The Hindu, Sikh and Jain Diaspora
With this note we are closing this series of the religious demography of
India and the world. We still have to discuss and analyze the religious
demography of the scheduled tribes of the Central and Western India. That issue
needs to be looked carefully and in great detail. We shall take it up somewhat
later.
In this final note in our series on the religious
demography of India and the world in the context of the Religion Data of Census
2011, we present an estimate of the numbers of Hindu, Sikh and Jain diaspora and
their distribution across the world. The numbers in this note are from the international religious
demography sources that we have been using. For the Indian region, numbers
of the Census of India are certainly more reliable.
Hindu diaspora is not large compared to their total
numbers. Of 949 million Hindus in the world, 933 million are in their homeland
of South Asia. There are only 15.5 million Hindus beyond South Asia. Of them
8.4 millions are in other regions of Asia leaving only 7.1 million Hindus in
the world beyond Asia.
Thus only 1.63 percent of the Hindus are away from
their home region. That fraction was 0.86 percent in 1900. This rise in the
share of the diaspora in the total population has been largely because of
migration of Hindu blue-collar workers to West Asia and migration of
professional white-collar workers to Europe and North America.
A large part of the Hindu diaspora is in Southeast
Asia. But the number of Hindus in that region has declined in the last decade,
from 10.3 million in 2000 to 6.9 million in 2010. This is because of the sharp
decline in the number of native Hindus in Indonesia.
After Southeast Asia, the largest number of Hindus is
in West Asia. There are 1.3 million Hindus in that region, all of them in the
peninsular Arabia. All this migration of Hindus to this region has taken place
after 1970, when there were only 14 thousand Hindus there. There are not many
Hindus in other regions of Asia.
There are 2.9 million Hindus in Africa. Of them, 1.6
million are in East Africa, mostly in Mauritius, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Another about 1.2 million Hindus are in South Africa. There are only a few
Hindus in other regions of Africa.
There are 1.0 million Hindus in Europe. Of them, 0.7
million are in the UK. The remaining Hindus are mostly in Netherlands, Germany
and France. In 1970, there were only 220 thousand Hindus in Europe and all of
them were in the UK. In 1990 and 2000, there were about 0.7 to 0.8 million
Hindus in Russia also, but that number has declined to negligible levels now.
Another 1.8 million Hindus are in North America. Of
them 1.4 million are in the USA and 0.4 million in Canada. In 1970, there were
only 0.12 million Hindus in that continent.
There are also about 0.8 million Hindus in Latin
America. Nearly all of them are in Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and Suriname.
There are another 0.5 million Hindus in Oceania. Of
them, nearly half are in Fiji and the other half in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1970, there were only 4 thousand Hindus in New Zealand and none in
Australia.
Sikh diaspora is bigger than the Hindu diaspora in
relative terms. Of 23.9 million Sikhs in the world, 22.4 million are in South
Asia and about 1.5 million elsewhere in the world. The diaspora thus forms 6.4
percent of all Sikhs, implying that every 15th or 16th Sikh is away from the
homeland.
Of 1.5 million Sikhs outside South Asia, 0.3 million
are in the rest of Asia, 0.5 million in Europe and 0.6 million in North
America. There are only 73 thousand Sikhs in Africa, almost all of them in
Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. And there are 50 thousand in Oceania, nearly
all of them in Australia and New Zealand.
Of 302 thousand Sikhs in Asia excluding South Asia,
157 thousand are in Southeast Asia, almost all of them in Malaysia, Singapore,
Thailand and Philippines. Another 109 thousand Sikhs are in West Asia. There
are only a few Sikhs in East and Central Asia.
Of 502 thousand Sikhs in Europe, 412 thousand are in
the United Kingdom. And of 607 thousand Sikhs in North America, 328 thousand
are in Canada and 279 thousand in the USA. Canada and the UK thus seem
particularly hospitable to Sikhs. The two countries account for nearly fifty
percent of the entire Sikh diaspora. There has been considerable rise in the
number of Sikhs in the UK and also Canada during the last decade.
Of 5.3 million Jains in the world, 223 thousand are
beyond South Asia. This means that 4.20 percent of the Jains are away from
their homeland. This fraction is also much bigger than the Hindus, only 1.63
percent of whom are away from South Asia. There has been a sudden rise in the
Jain diaspora. In 2000, that number was only 76 thousand.
Of 223 thousand Jains in the world beyond South Asia,
94 thousand are in Africa, most of them in Kenya. Another 100 thousand are in
North America, mostly in the USA.
Thus both Sikh and Jain diaspora are considerably
bigger than the Hindu diaspora as a fraction of their population. But, both
Sikh and Jain diaspora are less widespread than the Hindus. The latter are
everywhere. The Sikhs and Jains, on the other hand, are concentrated in a few
countries of the world.
Distribution of Hindus across the World
|
Number of Hindus in different
Continents of the World
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Total
|
203,003
|
462,598
|
685,999
|
811,336
|
948,575
|
|
South Asia
|
201,239
|
456,803
|
671,998
|
793,912
|
933,115
|
|
Outside South Asia
|
1,765
|
5,794
|
14,001
|
17,424
|
15,460
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
1,308
|
3,695
|
8,833
|
11,208
|
8,365
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
457
|
2,099
|
5,168
|
6,216
|
7,095
|
|
Percent share of different
Continents in the Hindus of the World
|
|||||
|
South Asia
|
99.13
|
98.75
|
97.96
|
97.85
|
98.37
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
0.64
|
0.80
|
1.29
|
1.38
|
0.88
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
0.22
|
0.45
|
0.75
|
0.77
|
0.75
|
Hinduism is not a proselytizing religion
Unlike Christianity and Islam, Hinduism is not a proselytizing religion;
Hindus do not go around the world converting others to their faith. Though in
classical times, when Indian civilization was at its peak, several countries of
Southeast Asia came under the Hindu influence and evolved their own distinctive
forms of Hinduism, remnants of which still survive in parts of Indonesia. Several
other countries of Southeast and East Asia adopted Buddhism, another religious manifestation
of the Indian civilization. As we have seen in our previous
note, in many of those countries of Asia,
Buddhism continues to survive and retain great vitality, though its connections
with India have become tenuous.
There are not many Hindus outside South
Asia
Hindus are today confined almost entirely to their homeland of South
Asia, which is essentially the geographic and political India of the earlier
times. Of 949 million Hindus in the world in 2010, only 15.5 million are
outside South Asia and of them 8.4 million are in the rest of Asia, leaving
only 7.1 million in the world beyond Asia.
Their number in the rest of Asia has
been declining
Number of Hindus in Asia beyond South Asia showed some rise, especially after
1970. This was mainly because of a new stream of migration to West Asia. But
during the last decade, number of Hindus in Asia excluding South Asia has
declined precipitously from 11.2 to 8.4 million. This decline is due to the
decline of Hindus in Indonesia from 7.3 million in 2000 to 3.9 million in 2010,
as we shall see below.
Less than two percent of Hindus are
outside South Asia
Hindus beyond South Asia form only 1.63 percent of the Hindus in the
world. Between 1900 and 2000, there was some rise in this fraction from 0.87 to
2.15 percent; during the last decade it has declined to the current level. Both
the fraction of Hindus in Asia excluding South Asia and in the world beyond
Asia had increased somewhat between 1900 and 2000; both fractions have declined
in the last decade.
Of 1.63 percent Hindus outside South Asia in 2010, 0.88 percent are in
the rest of Asia and 0.75 percent in the world beyond Asia. In 1900, only 0.22
percent of the Hindus were outside Asia. That fraction has indeed increased by
more than 3.5 times. But given the extraordinary movement of people across the
world during the twentieth century, presence of 0.75 percent of the Hindus
outside Asia does not seem large.
