World religions of foreign Asia. Western Asian countries - religious characteristics. Geography and ecology

Asia is the part of the world where all the largest religions on the globe originated: Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism. However, the fate of these religions was different. Some of them spread widely in other parts of the world (Christianity, Islam, Judaism), while others remained mainly Asian religions (Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism).

Currently, Islam is the most widespread religion in South-West Asia. This applies to Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen Arab Republic, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan.

In the vast majority of these countries, Islam is practiced in the form of Sunnism. Only in Iran does Shiism predominate. Shiites make up over half the population in Iraq and the Yemen Arab Republic. The only two countries in the area that are non-Muslim are Cyprus, where Christians predominate, and Israel, where the majority of residents practice Judaism. In addition, in Lebanon, about half of the believing population are Christians.

In the center of South Asia, Hinduism dominates, while in the peripheral areas the population professes other religions: in the west and east (in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives) - Islam, in the south and north (in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, partly in Nepal) - Buddhism ( in Sri Lanka - in the Theravada form, in other countries - in the Mahayana form).

Southeast Asia is usually divided into two subregions. In the first of them, which includes the Indochina Peninsula without Malacca, Buddhism predominates among believers in the form of Theravada (Burma, Thailand, Laos, Kampuchea) or Mahayana (Vietnam). In the second, covering the Malacca Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago, mainly two religions are widespread: in the Federation of Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei - Islam, in the Philippines - Christianity.

In East and Central Asia, believers profess several religions, often intricately intertwined with each other. This is Buddhism in the form of Mahayana - in all countries (China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan), Confucianism - in China and Korea, Taoism - in China, Shintoism - in Japan.

IN Lately The number of people sharing atheistic views is growing from year to year. True, atheism has not yet become widespread here, but in the socialist countries of Central and East Asia the number of atheists is very significant.

How is the religious composition of the population of individual countries characterized?

Cyprus

Cyprus is one of two predominantly Christian countries in Asia (the other being the Philippines). Christianity penetrated the island in the 1st century. n. e. The vast majority of the population - Greeks - adheres almost exclusively to Orthodoxy. There is an autocephalous Orthodox Church of Cyprus on the island, the influence of which is very great. Orthodox believers make up 77% of the island's population. A significant group in the country's population is formed by Muslims (18%), who adhere to Hanafi Sunnism. These include the country's Turkish minority. Other religious groups are small. These are Maronites (3 thousand), Roman Catholics, Armenian Gregorians (3.5 thousand), Anglicans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, etc.

Türkiye

In Turkey since the end of the 11th century. Islam began to spread, which gradually replaced Christianity, which had previously dominated here. Currently, the vast majority of the Turkish population (99%) professes Islam, mainly in the form of Hanafi Sunni Islam. Among the Turks of some regions of eastern Anatolia, as well as among the Kurds and some Arabs, the Shafi'i interpretation of Sunnism is widespread. There are a number of religious orders in the country (although officially they are prohibited), the most famous of them are the Mevleviya, Naqshbandiyya, Tijaniyya, as well as the Bektashi (the latter is Shiite). Shiites make up approximately 16% of Turkey's population. There are followers of two Shiite sects in the country: the Ali-Ilahi (Kurds in the Dersim Mountains and in the north of the Kharput Plain, as well as part of the Yuryuks and Turkmens) and the Nusayris (Arabs along the border with Syria; 80 thousand). Among the Kurds of some regions of southeastern Turkey there are also Yazidis (70 thousand). Christians (0.7% of the population) include Orthodox (74 thousand, mainly Greeks, as well as Bulgarians and some Arabs), Armenian-Gregorians (70 thousand), Chaldo-Catholics (11 thousand), Latin Rite Catholics ( 7 thousand, largely Levantines), Armenian Catholics (4 thousand), Greek Catholics (a small part of Greeks and Bulgarians), Syrian Catholics (the total number of all Catholics is 26 thousand), Protestants (23 thousand; Anglicans , Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Seventh-day Adventists, etc., mainly Europeans and Americans), Jacobites (in the areas bordering Syria), Copts, Nestorians. A small group of Jews also lives in the country (24 thousand, almost exclusively Sephardim, half of them are concentrated in Istanbul).

Syrian Arab Republic

Syria is also predominantly Muslim (over 90% of the population), although there is also a fairly large group of Christians (7%). The majority of followers of Islam are Sunnis of the Hanafi and other persuasions (74% of the population), in addition to them there are Nusayris (12%), living mainly in Latakia, Druze (3%), living mainly in Es-Suwayda (there are few Sunnis in both of these areas) , Ismailis (38 thousand), found in the Salamiyya district, Orthodox Shia-Imami (15 thousand). Sunnism is adhered to by the bulk of Arabs and the vast majority of Kurds, Circassians, Turkmen and Turks, Shiism and its branches - part of the Arabs and Persians. Among Christians, Orthodox Christians (about 300 thousand) and Catholics predominate (205 thousand, they are divided into Greek Catholics, Syrian Catholics, Armenian Catholics, Maronites, Khal Catholics, Latin Rite Catholics). There are also Armenian Gregorians (150 thousand), Jacobites (125 thousand), non-Torians (20 thousand), Protestants (20 thousand; Presbyterians, followers of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Middle East, Anglicans, Seventh-day Adventists and etc.). Christianity is widespread mainly among Arabs; among Christians there are also Armenians and Assyrians (the latter are Nestorians). Representatives of other religions include Yazidis (about 10 thousand, some Kurds) and Judaists (4.5 thousand).

Lebanon

In Lebanon, where Christianity penetrated at the end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd century. n. e., slightly more than half of the population are Muslims, slightly less than half are Christians.

Lebanese Muslims (Islam entered the country at the beginning of the 7th century) are divided into Sunnis (26% of the population), Shiites (27%) and Druze (7%). There is also a small group of Nusayris. Sunnis are concentrated mainly in Northern Lebanon and Beirut and the surrounding area, Shiites in Southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, and Druze in Mount Lebanon.

The largest of the Christian branches is the Maronites (23% of the population). At first, the doctrine of the Maronite sect was monothelitism, which represented a kind of compromise, a middle line between diophysitism and monophysitism. Recognizing the dual nature of Jesus Christ, the Monothelites at the same time emphasized that this dual nature had a single will (hence the name of the movement). At the end of the 16th century. The Maronite Church entered into a union with Rome, recognizing the tenets of Roman Catholicism, but maintaining the old rituals and organizational independence.

Now Maronites can be found throughout Lebanon, but their main settlement area is Mount Lebanon. The next largest Christian branch in Lebanon is Orthodoxy (7% of the population). The Orthodox population of Lebanon forms, together with the Orthodox population of neighboring Syria, the autocephalous Antiochian Orthodox Church. Half of the Orthodox are concentrated in Northern Lebanon, a quarter in Mount Lebanon. As a result of strife within the leadership of the Orthodox Church at the beginning of the 18th century. A group that recognized the authority of the Pope broke away from Orthodoxy. This group (the so-called Melkites) formed the Greek Catholic Church (about 5% of the country's population belongs to it). In addition to Maronites and Greek Catholics, the country has groups of Armenian Catholics (25 thousand), Latin Rite Catholics (20 thousand, mostly foreigners), Syrian Catholics (18 thousand), and Chaldo Catholics (6 thousand). A small number of Jacobites (about 10 thousand) and Nestorians also live in Lebanon. Most of the Armenians living in Lebanon are Armenian Gregorians (about 5% of the population). Half of all Armenian Gregorians are concentrated in Beirut and its surrounding areas. In addition, among the Armenians there are also Armenian Catholics (19 thousand) and Protestants (the latter are united in the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Middle East). The total number of Protestants in Lebanon is 16 thousand, a significant part of them are foreigners. In addition to members of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, there are Presbyterians, Anglicans, Baptists, Nazarenes, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. There are also followers of Judaism in Lebanon (0.4 thousand).

