 Visitors at newly constructedBAPS Hindu Mandir atAbu Dhabi. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
1,239,600 (2022) ;6.6%-15% of total population | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Abu Dhabi,Dubai, andSharjah | |
| Religions | |
| Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Indians in the United Arab Emirates |
Hinduism is the third largest religion in theUnited Arab Emirates andHindus constitute around 6.6%-15% of the population in the nation.[1] Hinduism is followed mainly by the significant Nepali andIndian population in the United Arab Emirates.[2]
At the turn of the 20th century, the region that now comprises the UAE experienced an economic boom as a result of thepearling industry; the few Indian traders who immigrated to the emirates settled in coastal towns and remained on the fringes ofEmirati society.[3] Dubai has traditionally served as an "entrepôt for trade between theMiddle East and theIndian subcontinent and was dominated byHindu merchants in both gold and textile trade".[4] After the discovery of crude oil and large-scale industrialization and urbanization in theUAE, many workers and employees came toUAE for employment purposes in the nation.[5] ManySouth Asians immigrated there for work, and after 2000,Dubai became a global hotspot, attracting mainlySouth Asians, many of whom wereHindus.[6]
Most of theHindu diaspora inUAE areIndian, especially fromGujarat,Tamil Nadu,Karnataka,Uttar Pradesh,Kerala,Maharashtra, andPunjab.[citation needed] The otherHindus are fromNepal,Pakistan,Bangladesh,Sri Lanka, andBhutan.[7][8][9]
According to the 2007International Religious Freedom Report, unofficial figures estimate that at least 15 percent of the UAE population is Hindu.[10] In 2011, thePew Research Center estimates that Hindus constitute 6.6% of the population.[11]
There are currently two temples in Dubai and one temple in Abu Dhabi.
The first Hindu Temple in Dubai is located inBur Dubai, and is locally referred to as "Shiva and Krishna Mandir." It was built in 1958.[12] The Shiv temple closed in 2024 due to lack of space and was relocated to Jebel Ali. The Krishna Temple continues to exist there.[citation needed]
The second temple,Hindu Temple, Dubai, is inJebel Ali Village next to the Sikh Gurudwara and Churches Complex. The temple was opened on October 5, 2022.[citation needed]
In August 2015, the UAE government allocated land for the construction of a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. The construction of theBAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi commenced in December 2019.[13] Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi inaugurated the temple on 14 February 2024.[14]
In addition to temples, there are community centers where Hindus can gather for prayer, religious ceremonies, and cultural activities.[15]
There are two operating cremation facilities for the Hindu community, one in Abu Dhabi and one in Dubai.[16]