Within South Asia, Hindus are getting
confined to India
As seen in the Table below, 91.4 percent of the Hindus in South Asia
were in what now constitutes India at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In 2010, 95.8 percent of the Hindus of South Asia are in India. This is mainly
because of the expulsion of Hindus from the areas that now form Pakistan and
Bangladesh. In 1900, 6.43 percent of the Hindus in South Asia were in Pakistan
and Bangladesh; in 2010, the two countries accommodate only 1.76 percent of the
Hindus of South Asia. Nepal now accommodates about 2.2 percent of the Hindus of
South Asia, which is somewhat higher than the ratio in 1900. But during the
last decade, Nepal’s share in the Hindus of South Asia has experienced a
decline. Share of Sri Lanka in the Hindus of South Asia has also declined after
1970. The numbers thus give a distinct impression that the Hindus in South Asia
are getting confined to the current truncated boundaries of India.
|
Number of Hindus in different
countries of South Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
South Asia
|
201,239
|
456,803
|
671,998
|
793,912
|
933,116
|
|
India
|
184,023
|
433,214
|
639,696
|
755,135
|
893,642
|
|
Bangladesh
|
9,372
|
11,169
|
14,000
|
15,995
|
14,096
|
|
Pakistan
|
3,560
|
890
|
1,420
|
1,868
|
2,290
|
|
Nepal
|
3,410
|
9,100
|
14,503
|
18,354
|
20,282
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
828
|
2,174
|
2,000
|
2,124
|
2,722
|
|
Percent share of different countries
in the Hindus of Asia
|
|||||
|
India
|
91.45
|
94.84
|
95.19
|
95.12
|
95.77
|
|
Bangladesh
|
4.66
|
2.45
|
2.08
|
2.01
|
1.51
|
|
Pakistan
|
1.77
|
0.19
|
0.21
|
0.24
|
0.25
|
|
Nepal
|
1.69
|
1.99
|
2.16
|
2.31
|
2.17
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
0.41
|
0.48
|
0.30
|
0.27
|
0.29
|
Hindus in Rest of Asia
|
Number of Hindus in other regions
of Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Rest of Asia
|
1,308
|
3,696
|
8,833
|
11,208
|
8,365
|
|
Southeast Asia
|
1,292
|
3,556
|
8,162
|
10,252
|
6,918
|
|
West Asia
|
3
|
14
|
534
|
805
|
1,339
|
|
Central Asia
|
6
|
108
|
101
|
111
|
45
|
|
East Asia
|
7
|
18
|
36
|
40
|
62
|
Of the 15.5 million Hindus outside South Asia, 8.4 million are in other
regions of Asia. Of them, 6.9 million are in Southeast Asia and 1.3 million in
West Asia. There are not many Hindus in Central and East Asia.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia came under Hindu and Buddhist influence early, perhaps by
the third century BC. Native Hindu-Buddhist empires, ruled many countries of
the region for centuries. These included Champa in Vietnam, Khmer in Cambodia,
Sri Vijaya in Sumatra, Singosari and Majapahit empires in Java, Bali and parts
of the Philippine Archipelago, and Langkasuka, Ganga Negara and Kedah in the
Malay Peninsula. Modern Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam,
Cambodia and Philippines, as also Myanmar in the near vicinity of India, were
thus all parts of the Indian civilizational sphere. Later, Indonesia, which
remained Hindu up to perhaps the sixteenth century, turned Islamic. Malaysia
also became largely Islamic. Philippines continued to follow its traditional
religions, which were strongly influenced by Hinduism, well into the modern
times. The country, along with East Timor in the neighboring Indonesian
archipelago, was converted to Christianity during colonial times by Spain and
USA. Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar remain Buddhist to this day.
But native Hindu presence there has largely waned in the region.
Now only Indonesia retains significant numbers of native Hindus. Hindus
in other parts of Southeast Asia are largely descendants of indentured labourers
brought into different parts of Southeast Asia by the British.
Their total number in the region was rising till 2000; it has undergone
a sudden and sharp decline in the last decade. There were 1.3 million Hindus in
Southeast Asia in 1900; that number rose to 10.3 million by 2000, but has now
declined to 6.9 million. The decline is spread across several countries of Southeast
Asia, but is the most precipitate in Indonesia.
Indonesia
|
Number
(‘000) and percent share of Hindus
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Hindus
|
776
|
2,318
|
5,800
|
7,259
|
3,891
|
|
%Share
|
2.00
|
1.93
|
3.17
|
3.42
|
1.62
|
According to the international
religious demography sources that we are using,
number of Hindus in Indonesia was 7.3 million in 2000 and has declined to 3.9
million in 2010. The decline may be related to changes in the methodology adopted
by our sources. Census of Indonesia counted 3.5 million Hindus in 2000 and 4.0
million in 2010, with their share in the total population changing marginally
from 1.79 to 1.69 percent in this period.
The Census numbers for Hindus are considered too low by many sources.
According to the US
Department of State Annual Report on Freedom of Religion for 2006, the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs had then estimated the
Hindu population to be around 6.5 million. According to the same report, Parishada Hindu Dharma Indonesia
estimated the number of Hindus at 18 million. The Report for 2010, mentions the number estimated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to
be even higher at 10 million.
Hindus in Indonesia are an ancient community. Hindu kingdoms ruled the
main Islands of Java and Sumatra for several centuries until they were forced
to shift to Bali in the sixteenth century under persistent Islamic attacks. The
Island of Bali is now mostly Hindu. Of about 4 million Hindus counted in the
Indonesian Census of 2010, 3.2 million are in Bali. However, their share in the
population of Bali is declining. According to the Census, they formed 88
percent of the population of Bali in 2000; their share in 2010 has declined to
83.5 percent.
The low number and declining share of Hindus in Indonesia seems to be partly
a matter of lack of official recognition. Unfortunately, there are no Indian institutions
that keep track of the condition and demographics of Hindus in Indonesia or
elsewhere.
Malaysia
|
Number
(‘000) and percent share of
Hindus in Malaysia |
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Hindus
|
210
|
805
|
1,315
|
1,630
|
1,780
|
|
%Share
|
10.00
|
7.41
|
7.37
|
7.33
|
6.27
|
Hinduism in Malaysia also has ancient roots, as in Indonesia. But unlike
in Indonesia, not many Malay Hindus have been able to evade conversion to
Islam. Nearly all of the Hindus in Malaysia now are descendants of the
indentured labourers brought by the British during the 19th and 20th centuries,
mostly from South India. In 2010, there are about 1.78 million Hindus in
Malaysia. They form 6.3 percent of the total population of 28.4 million. Their
share has declined to this level from 10 percent in 1900. During the last
decade alone, they have suffered a depletion of more than 1 percentage point.
This decline of the presence of Hindus in Malaysia is mainly a consequence of
the ascendance of Islam in public life there since the 1950s. Hindu community
in Malaysia is known to be under severe pressure because of the public life in
the country turning more and more aggressively Islamic with State patronage and
support.
Singapore
|
Number
(‘000) and percent share of
Hindus in Singapore |
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Hindus
|
16
|
120
|
150
|
181
|
267
|
|
%Share
|
6.48
|
5.78
|
4.97
|
5.07
|
5.25
|
Singapore was once a part of Malaysia and historical roots of Hinduism
in the island are similar to the peninsular Malaysia. Singapore, however, has a
much larger Chinese presence than Malaysia and corresponding lower Muslim
presence. Share of Hindus in the population is also somewhat lower than in
Malaysia. Since 1970, there has been some improvement in the share of Hindus,
probably because of migration from India.