Israel

In the State of Israel, created in 1948, the dominant religion is Judaism. All Jewish believers adhere to it. There are two sects of Judaism represented in the country, but they have a very small number of followers: Karaites (12 thousand people) and Samaritans (about 500 people). In addition to Jews, Muslims and Christians live in Israel (4/5 of the Arabs living in Israel adhere to Islam, 1/5 adhere to Christianity). The bulk of Muslims are Sunnis of various persuasions. There are also druses (50 thousand). Christianity is represented in Israel by a number of churches. The most numerous are Catholics. These are mainly Mel-Kits (41 thousand) living in Haifa and other areas, as well as Catholics of the Latin rite (12 thousand) and Maronites (6 thousand). There are also Orthodox Christians (22 thousand). In a small number in the country there are adherents of the Episcopal (Anglican in doctrine) church (1 thousand), Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Armenian-Gregorians (900 people), followers of the Monophysite churches - Coptic (700 people) and Ethiopian. Almost all Christians live in large cities.

6. ISLAM, RELIGION OF SOUTHWEST ASIA AND NORTH AFRICA

Equatorial monotheism

So we come to Islam, the religion of the Prophet Muhammad and his Muslim followers. It is the latest and one of the most “successful” great religions of the world. It spread from its origins in Arabia throughout the northern half of Africa, much of the Middle East, Central Asia, India (especially the regions that today make up Pakistan) and the East Indies. Thus, it is mainly an equatorial religion and people from cold or temperate climates have no interest in it. Currently, her followers number around 200 million; but many of them, although they call themselves Muslims, profess ancient faith into demons, great and small, and they can rather be called animists.

In its fundamental spirit, Islam belongs to the Western group of religions - Judaism and Christianity - although during its spread to the east and south it naturally borrowed a lot from the East. In fact, it originated - quite in the spirit of the Old Testament prophets - as another protest against the prevailing polytheism. It teaches that there is One God, Allah Almighty: Muslims even claim that their religion is more strictly monotheistic than Christianity. Muhammad himself accused Christians of being tritheists, worshiping three Gods: God the Father, Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

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Recently, the number of people sharing atheistic views has been growing year by year. True, atheism has not yet become widespread here, but in the socialist countries of Central and East Asia the number of atheists is very significant.

How is the religious composition of the population of individual countries characterized?

Cyprus

Türkiye

Syrian Arab Republic

Lebanon

In Lebanon, where Christianity penetrated at the end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd century. n. e., slightly more than half of the population are Muslims, slightly less than half are Christians.

Israel

Jordan

In Jordan, the state religion is Islam. It is professed by 95% of the population. Among Muslims, Shafi'i Sunnis predominate (90%). In a small number there are Shia Imamis and Druze (together - 5%). Christians make up 5% of the population. They are concentrated mainly *in cities. 2/5 of Christians are Orthodox, about a third are Roman Catholics. There are also Greek Catholics, or Melkites, Armenian Gregorians, Jacobites and a small number of Protestants (Anglicans, Lutherans, Baptists, etc.).

Saudi Arabia

The vast majority of the population of Saudi Arabia (99%) professes Islam. IN different parts countries this religion is represented by its various forms. 9/10 of all Muslims are Sunnis. In the central part of the state - Najd - almost the entire population is Hanbalis-Wahhabis (they include more than half of all Sunnis in the country). In the west, in Hijaei, the Shafi'i sense of Sunnism predominates. There are also Hanifites and Malikis, Hanbalis-Salafiyya and Hanbalites-Wahhabis. In addition, Shia Imamis and Zaydis live in small numbers in Hedjaz. In the southwest, in Asir, the majority of the population adheres to Shafi'i Sunni Islam. Sunnis (Hanbalites, Malikis) also predominate in the Eastern Province (Al-Hasa). However, a large group of Shiites (about a third of the population) also lives in this province. Among the Shiites of Saudi Arabia there are many people from other countries (Persians, Yemenis, Pakistanis, Indians). There are few non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia. In the city of Dzhidtsa (Hidokaz) there are small groups of Jews, Orthodox (Greeks), Protestants (Americans and British) and Catholics (Italians and others; the total number in the country is 13 thousand).

Yemen Arab Republic

The Yemen Arab Republic is also almost pure Muslim country. The largest group of believers is formed by Shia-Zaydis (50% of the population). There are especially many of them in Je-bel, the mountainous part of the country. Thus, in the li-ve of Saada, almost the entire population belongs to the Zaydi sect. The Zaydis also form the overwhelming majority of the Livonians of Sana'a. Only slightly inferior to the Zaydis in number are the Shafi'i Sunnis (49% of the population), mainly concentrated in Tiham (the coastal strip of the country) and in the south (in the provinces of Hodeidah and Taiz they include almost the entire population). There are also a small number of Ismailis (about 70 thousand), Bayadiyya (a semi-Wahhabi type group) and Orthodox Shiites (Persians). Of the non-Muslim beliefs, Hinduism and Judaism are represented (0.5 thousand people).

People's Democratic Republic of Yemen

In the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, the overwhelming majority of the population is Muslim, mainly followers of Shafi'i Sunni Islam. In the far east of the country there is a small number of Sunni Malikis, and in the coastal region there is a small group of Sunni Hanifis. In the city of Aden there are also Shia Imamis and Ismailis (mainly immigrants from South Asia), and on the border with the Islamic Republic of Azerbaijan there are also Zaydis. In the east there are Iba-dits. Christianity (Europeans), Hinduism and Zoroastrianism (South Asians) are common among foreigners. There are several dozen local Catholic Christians in Aden.

Oman

In Oman, almost all the inhabitants are Muslims. Most Muslims adhere to the Ibadi branch of Islam. Over a quarter of the population is Sunni. Among the Sunnis there are Hanbalites, as well as Hanbalis-Wahhabis (Azraki sect) and Shafiites. In the cities, Shiism is widespread among Persians, settled Baharina Arabs and some Pakistanis and Indians. Some Indians living in the country are Hindus. The Portuguese and English living in Oman adhere to Christianity.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dibai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah) also have a predominantly Muslim population (89%). About 2/3 of the residents profess Hanbali Sunnism with an emphasis on Wahhabism; there are also Maliki Sunnis and a small group of Shafi'i Sunnis. In the UAE you can also meet Shiites (1/5 of the population; these are immigrants from Iran and a small part of immigrants from Pakistan and India). In the east and south there lives a group of Ibadis (about 40 thousand). There are also Christians (6% of the population, mainly British and Americans), and Hindus.

Qatar

In Qatar, the vast majority of the population (98%) is Sunni Muslim. Among them there are Malikis and Hanbalis-Wahhabis. There are few Shiites (Baharina Arabs and Persians). There are a small number of Hindus and Jews, as well as Christians (Europeans living in the country).

Bahrain

In Bahrain, Muslims make up 85% of the population. Somewhat more than half of them are Shiites, the rest are Sunnis. Shiites are predominantly settled Baharina Arabs, as well as Persians. Among the Shiites there are Ismailis (part of the Pakistanis and Persians). Bahraini Sunnis are predominantly Maliki, but there is a small group of Wahhabis who come from Saudi Arabia. People from Pakistan living in the country also belong to Sunnism. Sunnis and Shiites live in separate villages, and in cities - in special neighborhoods. Christians constitute 7% of the population (26 thousand). Most of them are British and Americans living in the country. There are small groups of Hindus (immigrants from India) and Jews.

