Myanmar (formerly Burma) is aBuddhist majority country with a significant minority ofChristians and other groups residing in the country.
Buddhism is a part of Myanmar culture. Section 361 of theConstitution states that "The Union recognizes the special position ofBuddhism as the faith professed by the great majority of the citizens of the Union."[1]According to the 2014 census of the Burmese governmentBuddhism is the dominant religion, of 87.9% of the population, practiced especially by theBamar,Rakhine,Shan,Mon andChinese ethnic groups. Bamar people also practice theBurmese folk religion under the name of Buddhism. The 2008 constitution provides for the freedom of religion;[2] however, it also grants broad exceptions that allow the regime to restrict these rights at will.[3]
Ethnic minorities practiceChristianity (6.2%, particularly theChin,Kachin andKaren people),Islam (4.3%, particularly theRohingya,Malay, Burmese Chinese and Burmese Indian), andHinduism (0.5%, particularly by Burmese Indians).[4]
Nat worship is common in Myanmar. Nats are named spirits and shrines can be seen around the country, either standing alone, or as part of Buddhist temples. Nat worship has a relationship with Myanmar Buddhism and there is a recognised pantheon of 37 nats.
Note: the figures of Burma's Muslim population is divided into two. One that excludenon-citizens likeRohingyas who are ordinary residents and the other that includes them. In latter, the Muslim population will only be as low as 2.3% of the whole population of Burma, according to the census conducted by the Burmese Government.
| Buddhist | Christian | Muslim | Hindu | Tribal religions | Other religions | Not religious | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973[4] | 88.8% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 0.4% | 2.2% | 0.1% | — |
| 1983[4] | 89.4% | 4.9% | 3.9% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 0.1% | — |
| 2014[4][note 1] | 87.9% | 6.2% | 4.3% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Religion | Percentage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buddhism | 87.9% | |||
| Christianity | 6.2% | |||
| Islam | 4.3% | |||
| Hinduism | 0.5% | |||
| Tribal religions | 0.8% | |||
| Other | 0.2% | |||
| No religion | 0.1% | |||
| Source:2014 Myanmar census | ||||
Buddhism is the majority religion in allRegions andKayin State,Kachin State,Mon State,Shan State andKayah State.[5] MostBamar,Shan,Mon,Rakhine,Karen and many ethnic groups of Myanmar followTheravada Buddhism. SomeChinese people people followMahayana Buddhism.Christianity is the majority religion inChin State. And there's a significant Christian population inKachin State andKayah State.[5] MostChin,Kachin andKarenni people followChristianity.
| State/Region | Buddhism | Christianity | Islam | Animism | Hinduism | Other religions | No religion | Not stated | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | num. | % | ||
| Ayeyarwady Region | 5,699,665 | 92.2% | 388,348 | 6.3% | 84,073 | 1.4% | 459 | 0% | 5,440 | 0.1% | 6,600 | 0.1% | 244 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 6,184,829 |
| Bago Region | 4,550,698 | 93.5% | 142,528 | 2.9% | 56,753 | 1.2% | 4,296 | 0.1% | 100,166 | 2.1% | 12,687 | 0.3% | 245 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 4,867,373 |
| Chin State | 62,079 | 13% | 408,730 | 85.4% | 690 | 0.1% | 1,830 | 0.4% | 106 | 0% | 5,292 | 1.1% | 74 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 478,801 |
| Kachin State | 1,050,610 | 62.2% | 555,037 | 32.9% | 26,789 | 1.6% | 3,972 | 0.2% | 5,738 | 0.3% | 474 | 0% | 221 | 0% | 46,600 | 2.8% | 1,689,441 |
| Kayah State | 142,896 | 49.9% | 131,237 | 45.8% | 3,197 | 1.1% | 5,518 | 1.9% | 269 | 0.1% | 3,451 | 1.2% | 59 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 286,627 |
| Kayin State | 1,271,766 | 80.8% | 142,875 | 9.1% | 68,459 | 4.3% | 1,340 | 0.1% | 9,585 | 0.6% | 10,194 | 0.6% | 107 | 0% | 69,753 | 4.4% | 1,574,079 |
| Magway Region | 3,870,316 | 98.8% | 27,015 | 0.7% | 12,311 | 0.3% | 3,353 | 0.1% | 2,318 | 0.1% | 1,467 | 0% | 275 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 3,917,055 |
| Mandalay Region | 5,898,160 | 95.7% | 65,061 | 1.1% | 187,785 | 3% | 188 | 0% | 11,689 | 0.2% | 2,301 | 0% | 539 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 6,165,723 |
| Mon State | 1,901,667 | 92.6% | 10,791 | 0.5% | 119,086 | 5.8% | 109 | 0% | 21,076 | 1% | 1,523 | 0.1% | 141 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 2,054,393 |
| Nay Pyi Taw | 1,123,036 | 96.8% | 12,293 | 1.1% | 24,030 | 2.1% | 20 | 0% | 516 | 0% | 286 | 0% | 61 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1,160,242 |
| Rakhine State | 2,019,370 | 63.3% | 36,791 | 1.2% | 1,118,731 | 35.1% | 2,711 | 0.1% | 9,791 | 0.3% | 759 | 0% | 654 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 3,188,807 |