Myanmar
|
Number
(‘000) and percent share of
Hindus in Myanmar |
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Hindus
|
284
|
250
|
660
|
893
|
818
|
|
%Share
|
2.72
|
0.92
|
1.63
|
1.96
|
1.71
|
Myanmar has been within the Indian cultural and political sphere since
ancient times and was part of British India until the 1930s. There are few native
Hindus in Myanmar now. Hindus, currently there, are largely descendants of the
Hindu workers brought by the British in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
After Independence, Myanmar expelled a large number of ethnic Indians
and Chinese. Those expulsions reduced the share of Hindus in the country from
2.72 percent in 1900 to 0.92 percent in 1970. In the subsequent decades, there
was some rise in their share. But during the last decade, both the absolute
number and the share of Hindus have declined.
Hindus in other Southeast Asian
countries
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Thailand,
Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines |
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Thailand
|
6
|
60
|
180
|
214
|
67
|
|
Vietnam
|
0
|
0
|
28
|
35
|
53
|
|
Cambodia
|
0
|
1
|
20
|
29
|
30
|
|
Philippines
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
There is now only a smattering of Hindus in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam
and Philippines. Thailand and Cambodia are largely Buddhist. About half of
Vietnam is Buddhist. In 2010, there are only about 67 thousand Hindus in
Thailand, 53 thousand in Vietnam, 30 thousand in Cambodia and 3 thousand in
Philippines. There are a few Hindus in some other countries of the region
including Laos. These are probably expatriate Hindu communities, whose numbers
keeping changing.
Southeast Asia, which once formed part of Greater India, is not Hindu
any more. Though, most of the countries in the region, except Indonesia,
Malaysia and Philippines, still remain within the Indian civilizational
influence through their Buddhist faith. Indonesia and Malaysia have turned
Islamic and Philippines has become Christian. But much Hindu civilizational
influence persists even in these countries, especially in Indonesia.
West Asia
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in West Asia
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
West Asia
|
3
|
14
|
534
|
805
|
1,339
|
|
Kuwait
|
0
|
4
|
39
|
55
|
98
|
|
Oman
|
0
|
2
|
90
|
145
|
153
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
0
|
1
|
160
|
240
|
311
|
|
UAE
|
0
|
1
|
125
|
187
|
492
|
|
Yemen
|
3
|
4
|
80
|
125
|
152
|
|
Bahrain
|
0
|
2
|
28
|
39
|
82
|
|
Qatar
|
0
|
0
|
12
|
15
|
44
|
After Southeast Asia, Hindus are present in any significant numbers only
in West Asia. In 2010, there are 1.34 million Hindus in this region. Almost all
of the Hindus have reached West Asia after 1970. And, almost all of them are in
the Arabian Peninsula. Of 1.34 million Hindus in the region, about 500 thousand
are in United Arab Emirates and another 300 thousand in Saudi Arabia. Oman and
Yemen both have about 150 thousand Hindus. There are also significant number of
Hindus in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. There are hardly any Hindus in other
countries of West Asia.
The size of Indian diaspora in West Asia is much larger than the number
of Hindus. A large proportion of the Indians in that region are Muslims. Both
Indian Hindus and Indian Muslims in West Asia are mainly contract labourers.
They have hardly any citizenship rights and unlike the Indian indentured labourers
that the British sent to their far-flung colonies, Indian labourers in West
Asia cannot expect to be allowed to settle there permanently.
Central Asia
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Central Asia
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Central Asia
|
6
|
108
|
101
|
111
|
45
|
|
Afghanistan
|
5
|
100
|
75
|
80
|
11
|
|
Iran
|
1
|
8
|
25
|
31
|
34
|
In 2010, there are only about 45 thousand Hindus in Central Asia. Of
them, 11 thousand are in Afghanistan and 34 thousand in Iran. In 1970, there
were 100 thousand Hindus in Afghanistan. There has been a sharp decline in
their number since then. The decline has been particularly sharp during the
last decade. In Iran, the number of Hindus has increased from 8 thousand in 1970
to 34 thousand in 2010; but that number is insignificant in the total Iranian
population of about 74 million.
East Asia
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in East Asia
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
East Asia
|
7
|
18
|
36
|
40
|
62
|
|
China
|
3
|
13
|
15
|
16
|
36
|
|
Japan
|
4
|
5
|
21
|
24
|
24
|
|
South Korea
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
There are only about 62 thousand Hindus in the whole of East Asia. Of
these, 36 thousand are in China, 24 thousand in Japan and 2 thousand in South
Korea. There has been some increase in their numbers since 1970. But they do
not have a significant presence in any of these highly populous countries of
the East Asian region.
Thus, in Asia outside South Asia, the only settled Hindu community with
significant numbers is in Indonesia. They are native Hindu and perhaps have no
living contact with India. The other significant Hindu community is in West
Asia. Hindus in West Asia, of course, are in continuous contact with their
compatriots back home, but they have little rights or standing in their host
countries.
Hindus beyond Asia
|
Number of Hindus beyond Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Outside Asia
|
456
|
2,099
|
5,168
|
6,216
|
7,095
|
|
Africa
|
279
|
994
|
1,940
|
2,351
|
2,930
|
|
Europe
|
0
|
243
|
1,243
|
1,416
|
1,052
|
|
North
America
|
1
|
120
|
975
|
1,327
|
1,835
|
|
Latin
America
|
163
|
527
|
703
|
768
|
764
|
|
Oceania
|
13
|
214
|
308
|
355
|
513
|
There are about 7.1 million Hindus in the world beyond Asia. Of them,
2.9 million are in Africa, 1.1 million in Europe, 1.8 million in North America,
0.8 million in Latin America and 0.5 million in Oceania. Everywhere, their
absolute numbers have increased since the beginning of the century and also
between 1970 and 2010. But, except in Europe and North America, their share in
the population of their host continents has either declined or remained
unchanged.
Hindus in Africa
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Africa
|
279
|
994
|
1,939
|
2,351
|
2,930
|
|
East Africa
|
229
|
556
|
1,059
|
1,272
|
1,612
|
|
South Africa
|
50
|
433
|
799
|
964
|
1,202
|
|
Central Africa
|
0.0
|
1.0
|
64
|
93
|
99
|
|
West Africa
|
0.1
|
3.0
|
12.0
|
15.0
|
9.8
|
|
North Africa
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
4.9
|
6.3
|
7.4
|
Nearly all of the Hindus in Africa are in East and South Africa. In
2010, the two regions have 1.6 and 1.2 million, respectively, of the total 2.9
million Hindus in the continent. Besides these two regions, there are about 99
thousand Hindus in Central Africa, 9.8 thousand in West Africa and 7.4 thousand
in North Africa.
East Africa
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in East Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
East Africa
|
229
|
556
|
1,059
|
1,272
|
1,612
|
|
Mauritius
|
206
|
379
|
474
|
508
|
574
|
|
Tanzania
|
2
|
21
|
210
|
289
|
388
|
|
Uganda
|
0
|
65
|
132
|
174
|
269
|
|
Kenya
|
10
|
63
|
120
|
146
|
204
|
Of 1.6 million Hindus in East Africa, 574 thousand are in Mauritius, 388
thousand in Tanzania, 269 thousand in Uganda and 204 thousand in Kenya. In
1900, there were only 229 thousand Hindus in East Africa and of them 206
thousand were in Mauritius. Absolute numbers of Hindus in all these countries
have increased in the last 110 years, but their share in the population is
miniscule everywhere excepting Mauritius. In Mauritius, they form 44 percent of
the population now; in 1900, their share was 54 percent. After Mauritius,
Tanzania has the highest proportion of Hindus in its population and it amounts
to just 0.9 percent. Almost all of the Hindus in Tanzania have arrived after
1970.
