• Religion:  

Religion: Buddhism What is Primary Religion?

Population of Adherents

503,369,000

% of World Population

6.5 %

People Groups

689

Unreached Groups

540 (78.4 %)

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 * ▲
Kalmyk-Oirat, Western Mongol Mongolia 261,000 Kalmyk-Oirat Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.40 % New Testament 5
Tu China 262,000 Tu Buddhism ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % Bible Portions 5
Khampa, Western China 270,000 Tibetan, Khams Buddhism ☀ 0.01 % 0.01 % New Testament 5
Deaf Japan 253,000 Japanese Sign Language Buddhism ● 1.54 % Bible Portions 5
Burmese Bangladesh 313,000 Burmese Buddhism ● 1.62 % Complete Bible 6
Palaung, Pale Myanmar (Burma) 292,000 Palaung, Ruching Buddhism ☀ 0.10 % 0.06 % New Testament 6
Khmer Krom Cambodia 280,000 Khmer Buddhism ● 1.20 % 0.60 % Complete Bible 6
Deaf Thailand 349,000 Thai Sign Language Buddhism ● 1.10 % Bible Portions 7
Batgama Sri Lanka 375,000 Sinhala Buddhism ● 1.48 % Complete Bible 7
Kui Thailand 421,000 Kuay Buddhism ● 2.00 % 0.41 % Complete Bible 8
Dawei, Tavoyan Myanmar (Burma) 457,000 Tavoyan Buddhism ☀ 0.10 % 0.04 % Unspecified 9
Phu Thai Thailand 491,000 Phu Thai Buddhism ● 0.60 % 0.10 % Translation Started 10
Tai Nua, Chinese Shan China 494,000 Tai Nua Buddhism ● 0.19 % 0.17 % Bible Portions 10
Amdo, Hbrogpa China 750,000 Tibetan, Amdo Buddhism ☀ 0.05 % 0.05 % Bible Portions 15
Tibetan Gtsang China 766,000 Tibetan, Central Buddhism ☀ 0.02 % 0.01 % Complete Bible 15
Vietnamese Cambodia 815,000 Vietnamese Buddhism ● 3.00 % 0.17 % Complete Bible 16
Tai Lue China 811,000 Lu Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.33 % New Testament 16
Pa-O Myanmar (Burma) 864,000 Pa'o Buddhism ● 1.70 % 0.30 % New Testament 17
Japanese United States 839,000 Japanese Buddhism ● 1.50 % 0.50 % Complete Bible 17
Burakumin Japan 887,000 Japanese Buddhism ● 0.50 % 0.20 % Complete Bible 18
Tibetan, Central China 949,000 Tibetan, Central Buddhism ☀ 0.04 % 0.03 % Complete Bible 19
Han Chinese, Mandarin Myanmar (Burma) 979,000 Chinese, Mandarin Buddhism ● 2.00 % 1.40 % Complete Bible 20
Mon Myanmar (Burma) 1,143,000 Mon Buddhism ● 0.90 % 0.82 % Complete Bible 23
Khmer Vietnam 1,320,000 Khmer Buddhism ● 3.00 % 1.87 % Complete Bible 26
Khmer, Northern Thailand 1,458,000 Khmer, Northern Buddhism ● 2.00 % 1.33 % Complete Bible 29
Totals: 689 Peoples   503,369,000     540 ●       5,916
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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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