Religion in Asia - wikipedia Religion in Asia Asia is the largest and most populous continent, with a wide variety of religions, and was the birthplace of many religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastranism. All major religious traditions are practiced in the region and new forms are constantly emerging. The largest religion in Asia is Islam with approx. 1.1 billion adherents. Religions by country Africa Algeria Egypt Ethiopia Kenya Nigeria Seychelles South Africa Sudan Uganda Zambia Asia Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Burma Cambodia China Cyprus India Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Japan North Korea South Korea Laos Malaysia Mongolia Nepal Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Turkey United Arab Emirates Thailand Vietnam Yemen Europe Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Iceland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Ireland Romania Russia Serbia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom North America Belize Canada Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti Jamaica Mexico Trinidad and Tobago Nicaragua United States Oceania Australia East Timor Fiji Indonesia New Zealand Papua New Guinea South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Paraguay Peru Uruguay Religion portal Contents 1 Dharmic religions 1.1 Hinduism 1.2 Jainism 1.3 Buddhism 1.4 Sikhism 2 East Asian religions 2.1 Confucianism or Ruism 2.2 Taoism 2.3 Chinese folk religion 2.4 Shinto 2.5 Mugyo 2.6 Vietnamese folk religion 3 Iranian religions 3.1 Zoroastrianism 4 Shamanism and Animism 5 Abrahamic religions 5.1 Judaism 5.2 Christianity 5.3 Islam 5.4 Bahá'í Faith 6 Irreligion 7 Religious distribution 7.1 Eastern Asia 7.2 Southeastern Asia 7.3 Southern Asia 7.4 Middle Asia 7.5 West Asia ( Middle East ) 8 See also 9 References Dharmic religions Main article : Indian religions Dharmic religions are the predominant and oldest religions of Asia. Most of Asia 's population follows Indian religions. All Indian religions originated in South Asia. These religions all have the concepts of dharma, karma, and reincarnation. Hinduism Main articles : Hinduism in Southeast Asia and Hinduism in Arab states Hindu god Brahma Hinduism is the second largest and the oldest religion in Asia with more than 1 billion followers. Demographically, it is the largest religion in India ( 80 % ), Nepal ( 81 % ), and the island of Bali ( 83.5 % ), with strong minorities in the Asian nations of Bhutan, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Mayanmar, the Philippines, and Afghanistan. Hinduism is subdivided into a number of major currents, the primary ones being Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Smartism and Shaktism. The vast majority of present - day Hindus can be categorized under one of these four groups, although there are many other, partly overlapping, allegiances and denominations. Hinduism predates recorded history and is thought to have had a beginning during the Indus Valley Civilization itself. It has no single founder ; rather, it is a diverse melange of traditions, practices, and lineages. Jainism, and Sikhism emerged in ancient India from Hinduism. Jainism Main article : Jainism Jainism is an Indian religion. Jains are mostly found in India but are increasingly found throughout the world. Jains have significantly influenced and contributed to ethical, political and economic spheres in India. Jains have an ancient tradition of scholarship and have the highest degree of literacy for a religious community in India. Jain libraries are the oldest in the country. It has traditionally been confined to the Indian Subcontinent. It is based on the teachings of Vardhaman Mahavir and also on 23 other Tirthankaras. Buddhism Main article : Buddhism Buddhism is the fourth largest world religion and the 3rd largest in Asia, which is 12 % of Asia 's population. It is dominant and the majority in Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Tibet, Laos, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Large Buddhist populations live in China ( 18.2 % ), Japan ( 36.2 % ), Taiwan ( 35 % ), Macau ( 17 % ), North Korea ( 13.8 % ), Nepal ( 10.7 % ), Vietnam ( 10 % ), Singapore ( 33 % ), Hong Kong ( 15 % ) and South Korea ( 22.9 % ). It also has strong minorities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Russia. Buddhism was founded by Siddartha Gautama, also known as Buddha. Before the rise of Islam, Buddhism was one of the most widely practiced religions in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Sikhism Main article : Sikhism Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru in Sikhism Sikhism is the fifth largest organized religion in the world, with approximately 30 million adherents. And one of the most steadily growing. It is a monotheistic religion founded by Guru Nanak Dev in the 1500s. The religion professes its roots in the area of Punjab, whose territories form part of India and Pakistan. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat ( literally the counsel of the gurus ) or the Sikh Dharm. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śhiṣhya meaning `` disciple '' or `` learner '', or śhikṣha meaning `` instruction ''. Sikhism is the 4th largest religion in India with 2 % of the total population being Sikh. There is also a large concentration of Sikhs in Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, the Philippines, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Hongkong, Singapore, Indonesia, Kuwait and U.A.E. East Asian religions Main article : East Asian religions East Asian religions ( also known as Far Eastern religions, Chinese religions, or Taoic religions ) form a subset of the Eastern religions. Confucianism or ruism Main article : Confucianism Confucianism was founded in ancient China by Confucius ( 551 B.C.E. - 479 ). Confucianism is a complex of moral, social, political, philosophical, and religious concerns that permeated the culture and history of East Asia. Confucianism emphasizes family, social hierarchy, and personal integrity and is manifested in practices and attitudes rather than institutions and is centered on the family and local society. It was, however, considered the state religion of East Asian countries in some periods. Today the Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese diasporas have brought Confucianism to all parts of the world. Taoism Main article : Taoism Taoism ( also romanized Daoism ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao ( also romanized `` Dao '' ), a term that means `` way '', `` path '' or `` principle ''. The concept is shared with other Chinese philosophies and religions. In Taoism, however, Tao denotes both the source and the driving force inherent in everything that exists. It is ultimately ineffable : `` The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. '' Laozi is traditionally regarded as the founder of Taoism and is closely associated with `` original '', or `` primordial '', Taoism. Whether he actually existed is commonly disputed ; however, the work attributed to him -- the Daodejing -- is dated to the late 4th century BC. Taoist propriety and ethics vary according to the particular school, but in general tends to emphasize wu - wei ( action through non-action ), `` naturalness '', simplicity, spontaneity, and the Three Treasures : compassion, moderation, and humility. Significant Taoist communities can be found in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam and in the Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese diasporas. Chinese folk religion Main article : Chinese folk religion Chinese folk religion is a label used to describe the ethnic religious traditions which have been a main belief system in China and among the Han Chinese ethnic group for most of the civilization 's history. This group of diverse beliefs comprises Chinese mythology and includes the worship of various shen ( 神, shén ; `` deities '', `` spirits '', `` awarenesses '', `` consciousnesses '', `` archetypes '' ) which can be nature deities, Taizu or clan deities, city deities, national deities, cultural heroes and demigods, dragons and ancestors. Chinese folk religion is sometimes categorized with Taoism, since over the world institutional Taoism has been attempting to assimilate or administer local religions. More accurately, Taoism can be defined as a component of Chinese religion, since it sprang out of folk religion and Chinese philosophy. Chinese folk religion is sometimes seen as a constituent part of Chinese traditional religion, but more often, the two are regarded as synonymous. With around 454 million adherents, or about 6.6 % of the world population, Chinese folk religion is one of the major religious traditions in the world. In China more than 30 % of the population adheres to folk religions or Taoism. Shinto Main article : Shintoism Kami - no - michi is almost unique to Japan and the Japanese diaspora. It is a set of practices carried out to establish a connection between present - day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 7th and 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified `` Shinto religion '', but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology. Shinto today applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80 % of the population, yet only a small percentage of these identify themselves as `` Shintoists '' in surveys. According to surveys carried out in 2006 and 2008 show that 3 % to 3.9 % of the population of Japan are members of Shinto sects and derived religions. Mugyo Main article : Korean Shamanism Muism ( `` religion of the Mu '' ) or sometimes Sinism ( Shingyo, `` religion of the gods '', with shin being the Korean character derivative of the Hanja ), encompasses a variety of indigenous religious beliefs and practices of the Korean people, the Korean sphere and the Korean diaspora. In contemporary South Korea, the most used term is Muism and a shaman is known as a mudang ( 무당, 巫 堂 ). The role of the mudang, usually a woman, is to act as intermediary between a spirit entity, spirits or gods and human beings. Women are enlisted by those who want the help of the spirit world. Shamans hold gut, or services, in order to gain good fortune for clients, cure illnesses by exorcising negative or ' bad ' spirits that cling to people, or propitiate local or village gods. Such services are also held to guide the spirit of a deceased person to higher realms. Today this religion is a minority, but has in recent years seen a resurgence. Vietnamese folk religion Main article : Vietnamese folk religion Iranian religions Main article : Iranian religions Zoroastrianism See also : Zoroastrianism in India and Zoroastrians in Iran Zoroastrianism was once the state religion of the Persian Empire, but is now a minority mostly found in India and Iran. It worships a monotheistic god, Ahura Mazda, and was founded by Zoroaster. Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster ( also known as Zarathustra, in Avestan ), probably founded some time before the 6th century BC. The term Zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with Mazdaism, i.e., the worship of Ahura Mazda, exalted by Zoroaster as the supreme divine authority. In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil originates from Him. Thus, in Zoroastrianism good and evil have distinct sources, with evil ( druj ) trying to destroy the creation of Mazda ( asha ), and good trying to sustain it. Mazda is not immanent in the world, and His creation is represented by the Amesha Spentas and the host of other Yazatas, through whom the works of God are evident to humanity, and through whom worship of Mazda is ultimately directed. The most important texts of the religion are those of the Avesta, of which a significant portion has been lost, and mostly only the liturgies of which have survived. The lost portions are known of only through references and brief quotations in the later works of ( primarily ) the 9th - 11th centuries. The total number of currently practicing adherents of Zoroastrianism is unknown. A 2004 estimate gives a range of 124,000 to 190,000, roughly half of them in India ( the Parsi and Irani groups ). The largest number of Zoroastrians in Asia can be found in India ; according to the 2001 census, they amounted 69,000. In Iran, there were some 25,000 according to the 2011 census. In 2012, the numbers for Zoroastrians were ; India ( 61,000 ), Iran ( 15,000 / 22,271 ), United States ( 14,405 ), Canada ( 6,442 ), Great Britain ( 5,500 ), Australia ( 2,577 ), Persian Gulf Countries ( 1,900 ) Pakistan ( 1,675 ), Singapore ( 372 ). Shamanism and Animism Shamanism and Animism have historically been practised in Asia, and is still practiced in most of Asia. Abrahamic religions Main article : Abrahamic religions Judaism Judaism is the predominant religion in Israel ( 75.6 % ), which has a nominal Jewish population of about 6.1 million, Outside of Israel there are small diaspora communities of Jewish people living in Turkey ( 17,400 ), Azerbaijan ( 9,100 ), Iran ( 8,756 ), India ( 5,000 ) and Uzbekistan ( 4,000 ). Christianity CSI - The first Anglican Church in India Main article : Christianity in Asia Christianity is a widespread minority religion in Asia with more than 286 million adherents according to Pew Research Center in 2010, and nearly 364 million according to Britannica Book of the Year 2014. constituting around 12.6 % of the total population of Asia. Only six countries are predominantly Christian : Asian Russia which is predominantly the Russian Orthodox Church ; Cyprus, which is predominantly Orthodox ; the Philippines, which is the third - largest Roman Catholic nation in the world ; Timor Leste, which is the most overwhelming Christian ( 99.6 % ) and Roman Catholic nation in Asia ( 97.6 % ) ; Armenia, which was the first state to adopt a Christian denomination as its state religion ; and Georgia. Christianity also accounts for 29.2 % of South Korea 's population ( 54.5 % of its religious population ) and is now the predominant religion in South Korea, Christianity is also a large minority religion in Lebanon accounting for 40 % of its population. Christianity is also a large minority religion in Kazakhstan ( 26 % ), Singapore ( 18.3 % ), and Kyrgyzstan ( 17 % ). Asian countries with large Christian populations are Philippines ( 84 million ), China ( 68 million ), India ( 24 million ), Indonesia ( 23 million ), Kazakhstan ( 16.5 million ), South Korea ( 15 million ), Vietnam ( 7 million ), Georgia ( 4.6 million ), Armenia ( 3.2 million ), Malaysia ( 2.6 million ), Japan ( 2.5 million ), Pakistan ( 2.5 million ), Uzbekistan ( 2.5 million ), Syria ( 1.8 million ), Sri Lanka ( 1.5 million ), East Timor ( 1.2 million ) and Taiwan ( one million ). There are still large ancient communities of Middle Eastern Christians and Arab Christians in Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine numbering more than 3 million in West Asia. There are also a large populations of expatriate workers which include a sizeable Christian communities live in Arabian Peninsula numbering more than 3 million. A 2015 study estimates about 6,968,500 Muslims convert to Christianity in Asia, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism. Islam Main article : Islam in Asia Mosque in Afghanistan Islam is the largest religion in Asia with approx. 