South Africa
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in South Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
S. Africa
|
50
|
433
|
799
|
964
|
1,202
|
|
RSA
|
50
|
433
|
795
|
959
|
1,196
|
Of 1.2 million Hindus in South Africa, all except about 6 thousand are
in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). The remaining 6 thousand are distributed
in Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. In RSA, Hindus form 2.39 percent of the
population, which is more than double their share of 1.02 percent at the
beginning of the twentieth century. In other countries, their share is
negligibly small.
Central Africa
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Central Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
C. Africa
|
0
|
1
|
64
|
93
|
99
|
|
DRC
|
0
|
1
|
64
|
93
|
99
|
There are only 99 thousand Hindus in Central Africa and all of them are
in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hindu presence in this country is of
recent origin. There were no Hindus there in 1900 and there were only a
thousand of them in 1970.
West Africa
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in West Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
W. Africa
|
0.1
|
3.0
|
12.0
|
15.0
|
9.8
|
|
Ghana
|
0.0
|
1.0
|
3.2
|
4.0
|
4.9
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
0.0
|
1.4
|
2.1
|
2.5
|
3.0
|
|
Cote d’Ivoire
|
0.0
|
0.5
|
6.6
|
8.3
|
1.6
|
Of 9.8 thousand Hindus in West Africa, 4.9 thousand are in Ghana, 3
thousand in Sierra Leone and 1.6 thousand in Cote d’Ivoire. In Cote d’Ivoire,
there were 8.3 thousand Hindus in 2000. The sudden decline of Hindus in that
country has reduced their number in the region from 15 thousand in 2000 to 9.8
thousand in 2010.
North Africa
Of 7.4 thousand Hindus in North Africa, 5.7 thousand are in Libya and
the rest are distributed across Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan.
Thus in the African continent, there is a significant Hindu presence
only in Mauritius and at a much lower level in the South African Republic. In
other countries, there are only some recent expatriates; most of them have gone
there after 1970.
Hindus in Europe
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Europe
|
0.06
|
243
|
1,243
|
1,416
|
1,052
|
|
North
|
0.01
|
220
|
379
|
433
|
692
|
|
West
|
0.00
|
23
|
182
|
213
|
282
|
|
East
|
0.00
|
0.0
|
680
|
766
|
48
|
|
South
|
0.05
|
0.3
|
2.4
|
3.1
|
30
|
Of about 1.1 million Hindus in Europe, 692 thousand are in North Europe
and 282 thousand in West Europe. There are also 30 thousand Hindus in South
Europe compared to 3.1 thousand in 2000. In East Europe, there were about 766
thousand Hindus in 2000, but that number has declined to 48 thousand now.
Because of this, total number of Hindus in Europe has declined by about 360
thousand in the last decade.
There were few Hindus in Europe in 1900
Hindus began to arrive in North Europe in the middle of the twentieth
century and in West and East Europe towards the ending decades of that century.
There have not been many Hindus in South Europe in all this period. And there
were almost none in any part of Europe at the beginning of the twentieth
century. According to the data we are using, there were only 60 Hindus in
Europe in 1900. Of them, 10 were in North Europe, all of them in Channel
Islands and 50 in South Europe, of them 20 in Gibraltar and 30 in Malta.
North Europe
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in North Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
N Europe
|
0
|
220
|
379
|
433
|
692
|
|
UK
|
0
|
220
|
375
|
429
|
662
|
|
Sweden
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
13
|
|
Denmark
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
4
|
10
|
|
Ireland
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
4.7
|
Of 692 thousand in Europe in 2010, 662 thousand are in the United
Kingdom, where they form 1.1 percent of the population. Their number and share
have been rising since 1970. There are only a few Hindus elsewhere in Europe.
There are 13 thousand of them in Sweden, 10 thousand in Denmark and 4.7
thousand in Ireland. The remaining about 2 thousand Hindus are spread over
several other countries of North Europe.
West Europe
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in West Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
W Europe
|
0
|
23
|
182
|
213
|
282
|
|
Netherlands
|
0
|
1
|
80
|
92
|
107
|
|
Germany
|
0
|
0
|
45
|
51
|
93
|
|
France
|
0
|
20
|
40
|
45
|
47
|
|
Switzerland
|
0
|
2
|
16
|
23
|
24
|
There are 282 thousand Hindus in West Europe. Of them 107 thousand are
in Netherlands, where they form 0.64 percent of the population. This is the
second highest number and share of Hindus in any country of Europe after the UK.
There are 93 thousand Hindus in Germany, 47 thousand in France and 24 thousand
in Switzerland. Their share in the population of Switzerland is 0.31 percent
and it is 0.11 and 0.08 percent, respectively, in Germany and France. Of the
remaining about 10 thousand Hindus in West Europe, 7.1 thousand are in Austria
and 3.2 thousand in Belgium.
East Europe
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in East Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
E Europe
|
0
|
0
|
680
|
766
|
48
|
|
Russia
|
0
|
0
|
680
|
766
|
43
|
|
Ukraine
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
There are only 48 thousand Hindus in East Europe, 43 thousand of them in
the Russian Federation and 5 thousand in Ukraine. In 2000, there were 766
thousand Hindus in Russia and 680 thousand in 1990. It seems, Hindus have quit the
Russian Federation, but have started going to Ukraine, during the last decade.
South Europe
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in South Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
S Europe
|
0.05
|
0.3
|
2.4
|
3.1
|
30.3
|
|
Greece
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
15.0
|
|
Italy
|
0
|
0
|
2.0
|
2.4
|
7.9
|
|
Portugal
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6.4
|
Of 30.3 thousand Hindus in South Europe, 15 thousand are in Greece, 7.9
thousand in Italy and 6.4 thousand in Portugal. The remaining 1 thousand Hindus
are in Gibraltar and Andorra. In 1970, there were only about 300 Hindus in
South Europe; they were almost all in Gibraltar excepting a few in Malta. Italy
acquired 2 thousand Hindus in 1990. Hindu presence in Greece and Portugal is of
very recent origin.
Thus in Europe, Hindus have a significant presence only in the UK. Their
share is perhaps non-negligible in Netherlands and Switzerland. In 1990 and
2000, Hindus had a presence of about 0.5 percent in the Russian Federation
also. But there are only a few Hindus left in Russia now. Hindu presence in
other countries of Europe is miniscule.
Hindus in North America
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in North America
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
N America
|
1.0
|
120
|
975
|
1,327
|
1,835
|
|
USA
|
1.0
|
100
|
750
|
1,032
|
1,445
|
|
Canada
|
0.0
|
20
|
225
|
295
|
390
|
There are 1.8 million Hindus in North America. Most of them have arrived
after 1970, when immigration of non-Europeans into the USA was somewhat
relaxed. There were only 120 thousand Hindus in the continent in 1970 and just
1 thousand in 1900. Of 1.8 million Hindus in the continent now, 1.4 million are
in the USA and about 400 thousand in Canada. They form about half a percent of
the population of USA and 1.2 percent of Canada. Their share in these two
countries was less than 0.1 percent in 1970.
Thus North America (including both USA and Canada) has been one of the
major destinations of Hindu emigration of recent decades.
