As of 2020, around 13 million Hindus live outside their country of birth, representing just 5% of the global migrant population. This figure is significantly lower than their 15% share of the world’s population, highlighting that Hindus are underrepresented among international migrants, according to PEW Research Centre.
LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATION: A DEFINING FEATURE FOR HINDUS
Hindus travel longer distances on average (3,100 miles) compared to other religious groups, including Buddhists. This trend is notable, given that many Hindu migrants originate from Asia and tend to settle far from their home countries.
H3: Common Destinations for Hindu Migrants
- Asia-Pacific: The most common destination region, hosting 44% of Hindu migrants.
- Middle East-North Africa (MENA): The next most popular region, with 24% of Hindu migrants, many of whom are temporary workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
- North America: 22% of Hindu migrants reside here, with a significant number in the United States.
- Europe: Home to 8% of Hindu migrants.
- Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa: Few Hindu migrants settle in these regions.
INDIA: THE LEADING SOURCE OF HINDU MIGRANTS
India is the top origin country for Hindu migrants, with 7.6 million Hindus living abroad. Despite being the world’s second-most populous country and home to 94% of the global Hindu population, India accounts for only 57% of Hindu migrants, indicating that Hindus are less likely to emigrate from India than from countries where they are a minority.
BANGLADESH AND NEPAL: SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF HINDU MIGRANTS
- Bangladesh: The second-most common origin country, with 1.6 million Hindus emigrating, accounting for 12% of Hindu migrants.
- Nepal: The third-most common origin, with 1.5 million Hindu migrants, or 11% of the global total.
PAKISTAN: A NOTABLE CONTRIBUTOR TO HINDU MIGRATION
Pakistan, despite its small Hindu population (2%), is the fourth-largest origin country for Hindu migrants. Many of these migrants move to neighbouring India, often seeking better living conditions or escaping religious persecution.
KEY MIGRATION ROUTES AND COUNTRY PAIRS
- India to the U.S.: The most popular migration route, with 1.8 million Hindus taking this path. This accounts for 61% of Indian immigrants in the U.S. by 2020.
- Bangladesh to India: The second most common route, with nearly 1.6 million Bangladeshi Hindus living in India, many of whom moved during the 1947 Partition.
GROWTH AND REGIONAL SHIFTS
The global Hindu migrant population grew from 9.1 million in 1990 to 13.5 million in 2020, an increase of 48%. However, this growth was slower than the overall migrant population increase of 83%. While Hindu migrants consistently made up 5% to 6% of the global migrant population, there have been significant regional shifts:
- Asia-Pacific: The share of Hindu migrants in this region decreased from nearly 80% in 1990 to less than 50% in 2020, partly due to the deaths of migrants who had moved during Partition.
- Middle East-North Africa: The number of Hindu migrants in this region increased by 387%, from 0.7 million to 3.3 million, primarily in the GCC countries.
- North America: The Hindu migrant population in this region grew by 267%, from 0.8 million to 3.0 million, driven by the rise of India-born Hindus in the U.S.
- Malaysia: Within Asia-Pacific, Malaysia saw a significant increase in Hindu migrants, from 30,000 in 1990 to 470,000 in 2020, largely due to Nepali migrant workers.