Mauritius is the onlyAfrican Union country whereHinduism is the dominant religion, with about half of the Mauritian population as followers in 2011.[1] Hinduism is the second largest religion inRéunion (6.7%)[2] andSeychelles (5.4%).[3][4]
Hinduism took root in Africa from the late 19th century onwards through the spread of theBritish Empire, which colonized huge swaths of land throughoutAsia andAfrica, including almost the entirety of the Indian subcontinent. Many Indians were recruited asindentured servants throughout the British Empire, settling mainly in the British colonies ofSouthern andEastern Africa. The descendants of these settlers often chose to remain in Africa after the end of colonial rule, developing Indo-African communities that remain to this day.[citation needed]
Hinduism is a non-proselytizing religion and was usually not propagated to the same lengths or through the same means as Christianity and Islam. As such, it has mostly been confined to practise by the Indo-African communities of these countries. However, in post-colonial Africa, a small-scale movement for Hinduism and its propagationoutside the Indo-African community has occurred, spearheaded by such individuals asSwami Ghanananda, the first Hinduswami ofGhana. Today,Lagos,Nigeria, which did not receive an original influx of Indian migrants as did countries such as South Africa and Uganda, is home to over 25,000 Hindus, mostly local converts[5] and more recent, post-independence Indian immigrants. This was primarily the work ofInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) missionaries.
While Hinduism has been cited as possessing many parallels to traditional African religions,[6][7] it has received opposition from the entrenched Christian elites and Muslim minorities of these countries. TheSwaminarayan faith has a sizable following in Africa.[8] Several temples belonging to the faith have been built inKenya,Uganda,Tanzania andZambia.[9]
Hinduism is a recent phenomenon inWest Africa most notablyGhana where it is said to be the fastest growing religion. However theHindu presence in other West African states is limited toIndian people residing in countries likeSierra Leone andLiberia.
The Eastern region of Africa is home to many migrant communities fromIndia. This region is home to variousHindu temples mainly inTanzania,Uganda andKenya. The country ofMauritius, retaining a Hindu majority is found in Eastern Africa.
About 6.7% of the population ofRéunion follows Hinduism, making it the second largest religion in Réunion.[10]
Hindus is the second largest religion in Seychelles forming 5.4% of the population[3][11] There is also a small number of Hindus in Madagascar.[12]
The largest concentration ofHindus in the continent can be found in the Southern region of Africa.South Africa is home to more than 500,000 Hindus.[citation needed]
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