Hindus in Latin America
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Latin America
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
L America
|
163
|
527
|
703
|
768
|
767
|
|
Caribbean
|
72
|
231
|
335
|
364
|
382
|
|
S America
|
91
|
292
|
350
|
383
|
367
|
|
C America
|
0
|
5
|
17.5
|
20.8
|
18.3
|
Of 764 thousand Hindus in Latin America, 382 thousand are in the
Caribbean and 367 thousand in South America. There are only 18 thousand Hindus
in Central America. Hindu presence in the Caribbean and South America is older;
Hindus in Central America have all arrived during the latter half of the
twentieth century.
The Caribbean
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in the Caribbean
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
The Caribbean
|
72
|
231
|
335
|
364
|
382
|
|
Trinidad &Tobago
|
69
|
221
|
274
|
295
|
326
|
|
Cuba
|
0
|
3
|
21
|
23
|
23
|
|
Jamaica
|
2
|
6
|
27
|
31
|
16
|
Of 382 thousand Hindus in the Caribbean, 326 thousand are in Trinidad
& Tobago, where they form about a quarter of the population. They had a
similar, though somewhat higher share in 1900 also. As we have seen in an
earlier note, this is an older Hindu community of the descendants of indentured
labourers from India. Of the remaining 56 thousand Hindus in the Caribbean, 23
thousand are in Cuba, 16 thousand in Jamaica and 3.3 thousand in Puerto Rico.
South America
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in South America
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
South America
|
91
|
292
|
350
|
383
|
367
|
|
Guyana
|
71
|
227
|
255
|
280
|
227
|
|
Suriname
|
20
|
60
|
73
|
74
|
108
|
Of 367 thousand Hindus in South America, 227 thousand are in Guyana,
where they form 30 percent of the population. There are another 108 thousand
Hindus in Suriname, where they have a share of about 21 percent in the
population. Both these countries are in the vicinity of Trinidad and Tobago in
the Caribbean. And like Trinidad and Tobago, Hindus in both these countries are
descendants of indentured labourers from India. Of the remaining about 32
thousand Hindus in South America, about 10 thousand are in Brazil, 7 thousand
in Argentina, 11 thousand in Columbia and about 4 thousand in French Guiana.
Their share in all these countries is negligibly small.
Central America
Of 18 thousand Hindus in Central America, about 10 thousand are in
Mexico and 6 thousand in tiny Belize. They form nearly 2 percent of the
population in the latter. There were also about 8 thousand Hindus in Panama in
1990 and 9 thousand in 2000; that number has now declined to 1.2 thousand. The
Hindu communities of Central America are all of recent origin. There were no
Hindus in the region in 1900 and 5 thousand Hindus in 1970 were all in Panama.
Thus, the only significant Hindu presence in Latin America is in the
compact region of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname. There are not many
Hindus in other countries where they form unstable expatriate communities.
Hindus in Oceania
|
Number
(‘000) of Hindus in Oceania
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Oceania
|
13
|
214
|
308
|
355
|
513
|
|
Fiji
|
13
|
210
|
244
|
272
|
239
|
|
Australia
|
0
|
0
|
46
|
60
|
185
|
|
New Zealand
|
0
|
4
|
18
|
22
|
89
|
Of 513 thousand Hindus in Oceania, 239 thousand are in Fiji, where they
form about 28 percent of the population. As we have discussed in an
earlier note, their share has declined to this level
from more than 40 percent in 1970. In the last decade, there has been a decline
in their absolute numbers also. Nevertheless, Hindus in Fiji are a relatively
older community formed of the descendants of indentured labourers. The
remaining Hindus in Oceania are in Australia and New Zealand and nearly all of
them have arrived after 1970, when there were only 4 thousand Hindus in New
Zealand and none in Australia. Number of Hindus in Australia and New Zealand
has grown during the last decade, probably because of the more relaxed
immigration policies.
Four Groups of Hindu Diaspora
Hindus in the world beyond South Asia thus form four distinct groups. In
the first group are native inhabitants of Southeast Asia, who became part of the
Hindu civilizational sphere several centuries ago. The only significant such
group of Hindus left in the region now is in Bali and some other islands of
Indonesia. Their number there is declining sharply; there has been a
particularly steep decline during the last decade. The second group is that of
the descendants of indentured labourers that were taken to different parts of
the world in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Hindus of this group
now hold a significant share in the populations of Malaysia in Southeast Asia; Mauritius
in Africa; Tobago & Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname in Latin America; and
Fiji in Oceania. The third group is of largely blue-collar workers who have been
migrating to various countries of the Arabian Peninsula. Finally, there are the
relatively recent migrants to the United Kingdom and a few other countries of
North and West Europe, to the USA and Canada in North America, and to Australia
and New Zealand in Oceania. This group comprises largely white-collar professionals.
Some of the immigrants in this category may also be engaged in trade and
blue-collar work.
Table below gives the region and country wise breakup of different
groups of the Hindu diaspora of about 15.5 million outside South Asia.
|
|
Region and origin wise
breakup of Hindu Diaspora, 2011
|
|||||
|
Group
|
Description
|
Group
Total
|
Region
wise numbers
|
Regions and countries
|
||
|
Group
1
|
Indigenous
Hindus
|
3.9 mn
|
3.9 mn
|
Mostly
in Indonesia. This number is shrinking.
|
||
|
Group
2
|
Descendants
of indentured labourers
|
7.0 mn
|
3.0 mn
|
Southeast
Asia, mainly Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar
|
||
|
3.0 mn
|
Africa,
mainly in Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda and South African Republic
|
|||||
|
0.75 mn
|
Tobago
& Trinidad, Suriname and Guyana
|
|||||
|
|
|
0.24 mn
|
Fiji
(Oceania)
|
|||
|
Group
3
|
Mainly
recent blue-collar workers
|
1.3 mn
|
1.3 mn
|
Arabian
Peninsula in West Asia
|
||
|
Group
4
|
Mainly recent white-collar
professional workers
|
3.1 mn
|
1.0
|
Europe,
mainly UK and Netherlands
|
||
|
1.4
|
USA
|
|||||
|
0.4
|
Canada
|
|||||
|
0.3
|
Australia
and New Zealand
|
|||||
Distribution of Sikhs across the World
|
Number of Sikhs in different
Continents of the World
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Total
|
2,962
|
10,618
|
19,332
|
23,258
|
23,927
|
|
South Asia
|
2,945
|
10,318
|
18,519
|
22,261
|
22,386
|
|
Outside South Asia
|
17
|
300
|
813
|
997
|
1,541
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
15
|
61
|
126
|
159
|
302
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
2
|
239
|
687
|
838
|
1,239
|
|
Percent share of different
Continents in the Sikhs of the World
|
|||||
|
South Asia
|
99.42
|
97.18
|
95.79
|
95.71
|
93.56
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
0.50
|
0.57
|
0.65
|
0.69
|
1.26
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
0.08
|
2.25
|
3.55
|
3.60
|
5.18
|
Every fifteenth or sixteenth Sikh is
outside South Asia
Proportion of Sikhs outside their homeland of South Asia is considerably
higher than that of Hindus. Out of 23.93 million Sikhs in the World, 22.39
million are in South Asia and 1.54 million Sikhs are away from South Asia. Of
the latter, 0.30 million are in the rest of Asia and 1.24 million in the world
beyond Asia. Thus 6.44 percent of all Sikhs—meaning every 15th or 16th Sikh—is
outside the Indian region. This is to be compared with 1.63 percent of Hindus
who are away.
The proportion has risen during the last
decade
The Table above shows a considerable rise in the number and proportion
of Sikhs away from South Asia during the last decade. There were less than a
million Sikhs in the world beyond South Asia in 2000; that number in 2010 has
risen to 1.54 million. Proportion of Sikhs away from South Asia has
correspondingly increased from 4.29 to 6.44 percent.