| Sagaing Region | 4,909,960 | 92.2% | 349,377 | 6.6% | 58,987 | 1.1% | 89 | 0% | 2,793 | 0.1% | 2,928 | 0.1% | 1,213 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 5,325,347 |
| Shan State | 4,755,834 | 81.7% | 569,389 | 9.8% | 58,918 | 1% | 383,072 | 6.6% | 5,416 | 0.1% | 27,036 | 0.5% | 24,767 | 0.4% | 0 | 0% | 5,824,432 |
| Tanintharyi Region | 1,231,719 | 87.5% | 100,758 | 7.2% | 72,074 | 5.1% | 576 | 0% | 2,386 | 0.2% | 567 | 0% | 321 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 1,408,401 |
| Yangon Region | 6,697,673 | 91% | 232,249 | 3.2% | 345,612 | 4.7% | 512 | 0% | 75,474 | 1% | 7,260 | 0.1% | 1,923 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 7,360,702 |
Buddhism in Myanmar is predominantly of theTheravada tradition, practised by about 90% of the country's population.[4][6][7] It is the most religious Buddhist country in terms of the proportion of monks in the population and proportion of income spent on religion.[8]
Adherents are most likely found among the dominant ethnicBamar,Shan,Rakhine,Mon,Karen, andChinese who are well integrated into Burmese society.Monks, collectively known as theSangha, are venerated members of Burmese society. Among many ethnic groups in Myanmar, including theBamar andShan, Theravada Buddhism is practised in conjunction monastic orders (not to be confused withNikaya Buddhism) with the most notable being theThudhamma Nikaya accounting for 87% of Theravada monks.[9]Mahayana Buddhism is practiced less commonly today, often among Chinese. However,Ari Buddhism, a form of Buddhism more related to the Mahayana or tantric traditions, was the dominant Buddhist tradition prior to the 11th century in Upper Myanmar.[10]
Buddhism in Myanmar dates back to at least the third century from contact between what is believed to be the Mon people of Lower Myanmar and Southern Indian kings inNagarjunakonda.[11] andTambapamnidipa".[12] Legends and historical accounts written centuries after the fact claim contact as far back as the lifetime of the Buddha, particularly in the traditional account of the construction ofShwedagon Pagoda 2500 years ago.[13] The early Mon and Pyu became flourishing centers of Buddhism in contact with Southern India and Sri Lanka[14] In the 11th century, theBagan kingAnawrahta converted to Theravada Buddhism after his conquests of the region driving out Ari Buddhism and incorporating traditional nats into the new Theravada sect that would become a solid part of Burmese history and culture.
Buddhists, although clearly professed by the majority of people in Myanmar, have their complaints regarding religious freedom. In 1961, Prime MinisterU Nu made Buddhism thestate religion and caused dissent amongst Christian Kachin nationalists and was one of the main factors for theKachin conflict.[15] In 1962, followingNe Win'scoup d'état, this policy and other policies promoting Buddhism were reversed.[16]
A political party, theDemocratic Karen Buddhist Army, split from the main Karen nationalist movement, theKaren National Union (KNU), after the Buddhists were denied to rebuild and repair the stupas atManerplaw. The top leadership of the KNU were also dominated by Christians, although roughly 65% of the Karen are Buddhist.
Many monks took part in the 2007Saffron Revolution and were reportedly arrested by government security forces.[17]
Buddhism is the fastest growing religion and majority religion in Myanmar.[citation needed] However, all data about religious demographics is difficult. Although many must list their religion on government forms and identification documents, the number of adherents varies widely from source to source. The constitution provides forfreedom of religion but the government imposes restrictions on other religions and grants special preferences towards Buddhism. The Department for the Perpetuation and Propagation of the Sasana and state-sponsoredState Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee support and regulate Buddhism in the country.[18] The Committee has the power to disrobe monks who have violated its decrees and edicts as well as Vinaya regulations and laws, and expel monks from their resident monasteries.[19] There is also a deep, mutually legitimising historical relationship between the state and the Sangha (monkhood) with long held inseparability of Buddhism and politics within the country.[20]
Christianity is practised by 6.2% of the population,[4][6] primarily among theKachin,Chin and Karen people, and Eurasians because of missionary work in their respective areas.[21] About four-fifths of the country's Christians areProtestants, in particularBaptists of theMyanmar Baptist Convention;Roman Catholics make up the remainder.
