• Religion:  

Religion: Buddhism What is Primary Religion?

Population of Adherents

501,589,000

% of World Population

6.5 %

People Groups

688

Unreached Groups

539 (78.3 %)

Map Notes
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Progress Scale: ●●●●●   
☀
 = Frontier peoples
Photo People Group Country ▼ Population Primary Language Primary Religion Progress
Scale 		% Christian
Adherent 		%
Evangelical 		Scripture
Status 		Est. Workers
Needed *
Thai, Isan Norway 18,000 Thai, Northeastern Buddhism ● 0.80 % 0.10 % New Testament 1
Japanese Northern Mariana Islands 900 Japanese Buddhism ● 1.50 % 0.50 % Complete Bible 1
Burmese New Zealand 2,300 Burmese Buddhism ● 0.60 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 1
Thai New Zealand 7,700 Thai Buddhism ● 3.00 % 0.80 % Complete Bible 1
Japanese New Zealand 15,000 Japanese Buddhism ● 1.50 % 0.50 % Complete Bible 1
Khmer New Zealand 9,000 Khmer Buddhism ● 3.00 % 1.40 % Complete Bible 1
Vietnamese New Zealand 7,000 Vietnamese Buddhism ● 9.00 % 1.80 % Complete Bible -
Lao New Zealand 1,400 Lao Buddhism ● 4.00 % 1.90 % Complete Bible 1
Sinhalese New Zealand 1,100 Sinhala Buddhism ● 3.00 % 0.50 % Complete Bible 1
Thai, Isan New Zealand 8,400 Thai, Northeastern Buddhism ● 0.80 % 0.10 % New Testament 1
Vietnamese New Caledonia 2,700 Vietnamese Buddhism ● 9.00 % 1.80 % Complete Bible -
Thai Netherlands 5,300 Thai Buddhism ● 0.40 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 1
Japanese Netherlands 5,400 Japanese Buddhism ● 1.00 % 0.30 % Complete Bible 1
Vietnamese Netherlands 2,400 Vietnamese Buddhism ● 10.00 % 1.80 % Complete Bible -
Dolpa Nepal 3,900 Sherpa Buddhism ● 1.10 % New Testament 1
Sherpa Helambu Nepal 2,400 Hyolmo Buddhism ● 1.38 % New Testament 1
Yehlmo Nepal 10,000 Hyolmo Buddhism ● 0.99 % New Testament 1
Larke Nepal 200 Nubri Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % Translation Needed 1
Kyerung Nepal 3,000 Kyerung Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % Unspecified 1
Rongkup Nepal 3,900 Lepcha Buddhism ● 3.56 % New Testament 1
Loba Nepal 2,600 Lhowa Buddhism ● 0.19 % Bible Portions 1
Mugal Nepal 300 Nepali Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % Complete Bible 1
Sherpa Nepal 105,000 Sherpa Buddhism ● 4.22 % New Testament 2
Gurung Ghaleg Nepal 502,000 Gurung Buddhism ● 5.00 % New Testament -
Tibetan, Bhotia Nepal 2,500 Tibetan, Central Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % Complete Bible 1
Totals: 688 Peoples   501,589,000     539 ●       5,880
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Disclaimers:
  1. Joshua Project data is drawn from many sources and of varying accuracy depending on source and editorial decisions. Populations are scaled to the current year. Other data may have varying ages. We welcome suggested updates.
  2. A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
  3. The data is sometimes not as precise as it appears. Values for %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical (which determine unreached status) are often informed estimates, some more accurate than others. We recommend against using %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical to calculate absolute numbers.
  4. Joshua Project makes every effort to ensure that the subject in an image is in fact from the specific people group. In rare instances a representative photo may be used.
  5. Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. Please contact us.
  6. On-the-ground reality may vary from what is presented here. Before making travel plans based on data presented here, please confirm with other sources to the extent possible.
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