Data shows slow growth of total Sikh
population
A remarkable aspect of the data in the Table above is the slow growth of
Sikhs during the last decade. Their population in the world has grown by less
than 3 percent; the population of Hindus in the world has grown by nearly 17
percent in this decade. More interestingly, of the accretion of 669 million to
the population of Sikhs during 2000-10, only 125 million has happened in South
Asia and the remaining 544 million in the rest of the world. Data of the Census
of India indeed shows a sharp lowering of the growth of Sikhs in India, which
we have described in an
earlier note. But the growth according to the census
figures is not quite as low as indicated by the numbers here. However, these
numbers do suggest increased out-migration of Sikhs from India.
Sikhs in South Asia
Sikhs in South Asia are confined to
India
Within South Asia, Sikhs are confined almost entirely to India. Of 22.39
million Sikhs in South Asia in 2010, 22.30 million are in India. There are only
83 thousand Sikhs in other countries of South Asia; of these 45 thousand are in
Pakistan, 25 thousand in Bangladesh, about 10 thousand in Nepal and 3 thousand
in Sri Lanka.
|
Number of Sikhs in different
countries of South Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
South Asia
|
2,945
|
10,318
|
18,519
|
22,261
|
22,386
|
|
India
|
2,180
|
10,287
|
18,450
|
22,183
|
22,303
|
|
Outside
India
|
765
|
31
|
69
|
79
|
83
|
|
Pakistan
|
760
|
0.0
|
2.0
|
2.0
|
45
|
|
Bangladesh
|
1.0
|
6.0
|
18.0
|
21.3
|
24.5
|
|
Nepal
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
7.1
|
8.4
|
10.5
|
|
Percent share of different countries
in Sikhs of South Asia
|
|||||
|
India
|
74.02
|
99.70
|
99.63
|
99.65
|
99.63
|
|
Outside
India
|
25.98
|
0.30
|
0.37
|
0.35
|
0.37
|
|
Pakistan
|
25.81
|
0.00
|
0.01
|
0.01
|
0.20
|
But a quarter of the Sikhs were in what
now forms Pakistan
At the beginning of the century, more than a quarter of the Sikhs in
South Asia were in what now forms Pakistan. Partition of India in 1947 thus had
a more calamitous effect on the Sikh community. A quarter of that community was
displaced from their homeland. Absolute number of Hindus displaced may have
been larger, but they formed a much smaller proportion of the total Hindus.
This uprooting of a large proportion of the community is partly responsible for
the Sikh diaspora being larger than the Hindu diaspora in relative terms.
People who are uprooted from their native lands tend to scatter far and wide.
We shall discuss, at a later stage, relative impact of the Partition on Hindus
and Sikhs in greater detail using the data of Indian censuses.
Sikhs in the Rest of Asia
There are a total of about 300 thousand Sikhs in the regions of Asia
other than South Asia. This number is small compared to more than 8 million
Hindus in the rest of Asia. But unlike the Hindus, whose number in Asia beyond
South Asia has declined drastically in the last decade, the number of Sikhs has
nearly doubled between 2000 and 2010.
|
Number of Sikhs in other regions
of Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Rest of Asia
|
14.9
|
60.8
|
126.4
|
159.5
|
302.5
|
|
Southeast Asia
|
14.1
|
55.0
|
68.6
|
79.4
|
156.7
|
|
West Asia
|
0.4
|
0.1
|
47.1
|
67.2
|
109.4
|
|
Central Asia
|
0.0
|
5.0
|
10.0
|
12.1
|
13.2
|
|
East Asia
|
0.4
|
0.7
|
0.7
|
0.8
|
23.2
|
Sikhs in Southeast Asia
|
Number
(‘000) of Sikhs in Southeast Asia
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
SE Asia
|
14.1
|
55.0
|
68.6
|
79.4
|
156.7
|
|
Malaysia
|
4.0
|
20.0
|
30.0
|
36.8
|
47.1
|
|
Singapore
|
2.5
|
20.0
|
14.0
|
15.7
|
22.3
|
|
Thailand
|
1.0
|
10.0
|
17.0
|
19.0
|
56.0
|
|
Philippines
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
23.9
|
Of about 157 thousand Sikhs in Southeast Asia, 47 thousand are in
Malaysia, 22 thousand in Singapore, 56 thousand in Thailand and 24 thousand in
Philippines. During the last decade, number of Sikhs has increased shrply in
Thailand and Philippines. In 2010, there are more Sikhs than Hindus in
Philippines and their number is comparable to that of Hindus in Thailand. The
remaining about 7 thousand Sikhs in the region are in Indonesia and Myanmar. In
the latter, their number has declined from about 8 thousand in 2000 to 1.4
thousand now. In Indonesia, there were no Sikhs in 2000; there are 6 thousand
in 2010.
Sikhs in West Asia
|
Number
(‘000) of Sikhs in West Asia
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
W Asia
|
0.4
|
0.1
|
47.1
|
67.2
|
109.4
|
|
Arabia
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
47.0
|
67.1
|
93.2
|
|
Cyprus
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
9.8
|
|
Iraq
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
6.3
|
Of 109 thousand Sikhs in West Asia, 93 thousand are in the Arabian
Peninsula. But, surprisingly, some Sikhs have reached Iraq and Cyprus also
during the last decade. There are no Hindus in these two countries. Overall in
West Asia, the presence of Sikhs is not very remarkable, when compared with
nearly 1.4 million Hindus there.
Sikhs in East and Central Asia
There are about 13 thousand Sikhs in Central Asia and 23 thousand in
East Asia. In Central Asia, 3.5 thousand of the Sikhs are in Afghanistan and 9
thousand in Iran. There are also about 800 Sikhs in Kazakhstan. In East Asia, there
are 20 thousand Sikhs in China, about 2 thousand in Japan and a thousand in
South Korea. There were almost no Sikhs in East Asia and in Kazakhstan in 2000.
Sikhs beyond Asia
|
Number of Sikhs beyond Asia (in
thousands)
|
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Outside Asia
|
2.4
|
239
|
687
|
838
|
1,239
|
|
Africa
|
2.2
|
21
|
46
|
53
|
73
|
|
Europe
|
0
|
200
|
228
|
239
|
502
|
|
North
America
|
0
|
8
|
400
|
528
|
607
|
|
Latin
America
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
|
Oceania
|
0.2
|
5
|
13
|
18
|
50
|
Sikhs are largely concentrated in Europe
and North America
The Sikh diaspora is largely concentrated in Europe and North America.
Of 1.54 million Sikhs outside South Asia, 1.24 million are outside the Asian
continent and of them 1.11 million are in Europe and North America.
There are only a few Sikhs in Africa
There are only 73 thousand Sikhs in Africa, compared to nearly 3 million
Hindus. Of the Sikhs in Africa, 37 thousand are in Kenya, 14 thousand in
Tanzania and 11 thousand in South African Republic. Almost all of the Sikh
presence in Africa has happened after 1900. In 1900, there were only 2.2
thousand Sikhs in the continent; of them, 2 thousand were in Kenya and about 2
hundred in South African Republic.
Even fewer in Oceania
Another 49.6 thousand Sikhs are in Oceania. Of them, 36.5 thousand are
in Australia, 8.7 thousand in New Zealand and 4.4 thousand in Fiji. Number of
Sikhs in Australia has doubled during the last decade. In New Zealand, there
were only a few Sikhs in 2000.
And almost none in Latin America
There are only about 7.2 thousand Sikhs in Latin America. Of them, 5.7
thousand are in Mexico, 1.2 thousand in Argentina and about 250 in Panama.
There were no Sikhs in Latin America up to 2000.
