• Religion:  

Religion: Buddhism What is Primary Religion?

Population of Adherents

504,878,000

% of World Population

6.4 %

People Groups

683

Unreached Groups

531 (77.7 %)

Map Notes
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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 New Zealand 8,600 Thai, Northeastern Buddhism ● 0.80 % 0.10 % New Testament 1
Thai, Isan United States 86,000 Thai, Northeastern Buddhism ● 2.00 % 0.10 % New Testament 2
Tai Lue Laos 133,000 Lu Buddhism ☀ 0.10 % 0.10 % New Testament 3
Tai Lue Thailand 92,000 Lu Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.10 % New Testament 2
Tibetan, Shangri La China 105,000 Tibetan, Khams Buddhism ● 3.50 % 0.10 % New Testament 2
Mongol, Khalka Czechia 2,500 Mongolian, Halh Buddhism ● 0.20 % 0.10 % Complete Bible 1
Kuan, Khuen China 1,700 Khuen Buddhism ● 0.11 % 0.10 % Translation Needed 1
Khuen United States 2,800 Khuen Buddhism ● 2.00 % 0.10 % Translation Needed 1
Tseku China 15,000 Tseku Buddhism ☀ 0.10 % 0.10 % Translation Needed 1
Tai Nua, Chinese Shan Myanmar (Burma) 104,000 Tai Nua Buddhism ● 0.11 % 0.11 % Bible Portions 2
Palaung, Shwe Myanmar (Burma) 236,000 Palaung, Shwe Buddhism ● 0.20 % 0.12 % Unspecified 5
De'ang, Pale China 11,000 Palaung, Ruching Buddhism ● 0.12 % 0.12 % Complete Bible 1
Bai, Southern China 682,000 Bai, Southern Buddhism ● 0.13 % 0.13 % Bible Portions 14
Tai Khun Thailand 7,000 Khun Buddhism ● 1.50 % 0.14 % Bible Portions 1
Thai Cambodia 3,400 Thai Buddhism ● 0.60 % 0.15 % Complete Bible 1
Kalmyk-Oirat, Western Mongol Russia 187,000 Kalmyk-Oirat Buddhism ● 0.16 % 0.16 % New Testament 4
Samtao Laos 3,600 Samtao Buddhism ● 0.17 % 0.17 % Translation Needed 1
Burmese Malaysia 30,000 Burmese Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.17 % Complete Bible 1
Vietnamese Cambodia 837,000 Vietnamese Buddhism ● 3.00 % 0.17 % Complete Bible 17
Tai Nua, Chinese Shan China 497,000 Tai Nua Buddhism ● 0.19 % 0.17 % Bible Portions 10
Tai Nua, Chinese Shan Vietnam 110,000 Tai Nua Buddhism ● 0.19 % 0.17 % Bible Portions 2
Burmese New Zealand 2,300 Burmese Buddhism ● 0.60 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 1
Burakumin Japan 881,000 Japanese Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 18
Thai Canada 19,000 Thai Buddhism ● 0.70 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 1
Thai France 10,000 Thai Buddhism ● 0.30 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 1
Totals: 683 Peoples   504,878,000     531 ●       5,970
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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 updates.
  2. Joshua Project occasionally adjusts profile text from third party sources. This is done to avoid confusion regarding the current reality of a people group, to fix grammar and spelling and to avoid potentially offensive wording.
  3. A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. Please contact us.
  7. 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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