1.1 billion adherents. Islam is a monotheistic and Abrahamic religion articulated by the Qur'an, a book considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God ( Arabic : الله Allāh ) and by the teachings and normative example ( called the Sunnah and composed of hadith ) of Muhammad, considered by them to be the last prophet of God. South Asia and Southeast Asia are home of the most populous Muslim countries, with Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh having more than 100 million adherents each. According to U.S. government figures, in 2006 there were 20 million Muslims in China. In the Western Asia, the non-Arab countries of Iran and Turkey are the largest Muslim - majority countries. In South Asia, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the countries with the largest Muslim - majority. In Central Asia, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan are the countries with the largest Muslim - majority. Indonesia is 87 percent Muslim and is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Pakistan is 97 percent Muslim, Bangladesh is 90 percent Muslim. India 's Muslim population is 14.2 % of the total, approximately 190 million people. Around 6 - 11 percent, some 6 - 12 million people in the Philippines are Muslim. Thailand 's Muslims make up 4.6 percent of the population, or approximately 3 million people. Also Sri Lanka 's Muslims make up 10 percent of the population, or approximately 2.5 million people Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Maldives, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Lebanon are the 23 Muslim majority states in Asia The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a minority Muslim sect, originated on the Asian continent in 1889 in Qadian, India. The community had 10 million members as of the 1980s. As of 2008, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been established in all Asian countries except for Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and North Korea. Ahmadis are most persecuted in Asia, particularly in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Bahá'í Faith Bahá'í Temple ( Battambang, Cambodia ) Main article : Bahá'í Faith in Asia The Bahá'í Faith is an Abrahamic religion although it is quite different from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. It was so founded by Bahá'u'lláh in what was then Persia ( also known as Iran ). Today the largest national population of Bahá'ís is in India with between 1.7 million to 3.2 million, where there is also the Lotus Temple. Significant populations are found in many countries including Vietnam and Malaysia where `` about 1 % '', some 260,000, of the population are Bahá'ís. In other places, like Kazakhstan there are 25 Local Spiritual Assemblies. In modern - day Iran, the religion is severely persecuted ( see Persecution of Bahá'ís ). In neighboring Turkmenistan, Bahá'í Faith is effectively banned, and individuals have had their homes raided for Bahá'í literature. For further information, see Bahá'í Statistics for Asia and Category : Bahá'í Faith by country. Irreligion According to a Pew Research Center survey in 2012 religiously unaffiliated ( including agnostics and atheists ) make up about 21.2 % of Asia population. According to the same survey, the religiously unaffiliated are the majority of the population in four Asian countries / territories : North Korea ( 71 % ), Japan ( 57 % ), Hong Kong ( 56 % ), and Mainland China ( 52 % ). Other sources say that in the People 's Republic of China, 59 % of the population claim to be non-religious. However, this percentage may be significantly greater ( up to 80 % ) or smaller ( down to 30 % ) in reality, because some Chinese define religion differently. Some Chinese define religion as practicing customs ( which may be done for cultural or traditional reasons ), while others define it as actually consciously believing their religion will lead to post-mortem salvation or reincarnation. A Dentsu statistic states that 46 % of Vietnamese and 51 % of Japanese are irreligious. Religious distribution Eastern Asia Country Population Christian Islam Irreligion Hindu Buddhist Folk religion Other religion Jewish Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Mainland China 1,341,340,000 68,408,340 5.10 24,144,120 1.80 700,179,480 52.20 20,000 0.00 244,123,880 18.20 293,753,460 21.90 9,389,380 0.70 0 0.00 Hong Kong 7,050,000 1,008,150 14.30 126,900 1.80 3,955,050 56.10 28,200 0.40 930,600 13.20 902,400 12.80 105,750 1.50 0 0.00 Macau 540,000 38,880 7.20 1,080 0.20 83,160 15.40 0 0.00 93,420 17.30 318,060 58.90 5,400 1.00 0 0.00 Taiwan 23,220,000 1,277,100 5.50 10,000 0.04 2,948,940 12.70 0 0.00 4,945,860 21.30 10,263,240 44.20 3,761,640 16.20 0 0.00 Japan 126,540,000 2,024,640 1.60 253,080 0.20 72,127,800 57.00 30,000 0.02 45,807,480 36.20 506,160 0.40 5,947,380 4.70 0 0.00 North Korea 24,350,000 487,000 2.00 0 0.00 17,361,550 71.30 0 0.00 365,250 1.50 2,995,050 12.30 3,141,150 12.90 0 0.00 South Korea 48,180,000 14,164,920 29.40 96,360 0.20 22,355,520 46.40 0 0.00 11,033,220 22.90 385,440 0.80 96,360 0.20 0 0.00 Mongolia 2,760,000 63,480 2.30 88,320 3.20 990,840 35.90 0 0.00 1,520,760 55.10 96,600 3.50 0 0.00 0 0.00 Total 1,573,980,000 