Sikhs in Europe
Sikhs in Europe are largely in UK
|
Number
(‘000) of Sikhs in Europe
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Europe
|
0.0
|
200
|
228
|
239
|
502
|
|
UK
|
0.0
|
200
|
225
|
235
|
412
|
|
Elsewhere
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
3.2
|
3.7
|
90
|
Two thirds of about a million Hindus in Europe are in the United
Kingdom. Sikhs are even more concentrated in that country. Of 502 thousand
Sikhs in Europe in 2010, 412 are in the United Kingdom. This is to be compared
with 662 thousand Hindus there. In 2000, there were only 239 thousand Sikhs in
Europe and of them 235 thousand were in the UK.
Their number in rest of Europe has
increased recently
During the last decade, the number of Sikhs in Europe has seen a sudden
rise from 239 to 502 thousand. A large part of this rise is contributed by the
United Kingdom, where their number has gone up from 235 thousand in 2000 to 412
thousand in 2010. But, there were only 3.7 thousand Sikhs in the rest of Europe
until 2000. That number has increased to 90 thousand.
Germany, Italy and Netherlands have
acquired some Sikhs now
In 2000, only Sikhs in Europe outside the UK were in Germany. Their
number there has increased from 3.3 thousand in 2000 to about 25 thousand now.
Of the remaining 65 thousand Sikhs in Europe, 24 thousand are in Italy, where
their number now is thrice that of Hindus. There are another 13 thousand Sikhs
in Netherlands, 5.4 thousand in Greece, 5.4 thousand in Belgium, 8 thousand in
Ukraine and about 3 thousand in Russia.
Sikhs in North America
|
Number
(‘000) of Sikhs in North America
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
N America
|
0
|
8
|
400
|
528
|
607
|
|
USA
|
0
|
1
|
160
|
234
|
279
|
|
Canada
|
0
|
7
|
240
|
294
|
328
|
There are 607 thousand Sikhs in North America in 2010. Of them, 279
thousand are in the USA and 328 thousand in Canada. This is to be compared with
1.4 million Hindus in the USA and 400 thousand in Canada. Number of Sikhs in
Canada is comparable to that of Hindus. The UK and Canada thus seem to be
particularly favourable destinations for Sikh emigrants. Sikh migration into
North America thus is of even more recent origin than that of Hindus. In 1970,
there were 120 thousand Hindus in North America and there were only 8 thousand
Sikhs. In 1900, there were few Hindus or Sikhs in the continent.
Sikh diaspora is bigger but less
widespread
Thus Sikh diaspora is indeed bigger than the Hindu diaspora in relative
terms. While less than 2 percent of Hindus are outside South Asia, more than 6
percent of Sikhs are away. But, of 1.54 million Sikhs outside South Asia, 1.02
million are concentrated in just three countries: the UK, Canada and the USA. There
are not many other countries of the world with significant presence of Sikhs.
Sikhs in Europe and the USA are also mainly white-collar professionals. But the
number also includes some cultivators and traders.
Distribution of Jains across the World
|
Number of Jains in different
Continents of the World
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
Total
|
1,323
|
2,618
|
3,868
|
4,218
|
5,316
|
|
South Asia
|
1,320
|
2,585
|
3,804
|
4,142
|
5,093
|
|
Outside South Asia
|
3.3
|
33.3
|
64.5
|
76.1
|
223.5
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
0.1
|
0.5
|
2.8
|
3.1
|
6.2
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
3.2
|
32.8
|
61.6
|
73.0
|
217.3
|
|
Percent share of different
Continents in the Jains of the World
|
|||||
|
South Asia
|
99.75
|
98.73
|
98.33
|
98.19
|
95.80
|
|
Rest of
Asia
|
0.01
|
0.02
|
0.07
|
0.07
|
0.12
|
|
Beyond
Asia
|
0.24
|
1.25
|
1.59
|
1.73
|
4.08
|
In relative terms, Jain diaspora is
bigger than Hindu diaspora
Of 5.3 million Jains in the world, 5.1 million are in South Asia. Only 223
thousand Jains are outside South Asia. That still amounts to 4.20 percent of
their total number. This is much larger than the proportion of 1.63 percent for
the Hindus. Thus, in relative terms, the size of Jain diaspora, like that of
the Sikh diaspora, is larger than the Hindu diaspora.
Jain diaspora has grown suddenly during
2001-2010
During the last decade, there has been a significant rise in the Jain
diaspora, both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of their total numbers.
There were only 76 thousand Jains outside South Asia in 2000 and they formed
1.81 percent of the total Jains. That number has gone up to more than 223
thousand in one decade. This is probably because of the recent rush among the
educated middle class Indians to leave India in search of better financial and
professional prospects elsewhere.
In South Asia, Jains are largely
confined to India
Within South Asia, Jains are confined almost entirely to India. There
were no Jains outside India in 1900, not even in Pakistan and Bangladesh that
formed part of India then. In 2010, there are only 7.5 thousand Jains outside
India; all of them are in Nepal.
|
Number of Jains in different
countries of South Asia
(in thousands) |
|||||
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
|
South Asia
|
1,320
|
2,585
|
3,804
|
4,142
|
5,093
|
|
India
|
1,320
|
2,582
|
3,800
|
4,137
|
5,085
|
|
Outside
India
|
0.0
|
2.5
|
4.0
|
4.8
|
7.5
|
|
Nepal
|
0.0
|
2.5
|
4.0
|
4.8
|
7.5
|
Only a few Jains are in other regions of
Asia
There are 6.2 thousand Jains in other regions of Asia. Of these 2.3
thousand are in Malaysia, 2.4 thousand in Myanmar and 1.5 thousand in Japan.
Their number in Africa is considerable
|
Number
(‘000) of Jains in Africa
|
|||||
|
|
1900
|
1970
|
1990
|
2000
|
2010
|
|
Africa
|
3.2
|
37.5
|
56.6
|
66.1
|
94.4
|
|
Kenya
|
3.0
|
31.0
|
48.0
|
55.3
|
78.4
|
|
Tanzania
|
0.1
|
0.8
|
6.2
|
7.8
|
9.8
|
|
Uganda
|
0.0
|
5.7
|
1.7
|
2.0
|
3.1
|
|
SAR
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
2.0
|
Of 217 thousand Jains beyond Asia, 94 thousand are in Africa. Of them,
78 thousand are in Kenya and about 10 thousand in Tanzania. There has been a
considerable increase in the number of Jains in Kenya during the last decade.
But Kenya is the only country, where there has been some presence of Jains
since 1900. There were 3 thousand Jains in Kenya at the beginning of the
twentieth century; besides that there were only about a hundred Jains in
Tanzania.
There are not many Jains in Europe
There are only 18.8 thousand Jains in Europe. Of them 18 thousand are in
the United Kingdom and about 800 in Belgium. There were no Jains in Europe in
2000.
Nearly half of the Jain diaspora is in
North America
The remaining about 100 thousand Jains are in North America. This is a
recent growth. In 2000, there were only 7 thousand Jains in the continent. Of nearly
100 thousand Jains in 2010, 85.4 thousand are in the USA and 14.3 thousand in
Canada.
There are only a few Jains in Latin
America and Oceania
There are also 3 thousand Jains in Oceania. Of them, 1.6 thousand are in
Australia and 1.4 thousand in Fiji. There were no Jains in Oceania in 2000. There
are 1.4 thousand in Suriname in Latin America. There were none in 2000.
