• 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 *
Nyaw Thailand 81,000 Nyaw Buddhism ● 1.00 % 0.00 % Translation Needed 2
Nyenpa Bhutan 12,000 Nyenkha Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % Translation Needed 1
Oki-No-Erabu Japan 3,200 Oki-No-Erabu Buddhism ● 3.00 % 0.50 % Unspecified 1
Okinawan, Ryukyuan Bolivia 2,400 Okinawan, Central Buddhism ● 1.50 % 0.10 % Bible Portions 1
Oli Sri Lanka 30,000 Sinhala Buddhism ● 5.20 % Complete Bible -
Olot China 3,200 Kalmyk-Oirat Buddhism ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % New Testament 1
Oy Laos 24,000 Oy Buddhism ● 1.00 % 0.80 % Unspecified 1
Pa-O Myanmar (Burma) 864,000 Pa'o Buddhism ● 1.70 % 0.30 % New Testament 17
Pa-O Thailand 800 Pa'o Buddhism ● 25.00 % 1.00 % New Testament -
Palaung, Pale Myanmar (Burma) 292,000 Palaung, Ruching Buddhism ☀ 0.10 % 0.06 % New Testament 6
Palaung, Pale Thailand 6,200 Palaung, Ruching Buddhism ● 0.20 % 0.00 % New Testament 1
Palaung, Rumai Myanmar (Burma) 159,000 Palaung, Rumai Buddhism ● 0.40 % 0.20 % Bible Portions 3
Palaung, Shwe Myanmar (Burma) 233,000 Palaung, Shwe Buddhism ● 0.20 % 0.12 % Translation Needed 5
Pamunu Sri Lanka 30,000 Sinhala Buddhism ● 5.38 % Complete Bible -
Pankhu, Panko Bangladesh 4,000 Pangkhua Buddhism ● 4.49 % Translation Needed 1
Pannikki Sri Lanka 241,000 Sinhala Buddhism ● 6.62 % Complete Bible -
Phu Thai Laos 223,000 Phu Thai Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.40 % Translation Started 4
Phu Thai Thailand 491,000 Phu Thai Buddhism ● 0.60 % 0.10 % Translation Started 10
Phu Thai United States 56,000 Phu Thai Buddhism ● 1.00 % 0.10 % Translation Started 1
Phu Thai Vietnam 250,000 Phu Thai Buddhism ● 4.50 % 2.50 % Translation Started -
Pidayne Danno Sri Lanka 8,800 Sinhala Buddhism ● 3.51 % Complete Bible 1
Porowakara Sri Lanka 59,000 Sinhala Buddhism ● 5.08 % Complete Bible -
Qiang, Cimulin China 17,000 Qiang, Northern Buddhism ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % Unspecified 1
Qiang, Luhua China 25,000 Qiang, Northern Buddhism ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % Unspecified 1
Qiang, Mawo China 21,000 Qiang, Northern Buddhism ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % Unspecified 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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