Kuwait

Kuwait is also Muslim in population. 92% of the population adheres to Islam. Among Muslims, Sunnis of the Maliki persuasion predominate. There are also Sunni Hanifis and Wahhabis. 15-20% of Muslims profess Shiism (some of the residents of cities and northern regions of the country, Persians, some Indians and Pakistanis, Arabs - immigrants from Iraq and some other countries). Among the Shiites there is a small number of Ismailis. There are small groups of Hindus (mostly Indians) living in Kuwait. 6% of the country's population are Christians. These are Anglicans and Reformed (4 thousand), Catholics (18 thousand), Orthodox, Jacobites, Copts (the total number of three groups is 4 thousand), Armenian Gregorians (6 thousand), etc. Christianity (in the form of Orthodoxy, Monophysitism, Anglicanism, Reformation) are professed by a small group of Arabs and foreigners: some Malayalee Indians, the British, Americans, etc.

Iraq

In Iraq, 96% of the inhabitants profess Islam (54% of Muslims are Shiites, 46% are Sunnis). Sunni Hanafi and, to a lesser extent, Shafi'i interpretations are adhered to by Bedouin nomads in different parts of the country, some city dwellers (primarily residents of Baghdad and Basra), settled Arabs of Upper Mesopotamia, as well as Kurds, Turks, Circassians, and most Turkmens. The settled Arab agricultural population of the southern and central part of Iraq, the Persians, Lurs and about a third of the Turkmens are Shiites. There are also a small number of Ali-Ilahi (Kurds and a small part of the Turkmens), Ismailis, and Baha'is. 3% of Iraq's population is Christian, concentrated in the country's major cities, as well as in rural areas around Mosul. These are mainly Assyrians, Armenians and some Arabs. The largest group among Christians is formed by Catholics, mainly followers of various Uniate churches. The overwhelming majority of them are Chaldo-Catholics, there are also Syro-Catholics (35 thousand) and Armenian-Catholics. There are few Catholics of the Latin rite (3.5 thousand), mostly foreigners living in Iraq. Other Christians include non-Storians (65 thousand), Armenian Gregorians (23 thousand), Jacobites (12 thousand), Orthodox, and Protestants. A significant group formerly consisted of Jews, but in the early 50s the vast majority of them left for Israel, and only 450 people remained in Iraq. The country has preserved followers of a number of ancient religions and sects: the Yazidis (70 thousand; part of the Kurds in the area of Mosul, Kirkuk and Sinjar), the Mandaeans (14 thousand, concentrated in the Nasiriya region).

Iran

In Iran, 99% of the population is Muslim. The predominant direction of Islam is Shiism (more than 90% of all Muslims belong to it), which has been around since the beginning of the 16th century. on the position of state religion. It is adhered to by the overwhelming majority of Persians, Gilans, Mazenderans, Tats, Talyshs, Lurs, Bakhtiars, Azerbaijanis, Shahsevens, Qashqais and others. Some Kurds (in Khorasan) and Arabs are also Shiites. A group of Kurds living in the Sardasht Bane region and southern Kurdistan belong to the Shia Ali-Ilahi sect. The Lurs living in Serkan, Tusserkanei and Alishter belong to the same sect, as well as to another Shiite sect - the Kurdish-bacha. There are also Ismailis and Bahais in Iran (the latter number about 300 thousand). There are about 3 million Sunnis - mainly Shafiites and Hanifis. These include most of the Kur-Tsovs and Arabs, Baluchis, Turkmens, Dzhemshids, and a small group of Talysh. Christianity is professed by 169 thousand people (0.5% of the population). It is represented in Iran by Armenian-Gregorians (the bulk of Armenians living in Tabriz and Isfahan), Nestorians (30 thousand, part of the Assyrians), Chaldo-Catholics (part of the Assyrians), Armenian-Catholics (Armenians in Isfahan) and Latin Rite Catholics ( all Catholics - 28 thousand), Protestants (8.5 thousand, mainly Presbyterians, as well as Anglicans), Orthodox. A group of followers of Judaism (62 thousand) lives in the country. There are also Zoroastrians (the so-called Hebras, 21 thousand in Yazd, Kerman, Tehran and Shiraz) and Yazidis (a small group of Kurds).

Afghanistan

Islam began to spread in Afghanistan from the end of the 7th - beginning of the 8th century, and currently the overwhelming majority of the country's population are Muslims. The most widespread Sunnism in Afghanistan is the Hanafi movement, which is adhered to by 80-90% of all residents. The majority of Afghans and Tajiks, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Baluchis, most of the Charai-Maks (Jamshids, Hazarai-Kalainau, Firuzkukhs, Taimanis), Nuristanis (the latter at the end of the 19th century adhered to local tribal beliefs, for which they were called their neighbors) are Sunnis -Muslim kafirs, i.e. infidels; Islam was spread among them by violent means). A number of Sunni orders function in Afghanistan - Qadiriya, Naqshban-Diya, Qalandariya. A small group of the population (approximately 0.5%) belongs to the Ahmadiyya sect. There is a significant Shia population in the country. These are the Hazara-Berberies, as well as the Teimurs, the Qizilbash and the Dzadzi Afghans, small mixed Afghan-Persian groups in Sistan, the Persians. Shiites can also be found in the areas of Kabul, Herat, and Ghazni. The peoples of Badakhshan and some Tajiks profess Ismailism (the total number of Ismailis is approximately 3% of the country's population). In addition, in Afghanistan there are Hindus (20 thousand), as well as Sikhs, Zoroastrians and Jews (0.2 thousand).

Pakistan

From the 7th-8th centuries. Islam also penetrated into modern Pakistan. Muslims currently make up 97% of the population here. Most of them adhere to Hanafi Sunnism. There are also Sunni sects in Pakistan. These are the Mujahideen, Khurs, Ahl-al-Hadis, Ahl-i-Koran, Zik-ri (150 thousand). The Ahma-die sect is influential, whose followers live in a number of regions of the country. Shiites, according to various estimates, make up from "/10 to "/3 of all Muslims. In the province of Punjab and in areas inhabited by Pashtuns, Shia Imamis are found. In Punjab, as well as in the North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan, Ismailis live (mainly Nizaris - 1 million, in a smaller number - Mustalis).

According to the 1972 census, 1.4% of the population of Pakistan professed Hinduism (some Punjabis, Sindhis, etc.), 1.4% - Christianity. Christianity is represented in Pakistan by Catholics (424 thousand) and Protestants. Most of the latter belong to the Church of Pakistan, created in 1970 by uniting Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans. In addition, there are followers of the Salvation Army, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Pentecostals, etc. Christians live mainly in Punjab and the Quetta region of Balochistan. A separate religious group in the country is the Parsi Zoroastrians (about 10 thousand). The majority of Parsis are concentrated in Karachi. There are also 4 thousand Buddhists, a small number of Jains and 250 Jews in Pakistan.

India

In India, 83% of the population adheres to Hinduism. Hinduism is the dominant religion in all states of the republic except Jammu and Kashmir and the newly formed small state of Nagaland. Hinduism is divided into two main directions - Vaishnavism and Shaivism. Currently, the cult of the god Vishnu has become more widespread, but among a number of Indian peoples (for example, among the Tamils, Assamese) Shaivites predominate. In some places Shaktism is also highly developed, for example among the Malayalees, who preserve the traditions of their maternal family. In addition to the orthodox Sanatani Hindus, the country also has followers of reformed Hinduism, primarily the Arya Samaj religious society.

Muslims in India make up 11% of the population (in 1979 there were 80 million). The vast majority of Indian Muslims are Hanafi Sunnis. On the Malabar coast, the Shafi'i sense is widespread, and in a number of regions of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, Sunnism has clearly expressed Wahhabi tendencies. The Ahmadiyya sect has a certain number of followers. Shiites make up less than a tenth of the Muslim population. Most Shiites can be found in cities. Among them there are Ismailis, although the latter are inferior in number to the Orthodox Shiites. Indian Ismailis are divided into Nizaris (Khojas) and Mustalis (Bohras). Most Khojas are followers of the multimillionaire hereditary imam Aga Khan, whom they revere as a living god. There is also a small group of Baha'is in India.