87,472,510 5.56 24,719,860 1.57 820,002,340 52.10 78,200 0.00 308,820,470 19.62 309,220,410 19.65 22,447,060 1.43 0 0.00 Southeastern Asia Country Population Christian Islam Irreligion Hindu Buddhist Folk religion Other religion Jewish Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Brunei 400,000 37,600 9.40 300,400 75.10 1,600 0.40 1,200 0.30 34,400 8.60 24,800 6.20 400 0.10 0 0.00 Burma 47,960,000 3,740,880 7.80 1,918,400 4.00 239,800 0.50 815,320 1.70 38,415,960 80.10 2,781,680 5.80 95,920 0.20 0 0.00 Cambodia 14,140,000 56,560 0.40 282,800 2.00 28,280 0.20 0 0.00 13,701,660 96.90 84,840 0.60 0 0.00 0 0.00 Indonesia 239,870,000 23,747,130 9.90 209,166,640 87.20 240,000 0.10 4,077,790 1.70 1,679,090 0.70 719,610 0.30 239,870 0.10 0 0.00 Laos 6,200,000 93,000 1.50 0 0.00 55,800 0.90 0 0.00 4,092,000 66.00 1,903,400 30.70 43,400 0.70 0 0.00 Malaysia 28,400,000 2,669,600 9.40 18,090,800 63.70 198,800 0.70 1,704,000 6.00 5,026,800 17.70 653,200 2.30 56,800 0.20 0 0.00 Philippines 105,000,000 89,000,000 85.00 5,127,000 5.50 7,350,000 7.00 10,000 0.00 1,758,000 1.50 1,398,900 1.50 93,260 0.10 28,473 0.03 Singapore 5,090,000 926,380 18.20 727,870 14.30 834,760 16.40 264,680 5.20 1,725,510 33.90 117,070 2.30 493,730 9.70 0 0.00 Thailand 69,120,000 622,080 0.90 3,801,600 5.50 207,360 0.30 69,120 0.10 64,419,840 93.20 60,000 0.09 0 0.00 0 0.00 Timor - Leste 1,120,000 1,115,520 99.60 1,120 0.10 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 1,120 0.10 0 0.00 0 0.00 Vietnam 94,700,000 7,765,400 8.20 175,700 0.20 28,031,200 29.60 151,200 0.16 15,530,800 16.40 42,899,100 45.30 351,400 0.40 0 0.00 Total 593,410,000 116,571,210 21.33 245,594,630 40.38 31,903,260 4.70 6,932,110 1.17 143,582,660 24.20 47,540,670 8.01 1,374,780 0.23 28,437 0.00 Southern Asia Country Population Christian Islam Irreligion Hindu Buddhist Folk religion Other religion Jewish Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Afghanistan 31,410,000 31,410 0.10 31,315,770 99.70 0 0.00 10,000 0.03 0 0.00 0 0.00 20,000 0.06 0.00 Bangladesh 148,690,000 297,380 0.20 133,523,620 89.80 80,000 0.05 13,530,790 9.10 743,450 0.50 594,760 0.40 30,000 0.02 0 0.00 Bhutan 730,000 3,650 0.50 1,460 0.20 0 0.00 164,980 22.60 545,310 74.70 13,870 1.90 0 0.00 0 0.00 India 1,224,610,000 30,615,250 2.50 189,000,000 14.40 870,000 0.07 973,564,950 79.50 9,796,880 0.80 6,123,050 0.50 28,166,030 2.30 10,000 0.00 Maldives 320,000 1,280 0.40 314,880 98.40 0 0.00 960 0.30 1,920 0.60 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Nepal 29,960,000 149,800 0.50 1,378,160 4.60 89,880 0.30 24,177,720 80.70 3,085,880 10.30 1,108,520 3.70 20,000 0.07 0 0.00 Pakistan 173,590,000 2,777,440 1.60 204,194,370 96.40 20,000 0.01 3,298,210 1.90 20,000 0.01 30,000 0.02 20,000 0.01 0 0.00 Sri Lanka 20,860,000 1,522,780 7.30 2,044,280 9.80 0 0.00 2,836,960 13.60 14,455,980 70.30 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Total 1,630,170,000 35,367,580 2.21 480,947,000 30.08 1,059,880 0.07 1,017,574 570 63.65 28,649,420 1.79 7,870,200 0.49 28,236,030 1.77 10,000 0.00 Middle Asia Country Population Christian Islam Irreligion Hindu Buddhist Folk religion Other religion Jewish Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Kazakhstan 16,030,000 24.8 70.4 4.2 < 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.1 < 0.1 Kyrgyzstan 5,330,000 11.40 88.0 0.40 < 0.1 < 0.1 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 Tajikistan 6,880,000 4.6 96.7 1.5 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 Turkmenistan 5,040,000 6.4 93.0 0.5 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 Uzbekistan 27,440,000 2.3 96.7 0.8 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 < 0.1 West Asia ( Middle East ) Country Population Christian Islam Irreligion Hindu Buddhist Folk religion Other religion Jewish Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Bahrain 1,260,000 182,700 14.50 885,780 70.30 23,940 1.90 123,480 9.80 31,500 2.50 0 0.00 2,520 0.20 7,560 0.60 Iraq 31,670,000 253,360 0.80 31,353,300 99.00 31,670 0.10 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 20,000 0.06 0 0.00 Israel 7,420,000 148,400 2.00 1,380,120 18.60 230,020 3.10 0 0.00 22,260 0.30 14,840 0.20 7,420 0.10 5,609,520 75.60 Jordan 6,190,000 136,180 2.20 6,016,680 97.20 0 0.00 6,190 0.10 24,760 0.40 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Kuwait 2,740,000 391,820 14.30 2,030,340 74.10 0 0.00 232,900 8.50 76,720 2.80 0 0.00 8,220 0.30 0 0.00 Lebanon 4,230,000 2,170,090 47.30 2,592,990 55.30 12,690 0.30 0 0.00 8,460 0.20 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Oman 2,780,000 180,700 6.50 2,388,020 85.90 5,560 0.20 152,900 5.50 22,240 0.80 0 0.00 27,800 1.00 0 0.00 Palestine 4,040,000 96,960 2.40 3,943,040 97.60 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Qatar 1,760,000 242,880 13.80 1,191,520 67.70 15,840 0.90 242,880 13.80 54,560 3.10 0 0.00 12,320 0.70 0 0.00 Saudi Arabia 27,450,000 1,207,800 4.40 25,528,500 93.00 192,150 0.70 301,950 1.10 82,350 0.30 82,350 0.30 82,350 0.30 0 0.00 Syria 20,410,000 1,061,320 5.20 18,940,480 92.80 408,200 2.