Like the Sikh diaspora, Jain diaspora is
bigger but even less widespread
In relative terms, Jain diaspora is bigger than the Hindu diaspora. But
Jains are confined to a few countries. Of 223 thousand Jains outside South
Asia, 100 thousand are in North America, mostly in the USA. Another 94 thousand
Jains are in Africa, mostly in Kenya. Jain diaspora in the USA seems to
comprise largely white-collar professionals. In Africa, they are likely to be
largely traders and entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
1. Hindus are largely confined to their homeland of South Asia. Of 949
million Hindus in the world in 2010, only 15.5 million are outside South Asia.
Of them, 8.4 million are in the rest of Asia and only 7.1 million in the world
beyond Asia. Hindu diaspora thus forms only 1.63 percent of the total Hindus in
the world.
Hindus within South Asia
2. Within South Asia, Hindus are getting confined to the current
truncated boundaries of India. In 1900, 91.4 percent of the Hindus in South
Asia were in the area that now constitutes India. In 2010, 95.8 percent of the
Hindus are within India.
3. This decline of Hindus outside India is mainly because of the
large-scale expulsion of Hindus from what now form Pakistan and Bangladesh. But
between 1900 and 2010, the Hindu share has shrunk in Sri Lanka, Nepal and
Bhutan also.
Hindus in Southeast Asia
4. Of 8.4 million Hindus in regions of Asia other than South Asia, 6.9
million are in Southeast Asia and of them 3.9 million are in Indonesia.
5. Number of Hindus in Indonesia has declined sharply during the last
decade from 7.2 million in 2000 to 3.9 million in 2010. Number of Hindus in
Southeast Asia has therefore declined from 10.2 to 6.9 million in the last
decade.
6. Of the remaining about 3 million Hindus in Southeast Asia, 1.8
million are in Malaysia, where they form 6.3 percent of the population and
about 270 thousand in Singapore, where they have a share of 5.3 percent. Share
of Hindus in both of these countries has declined since 1900.
7. Another about 800 thousand Hindus are in Myanmar, where their share
has declined from 2.7 percent in 1900 to 1.7 percent in 2010. There are a few
Hindus in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia also.
Hindus in West Asia
8. Besides Southeast Asia, Hindus have a significant presence only in
West Asia. In 2010, of 8.4 million Hindus in the regions of Asia other than
South Asia, 1.3 million are in West Asia and all of them are in the peninsular
Arabia.
9. Hindu presence in Arabia is a consequence of the recent movement of
Indian workers to this region. There were only 14 thousand Hindus in this
region in 1970.
Hindus in East and Central Asia
10. There are only 45 Hindus in Central Asia and 62 thousand in East
Asia. Their number in Central Asia was somewhat larger in 2000.
Hindus in Africa
11. Of 7.1 million Hindus beyond Asia, 2.9 million are in Africa. Of
them 1.6 million are in East Africa and 1.2 million in South Africa. There are
only a few Hindus elsewhere.
12. Hindus in East Africa are almost all in Mauritius, Tanzania, Uganda
and Kenya. In Mauritius, they have a significant presence of 44 percent.
Elsewhere their share is small.
Hindus in Europe
13. There are only about 1.0 million Hindus in Europe. Their number was
larger at about 1.4 million in 2000. But in 1970, there were merely 240
thousand in Europe, and there were almost none in 1900.
14. Of the Hindus in Europe, nearly two-thirds are in the United
Kingdom. And the rest are largely in Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France,
Italy and Greece. In 1970, the number of Hindus was negligibly small everywhere
except in the UK.
15. Up to 2000, there were nearly 0.8 million Hindus in Russia. But that
number has shrunk to just 43 thousand in 2010.
16. In 2010, the share of Hindus in the European countries is significant
only in the UK and to some extent Netherlands.
Hindus in North America
17. A quarter of the Hindus
beyond Asia are in North America. In 2010, there are 1.4 million Hindus in the
United States of America and about 390 thousand in Canada.
18. Hindu presence in North America is a recent phenomenon. In 1970,
there were only 120 thousand Hindus in North America and there were nearly none
in 1900.
Hindus in Latin America
19. There are 767 thousand Hindus in Latin America. Nearly all of them
are in Trinidad & Tobago and in the neighbouring Guyana and Suriname.
Hindus in Oceania
20. There are about half a million Hindus in Oceania. Of them, 239
thousand are in Fiji and 274 thousand in Australia and New Zealand. Hindus have
reached the latter two countries after 1970. Their presence in Fiji, where they
have a share of 28 percent in the population, is older.
Four Groups of Hindu Diaspora
21. Hindu diaspora in the world can be divided into four distinct
groups, who inhabit distinctly different parts of the world.
22. First, there are the native Hindus of Southeast Asia. They are now
confined largely to Bali and number about 4 million.
23. Second, there are the descendants of indentured labourers who were
taken to far-flung colonies by the British. These number about 7 million. Of
them 3 million are in Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar of Southeast Asia;
another 3 million are in Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa; about 0.75
million are in Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and Suriname of the Caribbean and
South Africa; and, about 0.25 million are in Fiji.
24. Third, there are the recent blue-collar expatriate workers. They
number about 1.3 million and nearly all of them are in the Arabian Peninsula.
25. The fourth group comprises professional white-collar workers of even
more recent origin. They number about 3 million. Of them 1 million are in
Europe, 1.4 million in the USA, 0.4 million in Canada and 0.3 million in
Australia and New Zealand. Some of these may also be engaged in trade and
blue-collar work.
Sikh Diaspora
26. Of 23.9 million Sikhs in the world, 1.5 million are outside South
Asia. This amounts to 6.44 percent of the Sikhs being away from their homeland.
Thus every 15th or 16th Sikh in the world is an immigrant.
27. Of 1.5 million Sikhs outside South Asia, about 300 thousand are in
the rest of Asia. And of them, 157 thousand are in Southeast Asia and 109
thousand in West Asia.
28. In Southeast Asia, almost all of the Sikhs are in Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand.
29. In West Asia, 93 thousand of 109 thousand Sikhs are in Arabia. But
there are also about 10 thousand Sikhs in Cyprus and 6 thousand in Iraq.
30. Of 1.29 million Sikhs outside Asia, 502 thousand are in Europe and 607
thousand in North America.
31. Of the Sikhs in Europe, 412 thousand are in the UK and 62 thousand
in Germany, Italy and Netherlands. There has been a considerable increase in
the number of Sikhs in both the UK and other countries during the last decade.
32. Of 607 thousand Sikhs in North America, 279 thousand are in the USA
and 328 thousand in Canada.
33. Sikhs form around 1 percent of the population in both Canada and the
United Kingdom.
34. Thus, though Sikh diaspora is bigger than Hindu diaspora in relative
terms, the Sikhs are not as widespread as the Hindus. Of 1.54 million Sikhs
outside South Asia, 1.02 million are concentrated in just three countries: the
UK, Canada and the USA.
Jain Diaspora
35. Of 5.3 million Jains in the world, about 223 thousand are outside
South Asia. That makes the Jain diaspora also bigger than the Hindu diaspora in
relative terms. Only 1.63 percent of the Hindus are away from South Asia; for
Jains, that ratio is 4.20 percent.
36. There has been a sudden increase in the Jain diaspora during the
last decade. In 2000, 1.81 percent of the Jains were away from South Asia.
38. About 94 thousand of Jains are in Africa; of them, 78 thousand are
in Kenya and the remaining 16 thousand are in Tanzania, Uganda and South
Africa.
39. Almost all of the remaining 123 thousand Jains are in just three
countries of the world. There are 85 thousand Jains in the USA, 18 thousand in
the UK and 14 thousand in Canada.
40. Thus though Jain diaspora is bigger than the Hindu diaspora in
relative terms and has seen considerable expansion in the last decade, yet the
Jains are less widespread than even the Sikhs.