The third large religious group in India are Christians (about 3% of the population). In South India, the first Christians appeared in the 1st century. n. e. Currently, more than half of Indian Christians are concentrated in the south of the country (primarily in the state of Kerala, as well as in the Madras region). There are many Christians in the state of Nagaland. All Indian Christians can be divided into two main groups. The first of these groups includes the descendants of the ancient Christian population of India, who once adhered to the Nestorian faith. With the invasion of India by the Portuguese colonialists, the latter began to forcibly impose Catholicism. Indian Christians were forced to enter into a union with Rome, as a result of which the Syro-Malabar Church was created, which recognized the tenets of Catholicism, but retained its rituals. After some time, a significant group of followers of this church broke with Rome, but did not return back to Nestorianism, but accepted Jacobite (Monophysite) dogmas. The Malabar Syrian Church of St. Thomas, in turn, branched off from the Jacobites, approaching Protestantism. Subsequently, a small part of the Jacobites entered into a union with Rome, which led to the formation of the Syro-Lankara Church. Later, the Uniate churches lost some of their followers, in particular, the Chaldean Syrian (neo-Nestorian) church broke away from the Syro-Mala-Bar Church. Thus, currently in South India there are the following Old Christian churches, Uniate Syro-Malabar Church (Chaldo-Catholic, 2178 thousand followers) and Syro-Malankara Church (Syro-Catholic - 213 thousand), Jacobite Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church(1.5 million) and the Ma-Labar Syrian Church of St. Thomas (550 thousand) and, finally, the neo-Nestorian Chaldean Syrian Church (5 thousand).

The formation of the second group of Christians is associated with the activities of European missionaries. Preachers especially intensified their work in the 19th-20th centuries, and currently it is this second group that forms the majority of the Christian population of India. The most influential Roman Catholic Church(9704 thousand followers, including Catholics of the Eastern Rites). Catholics are most numerous in the south of the country, as well as in some western regions (for example, in Goa, Daman and Diu, where Portuguese colonialists dominated for several centuries). Of the Protestant churches (4.3 million) greatest number The Church of South India (700 thousand) and the Church of North India have adherents. The Church of South India (1,530 thousand people) was created in 1947 by merging the main Protestant organizations in the southern part of the country. The newly formed church included Methodist Church, South Indian United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), and southern dioceses Anglican Church India. The Church of North India (more than 600 thousand people) was organized in 1970 as a result of the merger of the Anglican Church of India and the United Church of North India. In addition, there are many Baptists (2.1 million), Lutherans (1.1 million), Menno-Nites, and Pentecostals in the country. There are also followers of the Salvation Army in India (227 thousand).

Sikhism, which emerged from the depths of Hinduism, currently occupies the position of an independent religion in India. Sikhs form about 2% of the country's population. The vast majority of them are concentrated in Punjab.

There are also 3.8 million Buddhists living in India. Most Buddhists are in Maharashtra. The religion of Jainism, widespread only within India, has about 2.6 million followers. The majority of Jains are concentrated in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. A small religious community in India is formed by Parsi Zoroastrians, descendants of settlers from Persia who fled in the 7th-12th centuries. from persecution by adherents of Islam. The number of Parsis is over 120 thousand (according to other sources - 200 thousand). Over half of all Indian Zoroastrians are concentrated in Bombay. There are 8 thousand Jews in India. The vast majority of them are concentrated in Maharashtra and Kerala.

Some backward peoples of India continue to adhere to tribal beliefs. There are relatively few atheists in the country. Part of the urban intelligentsia belongs to them.

In India's associated state of Sikkim, Hinduism (67% of the total population) and Buddhism (31%) are most common.

Local form Buddhist religion in Sikkim there is Red-Cap Lamaism. It is followed by the indigenous population (Bhotiya and Lep-Cha), as well as some people from Nepal. Another part of the Nepalese migrants are Hindus. A group of Catholic Christians (11 thousand) and Protestants also live in the associated state. There are small groups of Jains and Muslims.

Butane

In the Principality of Bhutan, approximately 75% of the population (primarily the main people of the country - the Bhotis) adheres to Red Cap Lamaism (Dukpa). In the southern part of the country, Hinduism predominates among people from Nepal and India (its followers make up approximately 25% of the population)

Nepal

In the state of Nepal, located in the Himalayas, according to the 1981 census, 90% of the country's population professes Hinduism, 5% - Buddhism (in the form of Mahayana and its variety - Lamaism), 3% - Islam. Hinduism is adhered to by the overwhelming majority of Indo-Aryan peoples, as well as Magars, Gurungs, part of the Newars, Rai, Limbu. Many Newars and Tamangs are Mahayanist Buddhists, Bhotiyas, Sherpas, some of the Rais, Limbu and Tamangs are Lamaist Buddhists. Among the immigrants from India there are Jains (9 thousand). There are few people who adhere to tribal beliefs. There are very few Christians in Nepal (4 thousand).

Bangladesh

In the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the majority of the population (85%) is Muslim (mainly Sunni-Hanifi; there is a small number of Shia, including Ismaili). There are also many Hindus in the country (13.5%). In addition, there are Buddhists (439 thousand) and Christians (216 thousand), represented by both Protestants (Church of Bangladesh) and Catholics (150 thousand). The majority of Tibeto-Burman peoples are Buddhists, and the Garo tribes are Christians. Tribal religions persist in some areas of the country.

Republic of Maldives

The population of the Maldives is Muslim. The overwhelming majority of them belong to Sunnis.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, Buddhism established itself as the state religion back in the 3rd century. BC e. Currently, Buddhism in the Theravada form is practiced by 70% of the country's population. There are three main Buddhist sects: Si-, Amskaya, Amarapura, Ramanna. The majority (over one-half) of the Sinhalese, the largest people in the country, are Buddhists. 15% of the population of Sri Lanka adheres to Hinduism (in the form of Shaivism). Hinduism is common among most Tamils. There are many Muslims living in the country (7% of the population). Islam is practiced by the “Moors” (descendants of Arabs and Indian-Muslim traders), as well as by the Malays, Afghans, and Baluchis living in Sri Lanka. There are quite a lot of Christians in Sri Lanka (8% of the population). Christianity is practiced by some Sinhalese and Tamils, as well as all “burghers” are descendants of mixed marriages between Dutch and Portuguese settlers and local women. The vast majority of Christians are Catholics (1 million). There are also Protestants, among them 42 thousand Anglicans and 24 thousand Methodists. In addition, there are followers of the Church of South India (6 thousand), adherents of the Salvation Army (5 thousand), Reformed (4 thousand), Baptists (3 thousand), Pentecostals (2 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists, Presbyterians and etc. The oldest population of Sri Lanka - the Veddas, of whom only 3 thousand remain, adhere to traditional beliefs.

Burma

In Burma, 83% of the country's population professes Buddhism. The vast majority of the Burmese are Buddhists, as well as the Shans, Mons, most Karens, Kayas, Palongs, some Kachins, Chins, and Wa. Buddhism is widespread mainly in the form of Theravada, Mahayana is followed only by a small part of the peoples of Northern Burma and the Chinese living in the country (some of the Chinese are Confucians and Taoists). Christianity is professed by slightly more than 5% of the country's total population. It was introduced by missionaries among some peoples living in the peripheral regions of Burma. Thus, there are many Christians among the Chins, Karens and Kayas, Kachins, etc. The bulk of Burmese Christians are Protestants (over 1.2 million). Among them most of all are Baptists (950 thousand), there are also non-Anglicans (130 thousand), Methodists (39 thousand), Pentecostals (29 thousand, including followers of the Assemblies of God - 19 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (3 thousand), adherents of the Salvation Army and others. Catholics - 301 thousand. 4% of the country's population are Muslims (mainly Sunnis). These are Arakanese, people from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and Malays. About 3% of the population are Hindus (immigrants from India). There is a small group of Judaists (50 people). Traditional tribal beliefs are common among some peoples living in the outlying areas of Burma. They are preserved by the majority of Nagas, Chins, Kachins, Wa, Lisu, Akha, some Karens, Kayas and other peoples. Adherents of traditional beliefs make up 5% of the country's population.