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 United Arab Emirates 7,510,000 946,260 12.60 5,775,190 76.90 82,610 1.10 495,660 6.60 150,200 2.00 0 0.00 60,080 0.80 0 0.00 Yemen 24,050,000 48,100 0.20 23,833,550 99.10 24,050 0.10 144,300 0.60 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Total 141,510,000 6,516,570 4.61 125,859,510 88.94 1,026,730 0.73 1,700,260 1.20 473,050 0.33 97,190 0.07 220,710 0.16 5,617,080 3.97 Armenia 3,090,000 3,043,650 98.50 0 0.00 40,170 1.30 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 3,090 0.10 0 0.00 Azerbaijan 9,190,000 275,700 3.00 8,905,110 96.90 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Cyprus 1,100,000 805,200 73.20 278,300 25.30 13,200 1.20 0 0.00 2,200 0.20 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Iran 73,970,000 390,000 0.20 73,600,150 99.50 73,970 0.10 20,000 0.03 0 0.00 0 0.00 147,940 0.20 90,000 0.00 Northern Cyprus 1,475 0.50 291,957 99.00 1,474 0.50 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 Turkey 72,750,000 291,000 0.40 71,295,000 98.00 873,000 1.20 0 0.00 40,000 0.05 20,000 0.03 145,500 0.20 20,000 0.03 Total 191,510,000 4,594,900 2.40 185,394,330 96.81 1,000,340 0.52 30,000 0.02 42,200 0.02 20,000 0.01 316,530 0.17 20,000 0.01 Asia 4,054,967,400 286,589,204 7.07 985,154,511 24.30 858,059,957 21.16 1,025,258,470 25.28 481,820,400 11.88 364,948,996 9.00 52,639,460 1.30 160,090 0.00 See also Asia portal Religion portal Eastern religion List of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community buildings and structures Major religious groups Religion in Africa Religion in Europe Religion in Oceania Religion in North America Religion in South America Religion in the Mongol Empire Verhudtbrahma References Jump up ^ `` THE GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE : Hindus ''. pewforum. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 18. Jump up ^ Penduduk Menurut Wilayah dan Agama yang Dianut ( 2010 Census ). bps.go.id Jump up ^ Estimates for the population of Jains differ from just over four million to twelve million due to difficulties of Jain identity, with Jains in some areas counted as a Hindu sect. Many Jains do not return Jainism as their religion on census forms for various reasons such as certain Jain castes considering themselves both Hindu and Jain. The 1981 Census of India returned 3.19 million Jains. This was estimated at the time to be at least half the true number. There are an estimated 25,000 - 30,000 Jains in Europe ( mostly in Britain ), 20,000 in Africa, 45,000 plus in North America ( from Dundas, Paul ( 2002 ). The Jains. Routledge. p. 271 ; 354. ISBN 9780415266062. ) and 5,000 in the rest of Asia. Jump up ^ `` Press Information Bureau, Government of India ''. Pib.nic.in. 2004 - 09 - 06. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Census of India 2001 ''. Censusindia.net. Retrieved 2010 - 09 - 01. Jump up ^ The Jain Knowledge Warehouses : Traditional Libraries in India, John E. Cort, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 115, No. 1 ( January -- March, 1995 ), pp. 77 -- 87 Jump up ^ `` History - Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc ''. Melbournejainsangh.org. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. ^ Jump up to : `` Global Religious Landscape - Religious Composition by Country ''. The Pew Forum. Retrieved 28 July 2013. Jump up ^ `` Buddhists ''. Pew Research Center 's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ Jerry Bentley, Old World Encounters : Cross-Cultural Contacts in Pre-Modern Times ( New York : Oxford University Press ), 46 Jump up ^ Vijaya Samarawickrama. `` The Encyclopedia of Malaysia : Religions and Beliefs ''. Encyclopedia.com.my. Archived from the original on 2012 - 06 - 18. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Mahayana Buddhism : Buddhism in Indonesia ''. Buddhanet.net. 1934 - 03 - 10. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ Adherents.com. `` Religions by adherents '' ( PHP ). Retrieved 2003 - 02 - 09. Jump up ^ `` Sikhism : What do you know about it ? ''. The Washington Post. Retrieved 13 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` The List : The World 's - Growing Religions ''. Foreign Policy. Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 2012 - 05 - 26. Retrieved 2010 - 11 - 05. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ) Jump up ^ Laozi. `` Tao Te Ching, 1. chapter, translated by Livia Kohn ( 1993 ) ''. Retrieved 29 May 2012. Jump up ^ Robinet ( 1997 ), p. 63. Jump up ^ Robinet 1997, p. 25 Jump up ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 62 Jump up ^ Kirkland 2004, p. 61 Jump up ^ ChartsBin ( 2009 - 09 - 16 ). `` Chinese Folk Religion Adherents by Country ''. Chartsbin.com. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Association of Shinto Shrines 設立 ''. Jinja Honcho. Retrieved 2013 - 05 - 05. Jump up ^ `` 2008 NHK survey of religion in Japan -- 宗教 的 な もの に ひかれ る 日本 人 〜 ISSP 国際 比較 調査 ( 宗教 ) から 〜 '' ( PDF ). NHK Culture Research Institute. Jump up ^ Chang Soo - kyung, Kim Tae - gon. Korean Shamanism -- Muism. Jimoondang, 1998. Jump up ^ Choi Joon - sik. Folk - religion : The Customs in Korea. Jump up ^ Margaret Stutley. Shamanism : A Concise Introduction. Routledge, 2003. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2012 - 10 - 18. Retrieved 2012 - 07 - 25. Jump up ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/world/asia/06iht-shaman.1.6527738.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Jump up ^ According to a survey in 2004 by the Zoroastrian Associations of North America, the number of Zoroastrians worldwide was estimated at between 124,000 and 190,000. The number is imprecise because of wildly diverging counts in Iran. Goodstein, Laurie ( 2008 - 09 - 06 ). `` Zoroastrians Keep the Faith, and Keep Dwindling ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 2009 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ India 's 2001 Census reported 69,601 Parsi Zoroastrians. Jump up ^ 25,271 according to http://www.amar.org.ir/Portals/1/Iran/census-2.pdf Jump up ^ Study Jump up ^ `` Animism ''. OMF. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2012 - 07 - 23. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 17. Jump up ^ `` shamanism - religion ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` South Korea Shamanism - Pop Culture - GlobalPost ''. GlobalPost. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT UNABLE TO PRODUCE NEW NATIONAL IDEOLOGY ''. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ Yoram Ettinger ( April 5, 2013 ). `` Defying demographic projections ''. Israel Hayom. Retrieved 29 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Turkey Virtual Jewish History Tour Jewish Virtual Library ''. jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 15 December 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ethnic composition of Azerbaijan 2009 ''. Pop-stat.mashke.org. 1971 - 04 - 07. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 22. Jump up ^ `` Jewish woman brutally murdered in Iran over property dispute ''. The Times of Israel. November 28, 2012. Retrieved Aug 16, 2014. A government census published earlier this year indicated there were a mere 8,756 Jews left in Iran See Persian Jews # Iran Jump up ^ World Jewish Population 2007, American Jewish Yearbook, vol. 107 ( 2007 ), p. 592. Jump up ^ `` St. George Fort, Chennai St George Fort India ''. Tamilnadu Tourism. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Christians ''. Pew Research Center 's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ Britannica Book of the Year 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Philippines still top Christian country in Asia, 5th in world ''. Inquirer Global Nation. December 21, 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Timor - Leste ''. www.cia.gov. Retrieved 13 March 2018. Jump up ^ `` Contemporary Religious distribution of Lebanon 's main religions ''. theodora.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014. Jump up ^ `` Итоги национальной переписи населения 2009 года ( Summary of the 2009 national census ) '' ( in Russian ). Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Census of Population 2010 Statistical Release 1 - Demographic Characteristics, Education, Language and Religion '' ( PDF ). Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 2011 - 03 - 03. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 25. Jump up ^ `` Regional Distribution of Christians ''. Pew Research Center 's Religion & Public Life Project. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` Religion Census : A faithful count ''. The Hindu Business Line. 2004 - 11 - 16. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Vietnam ''. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2002 census results '' ( PDF ). p. 132. Retrieved June 10, 2012. Jump up ^ `` The Armenian Apostolic Church ( World Council of Churches ) ''. Jump up ^ `` 2010 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia '' ( PDF ) ( in Malay and English ). Department of Statistics, Malaysia. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` Country Profile : Pakistan '' ( PDF ). Library of Congress Country Studies on Pakistan. Library of Congress. February 2005. Retrieved 2013 - 02 - 19. Religion : Approximately 1.6 percent of the population is Hindu, 1.6 percent is Christian, and 0.3 percent belongs to other religions, such as Bahaism and Sikhism. Jump up ^ `` Uzbekistan ''. State.gov. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook ''. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` A3 : Population by religion according to districts, 2012 ''. Census of Population & Housing, 2011. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook ''. cia.gov. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ Price, Massoume ( December 2002 ). `` History of Christians and Christianity in Iran ''. Christianity in Iran. FarsiNet Inc. Retrieved 1 December 2009. Jump up ^ `` Christianity in Turkey ''. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` BBC News - Guide : Christians in the Middle East ''. BBC News. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ Johnstone, Patrick ; Miller, Duane ( 2015 ). `` Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background : A Global Census ''. IJRR. 11 : 14. Retrieved 20 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` THE GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE : Muslims ''. pewforum. Retrieved 2012 - 12 - 18. Jump up ^ https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-is-secular-because-most-hindus-are-secular-former-cec-sy-quraishi/articleshow/60899458.cms Jump up ^ Philippines in Figures : 2014 Archived 2014 - 07 - 28 at the Wayback Machine., Philippine Statistics Authority. Jump up ^ Author Name. `` Welcome to NCMF ''. Retrieved 13 March 2015. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook ''. Cia.gov. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Understanding The Mindanao Insergency ''. Army.mil.ph. Archived from the original on 2015 - 01 - 08. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Philippines ''. State.gov. 2004 - 01 - 01. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ `` The World Factbook ''. Cia.gov. Retrieved 2013 - 07 - 28. Jump up ^ Source : Year 2000 Estimated Baha'i statistics from : David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, 2000 ; Total population statistics, mid-2000 from Population Reference Bureau Jump up ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India Jump up ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Malaysia Archived 2007 - 07 - 06 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Government of Kazakhstan ( 2001 ). `` Religious Groups in Kazakhstan ''. 2001 Census. Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA & Canada. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 21. Jump up ^ compiled by Wagner, Ralph D. `` Turkmenistan ''. Synopsis of References to the Bahá'í Faith, in the US State Department 's Reports on Human Rights 1991 -- 2000. Bahá'í Library Online. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 25. Jump up ^ Corley, Felix ( 2004 - 04 - 01 ). `` TURKMENISTAN : Religious communities theoretically permitted, but attacked in practice ? ''. F18News. ^ Jump up to : Religiously Unaffiliated Jump up ^ `` China -- People ''. World Desk Reference. Retrieved 2007 - 01 - 01. Jump up ^ Dentsu Communication Institute Inc., Research Centre for Japan ( 2006 ) ( in Japanese ) ^ Jump up to : Pew Research Center 's Forum on Religion & Public Life ( December 2012 ), The Global Religious Landscape : A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World 's Major Religious Groups as of 2010 ( PDF ), Pew Research Center, retrieved 20 September 2016 Jump up ^ https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2015%20PSY%20PDF.pdf#56 Jump up ^ https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/208472.pdf Religion in Asia Sovereign states Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia China Cyprus East Timor ( Timor - Leste ) Egypt Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen States with limited recognition Abkhazia Artsakh Northern Cyprus Palestine South Ossetia Taiwan Dependencies and other territories British Indian Ocean Territory Christmas Island Cocos ( Keeling ) Islands Hong Kong Macau Asia articles History Chronology Indian Ocean trade Silk Road Imperialism Decolonisation By topic Military conflicts Sovereignty Geography Cities metropolitan areas tallest buildings Countries and territories by population Extreme points Islands Lakes Mountains Rivers Regions Asia - Pacific Central Asia East Asia Eurasia Inner Asia North Asia Northeast Asia South Asia Southeast Asia Tropical Asia Western Asia Politics Heads of government Heads of state Elections political parties Human rights Law Military Intergovernmental Asia Cooperation Dialogue ( ACD ) Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) Bay of Bengal Initiative ( BIMSTEC ) Economic Cooperation Organization ( ECO ) Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG / GCC ) Mekong -- Ganga Cooperation ( MGC ) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ( RCEP ) South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC ) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) Economy Countries by GDP ( PPP ) Countries by HDI Currencies Stock exchanges Technology renewable energy Transport airports high - speed rail Markets Bond markets Property markets Society Demographics Education Etiquette Health Languages People ethnic groups Culture Art Cinema Cuisine Literature Music Philosophy Religion Sport Future Asian Century Chinese Century Indian Century Pacific Century Outline Index Book Portal Maps Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religion_in_Asia&oldid=843382224 '' Categories : Religion in Asia Religion Religion by location Asia Asian culture Hidden categories : CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Articles needing the year an event occurred from November 2014 CS1 Russian - language sources ( ru ) CS1 Malay - language sources ( ms ) Webarchive template wayback links Articles with Japanese - language external links Articles containing Korean - language text Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Čeština Español فارسی Hrvatski Italiano Magyar Nederlands پښتو Edit links This page was last edited on 28 May 2018, at 19 : 56. 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Question: what is the most common religion in southeast asia
Answer: Islam