Islam, mainly of theSunni sect, is practised by 2.3% of the population according to the2014 Myanmar census.[4] The Muslim population facesreligious persecution in Myanmar.
Muslims in Myanmar largely fall into the following main groups:[22]
The first Muslims in Mynamar date to early merchants during theBagan period.[25] TheFirst Mongol invasion of Burma in the 13th century and the relationship of theMrauk U Kingdom with the Bengal Sultanate are examples of prominent Muslim presence in Myanmar with Muslims ranging from traders and settlers to positions of status as royal advisors and port authorities.[26]
The colonial period saw substantial immigration leading to various riots and anti-Muslim sentiment growing out of more general anti-Indian and anti-colonial sentiment. Post-independence, Muslims generally became increasingly seen as unwelcome foreign elements regardless of their ethnic origin or cultural attitudes.[22]
In 1982, the government introduced regulations that denied citizenship to anyone who could not prove Burmese ancestry from before 1823.[27] This disenfranchised many Muslims in Myanmar, even though they had lived in Myanmar for several generations.[28]
Anti-Muslim riots became increasingly common in the early 21st century. The2013 Myanmar anti-Muslim riots further inflamed tensions.[29] TheRohingya people are a large Muslim group in Myanmar; the Rohingyas have been among the most persecuted group under Myanmar's military regime.[30] The UN states that the Rohingyas are one of the most persecuted groups in the world.[31] In 2016, the military of Myanmar conducted military operations with widespread human rights abuses during theRohingya genocide which was charactersied by theUnited Nations asethnic cleansing.[32]
Hinduism is the fourth-largest religion inMyanmar, being practised by 1.7% of the population of Myanmar in 2020.[33]
Hinduism was predominantly pervasive in Burma during ancient times, declining after Buddhism was introduced. The nameBurma derives from the first half of "Brahma Desha" the ancient name of the region.[34] Hinduism greatly influenced the royal court of Burmese kings, the architecture of cities such asBagan, and theBurmese language. In thecolonial era, Hindu workers were brought in by British colonial government to serve in plantations and mines. According to 1931 census, 55% of Rangoon's (Yangon) population were Indian migrants, mostly Hindus.[35]
After independence from Britain, the dictatorNe Win adopted xenophobic policies and expelled 300,000 Indian ethnic people, including many Hindus, from Burma between 1963 and 1967. The Indian policy of encouraging democratic protests in Burma increased persecution of Hindus, as well as led to Burmese retaliatory support of left-leaning rebel groups in northeastern states of India.[35] Hindus in Myanmar have faced growing, organized discrimination under the military junta following the2021 Myanmar coup d'état.[36]
Historical Hindu practices and festivals remain common in Burma today, even in the majority Buddhist culture. For example, thenat Thagyamin has origins in the Hindu godIndra. Burmese literature has also been enriched by Hinduism, including the Burmese adaptation of the Ramayana, calledYama Zatdaw.[37]
Predominantly,Burmese Indians make up Myanmar's population of Hindus. The practice of Hinduism among Burmese Indians is also influenced by Buddhism, such as housing images of the Buddha in Hindu temples. Other significant groups in Myanmar includeNepali-speakingBurmese Gurkha and a small minority ofBengali Hindus.[38]
AlthoughMyanmar's Jews once numbered in the thousands, there are currently a few dozen Jews inYangon (Rangoon), where the country's onlysynagogue is located. TheMusmeah Yeshua Synagogue serves the dozen families left as well as Jewish tourists and foreign workers, but not many show up for dailyminyan. Most Jews left Myanmar at the commencement of the Second World War, and most of the Jews who still remained in Myanmar after World War II ended in 1945 left the country after GeneralNe Win took it over in 1962.[39]
As of 2023, thePabedan Township administration recognises the synagogue as a religious building within the township but reported zero Jews or followers of "Other" religions in its population count.[40]
In 2022, the country was scored 1 out of 4 for religious freedom- while the constitution provides for freedom of religion, the government, in practice, interferes with religious groups and discriminates against minority groups through actions such as refusing permission for gatherings, restrictingproselytisation and allowing the Anti-MuslimMa Ba Tha organisation to establish "Muslim-free" villages.[41]
In 2023, the country was ranked as the 14th worst place in the world to be a Christian. Christian minorities are targeted and disproportionately affected by theongoing 2021 Myanmar civil war.[42] Particularly, this targeted violence is worst in Christian-majorityChin State where many Christians are forced to flee into neighboring countries, particularly to Northeastern India.[43]
In March 2023, Christian Solidarity Worldwide noted the arrests of 20,000 people sincethe coup, the displacement of 1.3 million people and the destruction of churches, temples and mosques.[44]
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