Thailand

In Thailand, Buddhists make up 95% of the total population. Just like in Burma, Buddhism of the southern school - Theravada (mainly the Mahanikaya sect, partly the Dhammayutikanikaya sect) dominates here. Theravadas are followed by the Siamese, Khmers, Mons, most Lao, Karens, some mountain Khmers and some other ethnic groups. Buddhism of the northern school - Mahayana - is practiced by some of the Chinese and Vietnamese living in Thailand and some Laos. 4% of the population are Muslims (Malays, Chams, people from Bangladesh and Pakistan), the overwhelming majority are Sunni-Shafiites. There are a small number of Sunni Hanifis and Shiites. Some Chinese are adherents of Confucianism and Taoism. A small group of Thais practice Christianity. Christian missionaries have been working in this country since the 16th century, but their success has been limited. Christians (0.5% of the population) are concentrated in Bangkok and the north of the country. Catholics (total number - 165 thousand) are mainly found among the Vietnamese living in Thailand, as well as Eurasian mestizos. The bulk of Protestants in Thailand (30 thousand) are followers of the Presbyterian Church of Christ. There are also Pentecostals, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Lutherans, adherents of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, etc. Protestants are part of the Karen and Kaya, settled along the western border of the country, and representatives of some other peoples. In the central regions there is a small group of Hindus (4 thousand, mostly from India); in Bangkok there is a small number of Sikhs. Some mountain tribes of Thailand (part of the mountain Khmer, mountain Thai, Meo, or Miao, Yao, Akha, Lisu, Karen, etc.) adhere to traditional cults. 14 thousand residents of Thailand do not profess any religion.

Laos

In Laos, the main religion of the believing population is Buddhism in the Theravada form (the Mahanikaya sect and, to a lesser extent, the Dhammayuthikanikaya sect). Some Mountain Thai groups and most Viet believers practice Northern Buddhism. Mountain tribes - Khmu, mountain Khmers, Meo (Miao), Man (Yao), part of the mountain Tais, etc. - basically retain their tribal beliefs. Living in the country is a small group of French, some Viet and Chinese, as well as a small group of local residents - Catholics (43 thousand), some Chinese and some representatives of mountain peoples - Protestants (Seventh-day Adventists, etc.), people from South Asia - Hindus and Muslims (a small group of Indians profess Buddhism), the Chinese are Confucians, Taoists, Buddhists (Mahayanists).

Kampuchea

Buddhism is the predominant religion of the believing population in Kampuchea. It is represented in the country mainly by its southern branch - Theravada, which here splits into two sects: Mahanikaya and Dhammayutikanikaya. Theravada is practiced by the Khmers, Lao, Siamese, and part of the mountain Khmers. The Chinese and Vietnamese living in Kampuchea adhere mainly to Buddhism of the northern branch (Mahaya Na). Some Chinese are Confucians and Taoists. There are also 14 thousand Catholics in the country (some of the Viet and Chinese and a small group of Khmers, or rather Khmerized Portuguese, whose ancestors settled here in the 16th century). The most significant Protestant organization in the country is the Christian and Missionary Alliance. In addition, there are Seventh-day Adventists and other Protestants (total number - 2 thousand). There is also a small Muslim group in Kampuchea (Chams and Malays). Some of the mountain Khmers and mountain chams adhere to traditional beliefs.

Vietnam

Vietnam has great diversity religious beliefs. The cult of ancestors that dominated here was layered with Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. All these religions are common among the Vietnamese, as well as among the Chinese living in the country. Buddhism is represented mainly by its Mahayanist direction; Theravadas are adhered to by a small number of Viets in the south of the country, the Khmers living in Vietnam and part of the mountain Khmers. A number of sects branched off from Buddhism in Vietnam. These are Binh-Xuyen, Jetavana-Vihara, etc. Syncretic sects have become especially widespread (sometimes the Binh-Xuyen sect is also considered syncretic). The largest of them - Kao Dai - arose relatively recently, in 1926. Its teaching is a synthesis of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity. The number of followers of the sect is 2 million, they are settled mainly in the southern regions. Another syncretic sect, Hoa-Hao, also widespread in the south of the country, also has a significant number of supporters (1.5 million). From the 16th century As a result of missionary activity, Christianity began to penetrate into the country. Now there are quite a lot of Christians in Vietnam, most of them are Catholics (over 3 million). Catholicism is practiced by some Viets (mainly in the south of the country), a small number of Chams and some representatives of mountain peoples. There are a number of Protestant organizations in the country, including the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (about 50 thousand followers) and the Christian and Missionary Alliance. There are also Seventh-day Adventists (3 thousand) and Baptists. Adherents of Protestantism are a small group of Viet and groups within the mountainous peoples of Vietnam. Some Chams and Malays profess Sunni Islam. Two-thirds of the Chams remained faithful to their ancient Brahmanical beliefs. Tribal cults are common among a number of peoples living in the interior of the country - mountain Thais (Thai, Nung, Santi, Know, etc.), Meo (Miao) and Zao (Yao), mountain Khmers, mountain Chams, etc. Vietnam in last years the number of atheists is growing rapidly

Malaysia

Sunni Islam declared in the Federation of Malaysia state religion. Muslims (mostly Sunni Shafi'is) make up 49% of the country's population. In Western Malaysia (in the Malay principalities, as well as in Malacca and Penang), 51% of the inhabitants adhere to Islam, in East Malaysia (Sarawak and Sabah) - 40%. The overwhelming majority of Malays and people from Indonesia (Javanese, etc.), as well as a fifth of all people from South Asia (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), Arabs and Afghans living in Malaysia, Chinese-Malay mestizo (the so-called Baba) are Muslims. a small group of Chinese, as well as some groups of the population of Sarawak and Sabah (Melanau, Badjao, part of the Dusuns, Ibans and other Dayak peoples). The Chinese living in Malaysia (who make up a third of the country's total population) profess Buddhism in the form of Mahayana, Confucianism and Taoism. Buddhism in the Theravada form is practiced by the Siamese living in Malaysia. Christianity, which accounts for 5% of the Malaysian population, is widespread among some people from South Asia and the Chinese, Europeans, and some groups within the Dayak peoples. Of the Christians, both Catholics (335 thousand in Malaysia and Brunei) and Protestants (225 thousand) are represented. Among Protestants, the largest number are Methodists (85 thousand). There are also Anglicans (over 40 thousand), Lutherans (35 thousand), Presbyterians (20 thousand), Baptists (8 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (7 thousand), members of the Assemblies of God, followers of the Salvation Army. Among the Indians There is a small group of Christian Monophysites. A significant religious group is formed by Hindus (9% of the country's population), which includes 70% of all people from South Asia. There is also a group of Sikhs in Malaya. 2% of all South Asians (Punjabis) belong to it. Most of the Dayaks in East Malaysia and a number of small peoples of Western Malaysia (Jakuns, Senoi, Semang) adhere to traditional cults.

