  buddhism in the world is practiced by an estimated 488 million,pew research center, global religious landscape: buddhists. 495 million, or 535 million people as of the 2010s, representing 7% to 8% of the world's total population. china is the country with the largest population of buddhists, approximately 244 million or 18.2% of its total population. they are mostly followers of chinese schools of mahayana, making this the largest body of buddhist traditions. mahayana, also practiced in broader east asia, is followed by over half of world buddhists. the second largest body of buddhist schools is theravada, mostly followed in southeast asia. the third and smallest body of schools, vajrayana, is followed mostly in tibet, mongolia and parts of russia, but has been disseminated throughout the world. according to a demographic analysis reported by peter harvey (2013): * eastern buddhism (mahayana) has 360 million adherents; * southern buddhism (theravada) has 150 million adherents; and * northern buddhism (vajrayana) has 18,2 million adherents. * seven million additional buddhists are found outside of asia. == by country == {| class="sortable wikitable" |+ buddhism by country |- ! country/territory ! population (2013)cia's the world factbook: populations as of july 2013 ! % buddhist: 1. pew, 2. arda. ! number of buddhists |- |  afghanistan | style="text-align:right;"| 31,108,077 | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:right;"| |- |  [[buddhism in africa|a
Buddhism_by_country