Buddhism in Africa explained

Buddhism is practised in Africa. Though there have been some conversions amongst Africans, the majority of 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 estimates in the 2010s, Buddhist adherents (together with Taoism and Chinese Folk Religion) had been increasing there to between 0.2%[1] or 0.3%[2] of the South African population, or between 100 and 150 thousand people, however, the number of practising 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 a high number of Chinese people (nearly 40 thousand or 3% of the Mauritian population). However, the number of practicing Buddhists is only about 0.4,[5] and Madagascar is also home of about 20 thousand Buddhists[6] (or about 0.1%[7] of the total population). In the Seychelles and Réunion, Buddhists represented about 0.1%[8] [9] to 0.2%[1] [10] of the islands' populations.

In North Africa, about 0.3%[1] [11] (or about 20 thousand people) of Libya's population are also Buddhists (mostly foreign workers from Asia). There are also two Buddhist centers in Casablanca, Morocco.[12]

Buddhist centers and temples can be found in Sub-Saharan African countries such as: Botswana,[13] Cameroon,[14] Ghana,[15] Guinea,[16] Ivory Coast,[17] Kenya,[18] Lesotho,[19] Liberia,[20] Malawi,[21] Mali,[22] Namibia,[23] Nigeria,[24] Senegal, Sierra Leone,[25] Swaziland,[26] Tanzania,[27] Togo,[28] Uganda,[29] Zambia,[30] and Zimbabwe.[31]

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.[32]

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/TerritoriesPracticing Buddhism
(2010's estimates)[33] 		Chinese Folk Religions
(2010's estimates)[34] 		Combined numbers
Eastern Africa
Burundi---
Comoros---
Djibouti---
Eritrea---
Ethiopia1,327-1,327
Kenya1,2761,9453,221
Madagascar5,17810,35715,535
Malawiavailable[35] --
Mauritius3,22217,29220,514
Mayotte (France)---
Mozambique2,0354,3416,376
Reunion (France)1,570-1,570
Rwanda---
Seychellesavailableavailable -
Somalia---
---
10,15723,69933,856
Uganda2,0054,2786,283
Zambia3,9278,37712,304
Zimbabwe189402591
Central Africa
Angola1,6321621,794
Cameroon3537531,106
Central African Republic---
Chad1,6843,5935,277
-283283
3,734--
Equatorial Guinea---
Gabon---
---
Northern Africa
Algeria5,32011,35016,670
Egypt1,687--
Libya20,2091,77321,982
Moroccoavailable--
Sudan9822,0943,076
Tunisia79168247
Western Sahara---
Southern Africa
Botswana1,1201111,231
Lesothoavailable--
Namibiaavailable--
South Africa159,22035,589194,809
Swazilandavailable--
Western Africa
Benin---
Burkina Fasoavailable[36] --
Cape Verde---
Gambia---
Ghana4887071,195
Guinea8,983--
Guinea-Bissau---
9,869--
Liberiaavailable--
Maliavailable
Mauritania---
Niger---
Nigeria8,4584,67513,133
Senegal1,6793982,057
Sierra Leoneavailable[37]
Togoavailable[38] --
Africa256,383132,348388,731

