Buddhism in Africa
Buddhism, as a major world religion, is practiced in Africa. Though there have been some conversion amongst Africans, most of the Buddhists in Africa are of Asian descent, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan or Japanese.
South Africa holds the largest Buddhist population in the continent. According to 2010s estimates, Buddhist adherents (included Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion) are increasing to between 0.2%[1] 0.3%[2] of the South African population, or between 100 and 150 thousand people, however, the number of practicing Buddhists may be lower.
The African countries and territories in the Indian Ocean also have significant Buddhist minorities. Mauritius has the highest Buddhist percentage (between 1.5[3] to 2%[4] of the total population) among African countries due to high number of Chinese people (nearly 40 thousands or 3% of the Mauritian population[5]). However, the number of practicing Buddhists is only about 0.4,[6] and Madagascar is also home of about 20 thousand Buddhists[7] (or about 0.1%[8] of the total population). In the Seychelles and Réunion, Buddhists represented about 0.1%[9][10] to 0.2%[1][11] of the island populations.
In North Africa, about 0.3%[1][12] (or about 20 thousand people) of the Libya's population are also Buddhists (mostly foreign workers from Asia). There are also two Buddhist centers in Casablanca, Morocco.[13]
There are some Buddhist centers or temples can be found in Sub-Saharan African countries like: Botswana,[14] Cameroon,[15] Ghana,[16] Guinea,[17] Ivory Coast,[18] Kenya,[19] Lesotho,[20] Liberia,[21] Malawi,[22] Mali,[23] Namibia,[24] Nigeria,[25] Senegal, Sierra Leone,[26] Swaziland,[27] Tanzania,[28] Togo,[29] Uganda,[30] Zambia,[31] and Zimbabwe.[32]
There have also been cases of some high-profile celebrities converting to Buddhism such as Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, a famous British actor of Nigerian descent.[33]
One of the very few monastics of African descent is Ven. Bhante Buddharakkhita from Uganda, founder of the Uganda Buddhist Centre.
Buddhist population by country[]
Countries/Territories | Practicing Buddhism (2010's estimates)[34] |
Chinese Folk Religions (2010's estimates)[35] |
Combined numbers |
---|---|---|---|
Eastern Africa | |||
Burundi | - | - | - |
Comoros | - | - | - |
Djibouti | - | - | - |
Eritrea | - | - | - |
Ethiopia | 1,327 | - | 1,327 |
Kenya | 1,276 | 1,945 | 3,221 |
Madagascar | 5,178 | 10,357 | 15,535 |
Malawi | available[22][36] | - | - |
Mauritius | 3,222 | 17,292 | 20,514 |
Mayotte (France) | - | - | - |
Mozambique | 2,035 | 4,341 | 6,376 |
Réunion (France) | 1,570 | - | 1,570 |
Rwanda | - | - | - |
Seychelles | available[9] | available[10] | - |
Somalia | - | - | - |
South Sudan | - | - | - |
Tanzania | 10,157 | 23,699 | 33,856 |
Uganda | 2,005 | 4,278 | 6,283 |
Zambia | 3,927 | 8,377 | 12,304 |
Zimbabwe | 189 | 402 | 591 |
Central Africa | |||
Angola | 1,632 | 162 | 1,794 |
Cameroon | 353 | 753 | 1,106 |
Central African Republic | - | - | - |
Chad | 1,684 | 3,593 | 5,277 |
Republic of the Congo | - | 283 | 283 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | 3,734 | - | - |
Equatorial Guinea | - | - | - |
Gabon | - | - | - |
São Tomé and Príncipe | - | - | - |
Northern Africa | |||
Algeria | 5,320 | 11,350 | 16,670 |
Egypt | 1,687 | - | - |
Libya | 20,209 | 1,773 | 21,982 |
Morocco | available[13] | - | - |
Sudan | 982 | 2,094 | 3,076 |
Tunisia | 79 | 168 | 247 |
Western Sahara | - | - | - |
Southern Africa | |||
Botswana | 1,120 | 111 | 1,231 |
Lesotho | available[20] | - | - |
Namibia | available[24] | - | - |
South Africa | 159,220 | 35,589 | 194,809 |
Swaziland | available[27] | - | - |
Western Africa | |||
Benin | - | - | - |
Burkina Faso | available[37] | - | - |
Cape Verde | - | - | - |
Gambia | - | - | - |
Ghana | 488 | 707 | 1,195 |
Guinea | 8,983 | - | - |
Guinea-Bissau | - | - | - |
Ivory Coast | 9,869 | - | - |
Liberia | available[21] | - | - |
Mali | available[23] | ||
Mauritania | - | - | - |
Niger | - | - | - |
Nigeria | 8,458 | 4,675 | 13,133 |
Senegal | 1,679 | 398 | 2,057 |
Sierra Leone | available[26][38] | ||