Singapore

In Singapore, the main ethnic community is the Chinese (3/4 of the total population) who mainly profess Taoism and Buddhism. Taoists make up 29% of the population, Buddhists - 27%. Islam (16% of the population) is widespread in the country among the Malays, immigrants from Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, some immigrants from India, and Arabs. Sunni-Shafiites predominate among Muslims; there are also a small number of followers of the Ahmadiyya sect and Shia-Ismailis. Hinduism (4% of the population) is followed by the majority of people from India. A small group of Punjabi Indians are Sikhs (15 thousand). A small number of Chinese and Indians are Christians, as are Europeans, mainly the British. Of the Christians, there are Catholics (78 thousand), as well as Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, “Brothers” (the approximate number of all Protestants is 75 thousand), Armenian-Gregorians, Orthodox. Catholics are mainly Chinese, among the Methodists there are many Indians. There is a small Jewish community in Singapore (450 people), with 13% of the population reporting no religion in the 1980 census.

Brunei

In the Sultanate of Brunei (on the island of Kalimantan), which gained independence at the end of 1983, official religion is Islam (Sunni-Shafiites predominate). Muslimism is practiced by 63% of the country's population. These are the Brunei Malays, some South Asians and a small group of indigenous people (the so-called Dayak peoples). There is a small number of Baha'is (0.5% of the population, mostly from Pakistan). Most of the country's aboriginal population (Keda-Yans, Dusuns, Ibans, etc.) retain their adherence to traditional tribal cults. Christianity (Catholicism, Anglicanism, Methodism) is common among some Chinese and Indians, the British and some indigenous groups. It is adhered to by 10% of all residents. The bulk of the Chinese profess Confucianism, Buddhism (Buddhists make up 14% of Brunei's population) and Taoism.

Indonesia

The vast majority of Indonesia's population (87.5%) is Muslim. Indonesian Muslims adhere mainly to Sunnism of the Shafiite persuasion (only a portion of those from India and Pakistan are Shiites). Islam is professed by the bulk of the Javanese, Sundas, Jakartans, Madures (Java and Madura), Sumatran Malays, Minangkabau, Ache, part of the Bataks, Guyos, Alas, most Lampongs (Sumatra), Kalimantan Malays, Ban Jars, some groups within the Dayak peoples (Kalimantan), Bugis, Makassars, Sadangs, Mandaras, Gorontalos, part of the Tomili, Moris, Laks (Sulawesi), part of the Butungs (Butung), Muna (Muna), most of the Sasaks (Lombok), Sumbawans, part of the Bims (Sumbawa), some groups of Sumbanese (Sumba), a small number of Manggaray (Flores), Bachan (Bachan), Tidorians, Ternatians, part of the Galela and Tobelo (Hal-Mahera and nearby islands), Arabs living in Indonesia, some people from South Asia, etc. Christians make up 7% of the population. Christians are part of the Bataks and Lampongs (Sumatra), Nias (Nias), Mentawai-tsev (Mentavai), Minahas, part of the Bola-ang-Mongondou, Toraja, Balantaks, Bungku, Laks (Sulawesi), Sangires (Sangihe), Talauds (Talaud ), most of the Ende, Nage, Ngada, Sikka, Lio, Manggarai (Flores), Solorians (So-lor), Alorians (Alor), part of the Atoni, Te-tum, Bunak (Timor), a small number of Rotiians (Roti), part of the Ambonians (Ambon), Seramians (Seram), groups of Dayak peoples (Kalimantan), part of the Papuans and Melanesians (Irian Jaya), a small number of Javanese and Sundas (Java), part of the Chinese, etc. Among Christians there are Protestants (more 6 million) and Catholics (the latter - about 3 million). Most Protestants belong to local Indonesian churches (Reformed, Lutheran, etc.). These are the Lutheran Christian Batak Protestant Church (more than 1 million), the Christian Evangelical Church of the Minahas (500 thousand), the Christian Evangelical Church of Timor (650 thousand), the Protestant Church of Maluku (275 thousand), the Evangelical Christian Church in Western Iran. -ane (225 thousand), Protestant Church in Western Indonesia (200 thousand), Protestant Church of Nias (200 thousand), Christian Evangelical Church of the islands of Sangihe and Talaud (200 thousand), Christian Protestant Church in Sumatra (190 thousand). ), Christian church Toraj (170 thousand), Christian Church of Central Sulawesi (125 thousand), Kalimantan Evangelical Church (95 thousand), Christian Church of East Java (80 thousand), etc. In addition, in Indonesia there are followers of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (55 thousand), adherents of the Bethel Full Gospel Church (50 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (31 thousand), Methodists (about 30 thousand), supporters of the Salvation Army (22 thousand), various Pentecostal groups ( about 20 thousand), Mennonites (4 thousand), etc. Modern followers of Hinduism in Indonesia (2% of the population) are actually relics of the time when this religion occupied a predominant position on the islands. Subsequently, Hindu beliefs were supplanted by Islam in most places of their distribution, and now Hinduism (in the Shaivite form) is adhered to only by the Balinese, a small group of Sasaks (the population of the islands of Bali and Lombok) and some people from South Asia. In addition, mixed Hindu-Buddhist cults are common among two small ethnic groups in Java - the Tengger and Badui. As for Buddhism itself, it was previously widespread among the population of Sumatra. Over time, this religion was displaced from Sumatra by Islam, and now only a portion of the Indonesian Chinese are followers of Buddhism in Indonesia (about 1% of the population). Another part of the Chinese professes Confucianism (about 1% of the population) and Taoism. There is also a small group of Judaists in the country (100 people). In a number of regions of the country, tribal beliefs have been preserved (among the Kubu, Punans, part of the Bataks, Dayaks, Torajas, Papuans, etc.).

East Timor

In the eastern part of the island of Timor, formerly belonging to Portugal and then annexed by Indonesia, a significant part of the population is adherents of local cults. Traditional beliefs are found primarily in the interior. Some residents converted to Christianity (mainly Catholicism). Catholics currently number 197 thousand (slightly less than a third of the population). This is part of the local residents, Europeans, and a small group of Chinese. There are very few Protestants (Reformed and Lutherans). There are also Sunni Muslims in the country (a group of local residents, immigrants from Indonesia and some other countries). The Chinese living in East Timor adhere to Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism.

Philippines

The Philippines is mainly a Christian country (since the 16th century). The vast majority of the Filipino population adheres to Christianity. It is practiced by the Tagalogs, Visayas, Ilokos, Pan-Gasinans, Pampangans, Sambals, Ibanags, and Bicols. Some highlander groups in the interior of Northern Luzon and Central Mindanao and on a number of other islands have also converted to Christianity. The bulk of Filipino Christians are Catholics (84% of the country's total population). In 1901, the Philippine Independent Church, sometimes called the Aglipayan Church after its founder, Bishop Aglipay, broke away from Roman Catholicism. It unites 5% of the population. This church is most influential in Luzon, especially among the Ilocos. Protestants make up 6% of the population. The followers of the largest Protestant church organization - the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (the church united Reformed, Presbyterians, Congregationalists and some other Protestant groups) - number 475 thousand people. Of the other Protestants, we should first of all note the Methodists (about 270 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (235 thousand), and Baptists (189 thousand). Smaller groups include Anglicans (57 thousand), various Pentecostal groups (57 thousand, including the Assemblies of God - 49 thousand), members of the Philippine Missionary Churches of Christ (51 thousand), Christian and Missionary Alliance (48 thousand) , United Evangelical Church of Christ, formed as a result of the merger of several Protestant groups (45 thousand), Lutherans, Nazarenes, followers of the Salvation Army, etc. Members of the syncretic Church of Christ 700 thousand Peoples of the Sulu Islands, western and southern coastal regions of the island of Mindanao and Southern Palawan (Maguindanao, Tausog, Ilanum, Maronao, Supu and Samal, Yakan, Sangil) profess Islam (mainly Sunnism of the Shafiite persuasion; there are a small number of representatives of other sects of Sunnism and Shiites). Islam also gained some currency among a number of mountain peoples in central Mindanao and Palawan. Muslims, or Moros as they are known in the Philippines, form 5% of the population. A small group of Buddhists (43 thousand) lives in the country, which includes some of the Chinese living in the Philippines. There are Chinese Confucians and Taoists, but most Filipino Chinese are Christians (mostly Catholics). There is also a small group of Judaists (200 people). Finally, the country still has followers of local cults (2% of the population). Traditional religions adhered to by about half of the mountain peoples inhabiting the interior of the large islands.