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Global Religious Landscape - Religious Composition by Country. The Pew Forum. 28 July 2013. 1 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130101080244/http://features.pewforum.org/grl/population-percentage.php. dead.
  2. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 – South Africa. World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 30 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190930204203/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_207_2.asp. live.
  3. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 – Mauritius (0.2% Buddhist + 1.3% Chinese Folk Religion). World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 3 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190403190400/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_147_2.asp. live.
  4. Web site: Buddhism in Mauritius (1981) . Adherents.com . 20 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170507045338/http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_202.html . 7 May 2017 . usurped .
  5. Web site: Resident population by religion and sex. Statistics Mauritius. 68. 1 November 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131016141533/http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/cso/file/2011VolIIPC.pdf. 16 October 2013.
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20080406130243/http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/country/?CountryID=141 religiousintelligence.co.uk - Madagascar
  7. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 - Madagascar. World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 12 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131012044855/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_137_2.asp. live.
  8. Web site: Seychelles Travel Guide - Religion . 2013-08-03 . 2017-02-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170222080750/http://seychellestour.com/seychelles-guide/religion/ . dead .
  9. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 - Seychelles. World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 12 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131012045753/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_199_2.asp. live.
  10. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 – Réunion. World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 15 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130515062342/http://thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_184_2.asp. live.
  11. Web site: Religious Adherents, 2010 - Libya. World Christian Database. 28 July 2013. 2 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131002091547/http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_133_2.asp. live., AllGov - Libya
  12. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Morocco. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035457/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=26. live.
  13. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Botswana. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106042105/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=79. live.
  14. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Cameroon. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040422/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=30. live.
  15. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Ghana. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106042107/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=33. live.
  16. Web site: state.gov. state.gov. 28 July 2013. 20 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200720101748/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2012/af/208156.htm. live.
  17. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Cote d'Ivoire. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106042109/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=31. live.
  18. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Kenya. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106040559/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=32. live.
  19. Web site: state.gov . 2023-01-14 . 2022-04-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220405173119/https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71308.htm . live .
  20. Web site: state.gov . state.gov . 28 July 2013 . 25 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210325185029/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2011/af/192727.htm . live .
  21. Web site: Amitofo Care Center, Malawi . 2013-08-03 . 2013-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130806163916/http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,3256,0,0,1,0#.UfWVTdLIZIM . live .
  22. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Mali. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 6 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140106042111/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=34. live.
  23. Web site: state.gov - Namibia. state.gov. 28 July 2013. 25 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210325145637/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2011/af/192741.htm. live.
  24. Web site: Nigeria News - Being Buddhist . 2013-08-03 . 2014-01-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140106032947/http://news2.onlinenigeria.com/news/general/81936-being-buddhist.html . live .
  25. http://www.sgi.org/news/events/events2009/events090823c.html SGI-Sierra Leone Hosts Buddhist Seminar
  26. Web site: First Buddhist funeral in Swaziland. Times of Swaziland. 28 July 2013. 5 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130805115846/http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,11014,0,0,1,0#.Ufb83NLIZIM. live.
  27. https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2012/af/208204.htm state.gov - Tanzania
  28. Web site: Fostering Peace in Togo . 2013-08-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170401014424/http://www.sgiquarterly.org/country2006Jly-1.html . 2017-04-01 . dead .
  29. Web site: First Buddhist center in Uganda . 2013-08-03 . 2013-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130806170323/http://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=71,5414,0,0,1,0#.UfcVy9LIZIM . live .
  30. http://www.sgi.org/news/events/events2012/buddhist-study-exams-zambia-korea-usa.html Buddhist Study Exams Held in Zambia, Korea and the USA
  31. Web site: state.gov . state.gov . 30 July 2013 . 20 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200720103059/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2012/af/208212.htm . live .
  32. Web site: 60 SECONDS: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. 30 August 2006. 6 October 2010. 16 August 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110816013049/http://www.metro.co.uk/showbiz/interviews/19172-60-seconds-adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje. dead.
  33. Web site: Most Buddhist Nations (2010) QuickLists The Association of Religion Data Archives . 2013-08-20 . 2019-02-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190225183753/http://www.thearda.com/QL2010/QuickList_38.asp . live .
  34. Web site: Most Chinese Universist Nations (2010) QuickLists The Association of Religion Data Archives . 2013-08-20 . 2019-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190308184219/http://www.thearda.com/QL2010/QuickList_41.asp . live .
  35. Web site: "Buddha In Africa" (Story Of Malawian Boy Raised In Chinese Orphanage & Trained In Martial Arts) Gets Development Boost . 2013-08-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140221220517/http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/buddha-in-africa-story-of-malawian-boy-raised-in-chinese-orphanage-trained-in-martial-arts-gets-development-boost . 2014-02-21 . dead .
  36. Web site: List of Buddhist centers in Burkina Faso. BuddhaNet. 28 July 2013. 21 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221103344/http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/search.php?keyword=&search=Search&country_id=29. live.
  37. http://www.sgi.org/news/events/events2010/events100321b.html SGI members in Sierra Leone Organize Buddhist Seminars
  38. http://www.sgi.org/news/events/events2012/sgi-togo-appoints-new-leaders.html SGI-Togo Appoints New Leaders

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