Togo | available[29][39] | - | - |
Africa | 256,383 | 132,348 | 388,731 |
See also[]
- Buddhism in Libya
- Buddhism in Senegal
- Buddhism in Réunion
- Buddhism in South Africa
- Index of Buddhism-related articles
Further reading[]
- Clasquin, Michel / Krüger, Jacobus S. (eds.) (1999): Buddhism and Africa. Pretoria: University of South Africa
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Global Religious Landscape - Religious Composition by Country". The Pew Forum. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Religious Adherents, 2010 – South Africa". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Religious Adherents, 2010 – Mauritius (0.2% Buddhist + 1.3% Chinese Folk Religion)". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Buddhism in Mauritius (1981)". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2011.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- ^ Background Note: Mauritius, U.S. Department of State: U.S. Department of State, 2010, retrieved 2012-03-24
- ^ "Resident population by religion and sex" (PDF). Statistics Mauritius. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
- ^ religiousintelligence.co.uk - Madagascar
- ^ "Religious Adherents, 2010 - Madagascar". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Seychelles Travel Guide - Religion". Archived from the original on 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Religious Adherents, 2010 - Seychelles". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Religious Adherents, 2010 – Réunion". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "Religious Adherents, 2010 - Libya". World Christian Database. Retrieved 28 July 2013., AllGov - Libya
- ^ Jump up to: a b "List of Buddhist centers in Morocco". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Botswana". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Cameroon". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Ghana". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "state.gov". state.gov. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Cote d'Ivoire". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Kenya". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b state.gov
- ^ Jump up to: a b "state.gov". state.gov. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Amitofo Care Center, Malawi
- ^ Jump up to: a b "List of Buddhist centers in Mali". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "state.gov - Namibia". state.gov. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ Nigeria News - Being Buddhist
- ^ Jump up to: a b SGI-Sierra Leone Hosts Buddhist Seminar Archived January 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jump up to: a b "First Buddhist funeral in Swaziland". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ state.gov - Tanzania, List of Buddhist centers in Tanzania
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Fostering Peace in Togo". Archived from the original on 2017-04-01. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
- ^ First Buddhist center in Uganda
- ^ Buddhist Study Exams Held in Zambia, Korea and the USA Archived July 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "state.gov". state.gov. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ^ http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/19172-60-seconds-adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje
- ^ Most Buddhist Nations (2010) | QuickLists | The Association of Religion Data Archives
- ^ Most Chinese Universist Nations (2010) | QuickLists | The Association of Religion Data Archives
- ^ ""Buddha In Africa" (Story Of Malawian Boy Raised In Chinese Orphanage & Trained In Martial Arts) Gets Development Boost". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
- ^ "List of Buddhist centers in Burkina Faso". BuddhaNet. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ SGI members in Sierra Leone Organize Buddhist Seminars Archived February 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SGI-Togo Appoints New Leaders Archived February 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- Buddhism in Africa
- Buddhism by country