China

In China, three religions are most widespread: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. The exact number of followers of each of these religions is difficult to establish, since all the main religions of China are closely intertwined with each other and often a believer simultaneously visits the temples of two or even three religions. Of the three main religions of the country, Confucianism is the most influential; the positions of Buddhism and especially Taoism are more modest. All of these religions are professed primarily by the Chinese themselves. Buddhism, in addition, is widespread among a number of other peoples of China. In the Mahayanist form, it is professed (in addition to the Chinese) by some Koreans living in China. Buddhist-Lamaists are Tibetans and believers of a number of other Tibetan-speaking peoples and most of the believing Mongol-speaking population of the PRC. Finally, Buddhism (in the form of Theravada) is adhered to by the Tai, Naxi and some other small peoples settled along the southern border of China.

In addition to the three main beliefs, there are other religions in China. In the northwestern regions of the country, Islam is widespread mainly in the form of Sunnism (approximately 10 million followers). It is adhered to by the Hui (Dungans), as well as believers of almost all peoples speaking Turkic languages (Uighurs, Kazakhs, etc.), and small Mongol-speaking groups (Dongxiang, Baoan). Christianity (in the form of Nestorianism) penetrated into China in the 6th century. n. e., but was subsequently supplanted by other religions. Christian missionaries made efforts to convert local residents to their faith, but little success was achieved. Particularly energetic missionary work was launched in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but even now the number of Chinese Christians is relatively small. Christianity mainly spread in the form of Catholicism (about 2 million followers) and Protestantism (1 million). There are few Orthodox Christians in China (5 thousand). Among the Protestants, we note Presbyterians, Methodists, followers of the Church of Christ in China, adherents of the True Church of Jesus, Baptists, Lutherans, Anglicans, Seventh-day Adventists. The bulk of Christians are Chinese. In addition, a number of ethnic groups in southwest China have converted to Christianity: part of the Bai, Lisu, Jingpo (Kachin), Lahu, Hani, Bui, Dong, Shui, Miao, etc. Some peoples of the peripheral regions of China continue to maintain traditional beliefs (most part of Zhuang, Bui, Lisu, Dong, Shui, Li, Miao, Yao, She, Yizu, Tujia, Hani, Lahu, Jingpo, Kawa, Gao-shan, etc.). In the northern part of China, shamanism is widespread among a number of peoples (it is partially adhered to by the Manchus, other Tungus-Manchu peoples, Dahurs, etc.).

Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

In the British colony on Chinese territory - Hong Kong - the local Chinese population professes Buddhism, as well as Confucianism and Taoism. There are small groups of Muslims (30 thousand), Hindus (8 thousand) and Jews (250 people). Christians are much more numerous (in 1981 there were 457 thousand Chinese Christians). There are 266 thousand Catholics in the colony, 90% of them are Chinese. There are many followers of various Protestant churches. These are Lutherans (26 thousand), Anglicans (18 thousand), Baptists (together with Macau -15 thousand), followers of the Church of Christ in China (14 thousand), Presbyterians (13 thousand), various groups of Pentecostals (7 thousand .), Methodists (6 thousand), adherents of the Salvation Army (4 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (2 thousand). There are also Christian Science supporters and Mormons. There are also a very small number of Orthodox believers.

Macao (Macau)

In the territory of Macao, located within China, under Portuguese administration and enjoying internal self-government, the majority of the population (77%) adheres to Buddhism. Christians make up 10% of the population in Macau (the majority are Catholics - 20 thousand).

Mongolian People's Republic

The vast majority of believers in the Mongolian People's Republic practice the Lamaist form of Buddhism. There is a small number of Muslims living in the country (Kazakhs, etc.) There is a significant number of atheists in Mongolia.

Korea

Currently, in the northern part of Korea there is a socialist state - the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in South Korea The US-backed Seoul regime is in power.

Religious composition The religious population of Korea is very diverse. In the 4th century. n. e. Mahayanist Buddhism was brought to this country from China. Confucianism penetrated from China to Korea. Currently, there are over 12 million Buddhists in South Korea, and more than 5 million Confucians. Some elements of shamanism have been preserved in traditional Korean beliefs. Catholicism began to spread among Koreans from the 18th century, Protestantism - from the 19th century. There are now 8.5 million Christians in South Korea, including over 7 million Protestants. The bulk of them are Presbyterians. In addition to Presbyterians, Methodists (237 thousand), followers of the Eastern Missionary Society (118 thousand), Baptists (44 thousand), adherents of the Salvation Army (30 thousand), Seventh-day Adventists (22 thousand), Pentecostals (13 thousand) are represented. , including the Assemblies of God - 11 thousand), Anglicans (5 thousand), Nazarenes (4 thousand), etc. There are 1.3 million Catholics in South Korea, 100 thousand in the DPRK, Orthodox Christians in Korea - only 1 thousand. As a result of the interpenetration of religions, syncretic sects arose.

Thus, the Cheondogyo sect (1.2 million followers in South Korea, there are adherents in the DPRK) combines elements of Buddhism, shamanism and Christianity. Another large sect is Taechengyo (317 thousand in South Korea). The ranks of atheists are growing rapidly in the DPRK.

Japan

Two main religions coexist in Japan - Shintoism and Buddhism (Mahayana). As in China, in Japan the main religions are closely intertwined and interpenetrate. Therefore, here too it is quite difficult to determine the number of followers of each religion. According to official data for 1981, Shintoism had 104.6 million adherents, Buddhism - 87.1 million. Thus, the total number of adherents of the two religions significantly exceeds the population of all of Japan. This is not surprising, since many Japanese attend both Shinto and Buddhist temples and were probably among the followers of both religions. Shintoism is usually divided into temple, or orthodox, and sectarian. The largest sects of Shintoism are Tenri (2.6 million followers), Seicho no Ie (1.4 million), PL Kyodan (1.3 million), Izumo Oyashiro (1.2 million), Shinri (678 thousand .), mitake (668 thousand), sekai kyusei (658 thousand), kurozumi (651 thousand), konko (530 thousand), blue (520 thousand), ananai (215 thousand), fuso ( 199 thousand), jikko (156 thousand), omoto (139 thousand), misogi (114 thousand), Shinko Tai (53 thousand), Shinto Shusei (52 thousand), Shinto Taisei (28 thousand). Japanese Buddhism is also fragmented into sects (there are over 200 of them). The most important Buddhist sect is Jodo Shin (together with the branches of the sect - about 15 million followers), followed by the Shingon sect (11.2 million), Zen (a group of sects - 10.2 million), Tendai (4.7 million). ), jodo (3.5 million), nichiren (1.8 million). Much smaller in number are the Yuzu Nembutsu (101 thousand), Ji (85 thousand), Kegon (70 thousand), Hosso (34 thousand), Ritsu (12 thousand) sects. In recent decades, many new religious movements, of which it should be noted the neo-Buddhist sects Nichiren Seshu (over 16 million; on its basis the Soka Gakkai organization was created, which enjoys great influence in public life countries;, reiyukai (4.2 million) and rissho kosei kai (5.3 million in Japan and abroad).

