	Thai, Isan	Thailand	19,010,000	Thai, Northeastern	Buddhism	1 ●	0.40 %	0.01 %	4 New Testament	380
	Khmer	Cambodia	14,384,000	Khmer	Buddhism	1 ●	3.10 %	1.30 %	5 Complete Bible	288
	Mahar (Buddhist traditions)	India	10,733,000	Marathi	Buddhism	1 ●	0.13 %	-1	5 Complete Bible	215
	Thai, Northern	Thailand	7,787,000	Thai, Northern	Buddhism	1 ●	0.20 %	0.03 %	4 New Testament	156
	Mongolian, Peripheral	China	5,581,000	Mongolian, Peripheral	Buddhism	0 ☀︎	0.04 %	0.02 %	5 Complete Bible	112
	Thai, Southern	Thailand	5,355,000	Thai, Southern	Buddhism	1 ●	0.90 %	0.26 %	3 Bible Portions	107
	Tai Man, Shan	Myanmar (Burma)	4,569,000	Shan	Buddhism	1 ●	0.90 %	0.82 %	5 Complete Bible	91
	Rakhine	Myanmar (Burma)	2,598,000	Rakhine	Buddhism	1 ●	0.10 %	0.05 %	4 New Testament	52
	Mongol, Khalka	Mongolia	2,449,000	Mongolian, Halh	Buddhism	1 ●	2.30 %	1.40 %	5 Complete Bible	49
	Khampa Eastern	China	1,597,000	Tibetan, Khams	Buddhism	0 ☀︎	0.05 %	0.01 %	0 Unspecified	32
	Khmer	Vietnam	1,349,000	Khmer	Buddhism	1 ●	3.00 %	1.87 %	5 Complete Bible	27
	Mon	Myanmar (Burma)	1,154,000	Mon	Buddhism	1 ●	0.90 %	0.82 %	5 Complete Bible	23
	Han Chinese, Mandarin	Myanmar (Burma)	989,000	Chinese, Mandarin	Buddhism	1 ●	2.00 %	1.40 %	5 Complete Bible	20
	Tibetan, Central	China	939,000	Tibetan, Central	Buddhism	0 ☀︎	0.04 %	0.03 %	5 Complete Bible	19
	Pa-O	Myanmar (Burma)	873,000	Pa'o	Buddhism	1 ●	1.70 %	0.30 %	5 Complete Bible	17
	Burakumin	Japan	860,000	Japanese	Buddhism	1 ●	0.50 %	0.20 %	5 Complete Bible	17
	Vietnamese	Cambodia	835,000	Vietnamese	Buddhism	1 ●	3.00 %	0.17 %	5 Complete Bible	17
	Tai Lue	China	804,000	Lu	Buddhism	1 ●	0.50 %	0.33 %	4 New Testament	16
	Amdo, Hbrogpa	China	743,000	Tibetan, Amdo	Buddhism	0 ☀︎	0.05 %	0.05 %	4 New Testament	15
	Tibetan Gtsang	China	758,000	Tibetan, Central	Buddhism	0 ☀︎	0.02 %	0.01 %	5 Complete Bible	15
	Bai, Southern	China	671,000	Bai, Southern	Buddhism	1 ●	0.13 %	0.13 %	3 Bible Portions	13
	Phu Thai	Thailand	505,000	Phu Thai	Buddhism	1 ●	0.60 %	0.10 %	2 Translation Started	10
Totals:	684 Peoples		503,470,000			516 ●				5,798

* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups by country. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker-unit (single person or married couple) per 50,000 living in an unreached people group by country, or for example one team of four worker-units per 200,000 people. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

Download Sources Definitions

Prayer Cards

Prayer Guide

Level	Description	Criteria
1	Unreached - Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians <= 5%
2	Minimally reached - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 5% and <= 50%
3	Superficially reached - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 50%
4	Partially reached - Evangelicals have a modest presence.	Evangelicals > 2% and <= 10%
5	Significantly reached - Evangelicals have a significant presence.	Evangelicals > 10%

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