Religion in Hong Kong

Religion in Hong Kong is part of the culture of Hong Kong. Religious freedom is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by Hong Kong people. It is protected by the Basic Law and relevant legislation. There is a large variety of religious groups in Hong Kong including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Jainism. As of 2010 the region has approximately 1.5 million Buddhists, 1 million Taoists, 480,000 Protestants, 353,000 Roman Catholics, 220,000 Muslims, 40,000 Hindus, 10,000 Sikhs, and other smaller communities. Apart from offering religious instructions, many major religious bodies have established schools and provided social welfare facilities.

The majority of residents of Hong Kong are either agnostic, atheist, or indifferent towards religion. According to the U.S. Department of State (2010), only 43 percent of the population practices some form of religion. According to the WIN-Gallup International Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism (2012), 51% of Hong Kong residents report as “not a religious person.”