Christianity penetrated Japan at the end of the 16th century, but after some time, as a result of repression by the state, it was almost completely eradicated. Again, Christianity began to spread in the country only in the second half of the 19th century, and in 1981 there were 1,434 thousand Christians in Japan, of which 3/5 were Protestants and 2/5 were Catholics. Protestants are divided into many churches and sects, of which the United Church of Christ in Japan has the most followers (192 thousand), which united Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, Reformed and other Protestants in the pre-war years. In addition, there is the Holy Catholic Church of Japan (Anglican by faith - 55 thousand followers), the so-called Extra-church Christian movement (50 thousand) and the church organization "Spirit of Jesus Christ" (37 thousand), as well as groups of Baptists ( 38 thousand), Lutherans (25 thousand), Pentecostals (20 thousand), Methodists (16 thousand), followers of the Salvation Army (15 thousand), Presbyterians (13 thousand), Nazarenes (7 thousand), Adventists seventh day (4 thousand), Reformed (4 thousand), etc. There is a small group of Orthodox believers in the country (25 thousand) and a very small group of Jews (400 people). Ainu adhere to a small national minority in Japan. primitive primitive beliefs which are gradually being replaced by Buddhism and Christianity.

Bibliography

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To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://religion.historic.ru

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Depending on their distribution and role, all religions are divided into world and national.

The most widespread of the world's religions is Christianity, which is practiced by approximately 2.4 billion people, mainly in Europe, America and Australia. The second place in the number of believers (1.3 billion) is occupied by Islam (Muslim), which is declared the state religion in many countries located mainly in Asia and Africa. The third place among world religions in terms of the number of adherents belongs to Buddhism (500 million), widespread in Central, Southeast and East Asia.

Lately it's been very big influence The Islamic factor began to influence the entire world development. Now Muslim world includes more than 50 countries, and there are Muslim communities in 120 countries. The largest in terms of population are Islamic states– Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Iran, Türkiye, Egypt. In Russia, almost 20 million people profess Islam; This is the second most important and popular religion in the country after Christianity.

Table 1. Main features of the geography of religions

Religions	Main areas and countries of distribution
Christianity (Catholicism)	Countries of Southern Europe, Northern and Latin America, Asia (Philippines)
Christianity / Orthodoxy)	Eastern European countries (Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine)
Christianity (Protestantism)	Western and Northern Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa (South Africa and former British colonies)
Islam	European countries (Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia), Asian countries, North Africa
Buddhism and Lamaism	China, Mongolia, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia (Buryatia, Tyva, Kalmykia)
Hinduism	India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
Confucianism	China
Shintoism	Japan

Interpretation of the table data in regional terms indicates the following: in Foreign Europe, Christianity in all its forms is widespread almost exclusively. At the same time, Catholicism is most widely represented in the southern, partly in the western and eastern parts of Europe, and Protestantism - in the Northern, Central and Western Europe. Orthodoxy is widespread in eastern and southeastern Europe.

All world and many major national religions are widespread in Foreign Asia. This is, first of all, Islam, as well as Buddhism and Christianity, which became widespread only in the Philippines, Lebanon (along with Islam) and Cyprus. National religion Israel is Judaism.

In North Africa, in a number of countries south of the Sahara, in Somalia and, partly, in Ethiopia, Islam dominates. In South Africa, Protestantism predominates among the white population. In all other African countries, as a rule, both Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism) and traditional local beliefs are represented.

In North and South America, Christianity dominates in two of its forms - Protestantism and Catholicism. For example, in the United States, the majority of believers are Protestants and Catholics. Catholicism predominates in Latin America. Thanks to this, America accounts for more than half of all Catholics in the world.

In Australia, Protestants predominate among believers, who are approximately twice as numerous as Catholics.

Hinduism and Buddhism are the two great religions of Asia, but Islam also has a strong presence in Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Hinduism

The majority of Hindus live in India, and the forms of manifestation of faith are heterogeneous. Some worship one god, others worship many, but they are different incarnations of the one God (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Krishna...). There are many sacred books of Hinduism. These are: the Vedas, the texts of which were collected between the 18th and 8th centuries BC, the Brahmanas, ritual books of Brahmin priests, the Upa Nishads, written between the 8th century BC. and the beginning of our era. Every Hindu believes that, according to the law of karma, his present life is predetermined by previous existences, i.e. depends on the good or evil deeds that he committed in his past births. Yoga is as venerable as the country of India itself - the birthplace of the teaching. Under the guidance of a teacher - pr - you can master the technique of complete emancipation of thought and spirit, based on a system of special breathing exercises, meditation and special poses. According to the Vedas, society is divided into three main groups, three castes: brahmans, warriors and farmers and artisans. But as history progressed, it split into even smaller groups within castes.

Buddhism

Buddhism originated in India, on the banks of the Ganges, more than two and a half thousand years ago. Nowadays it is common in the countries of South and Southeast Asia. Religion owes its appearance not to holy books, not to God, but to a man - Buddha. “Buddha” translated from Sanskrit means “enlightened one”, literally “awakened one”. Buddha was born around 560 BC. According to legend, he was the son of a princess and a white elephant. Having set out in search of higher knowledge, he lived for some time among brahmins and yogis, then retired into seclusion, trying to comprehend the truth. Having achieved enlightenment, he wanders around the north-eastern part of India, preaches the doctrine of the “four noble truths” and advocates the observance of the basic rule wise life- following the “path of the middle”. Buddha died at 80 years old. His followers quickly spread the teacher's word. The teaching appeared in written form only 5 centuries later. And 120 years after the birth of Christ, in the religious texts collected together, Buddha is already an equal god among other gods. There are many Buddhist holidays associated with various events in the life of the Buddha. The monks are easily identified by their characteristic yellow-orange clothing; they spend time in meditation, praising Buddha and interpreting holy books.

Hindu temple

Each part of the temple corresponds to a certain part of the Cosmos and Man. A section of the Brahmeshvara temple of the 8th-11th centuries is presented. in the city of Bhubaneswar.

Brahma

Four-armed and four-faced Hindu god, Creator of Time and Space. A 10th-century Khmer sandstone figurine depicts Brahma in the lotus position during meditation. Brahma Four-armed and four-faced Hindu god. Creator of Time and Space.

Asia is a land of religious contrasts

Apart from the two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, Islam is becoming increasingly important.

War, peace and religion

Confrontation between peoples with different faiths has more than once led to bloody clashes. The strife between Muslims and Christians in the Middle Ages, the religious wars of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, and even today’s conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland... Massacres in the name of religious beliefs are always accompanied by political and economic difficulties. This happens, for example, in Asia, in Sri Lanka, where religious strife flares up between Tamil Hindus and the majority of the population professing Buddhism.

Religions and philosophies

Jains, Sikhs, Parsis are representatives of other religious movements in India. Jains advocate non-violence and are supporters of vegetarianism, Sikhs fight caste inequality and are always ready to take up arms against Muslims or their other religious opponents. In 1984, after desecrating their shrine, the Amritsar temple, they assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
IN ancient China The cult of ancestors was of great importance. Among various philosophical movements, which arose at the court of Chinese emperors, Taoism and Confucianism stand out ( great philosopher and the thinker Confucius was born in 551 BC). In Japan, ancient Shinto and Buddhist beliefs are intertwined.

Stupas

were originally built as “repositories” for Buddhist relics. According to customs, believers must walk around the stupa (Bodhnath, near Kathmandu).

Buddha teaching

Buddha statues number in the thousands. This one was found near the city of Varanasi, in the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon.

Lokapala

Lokapalas are Chinese rulers and guardians of the cardinal directions. They are depicted as good-natured or, on the contrary, terrifying, such as this one from the fresco of the Korean temple in Song-Gwang.

Dalai Lama

The title of the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists. The current Dalai Lama lives in exile because his homeland is under Chinese rule. In 1989 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Animals