Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

is the leading single religion of the Indo-Caribbean communities of the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...

. Hindus are particularly well represented in Guyana, Suriname and

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

, where they constituted 18 percent of the total population, as of 2011. The Cayman Islands also hosts a sizable Hindu population, with 2.4 percent of the country affiliating with the religion. Smaller groups of Indo-Caribbeans live elsewhere in the Caribbean, especially

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate) ...

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines () is an island country in the Caribbean. It is located in the southeast Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, which lie in the West Indies at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea w ...

, Saint Lucia, and

Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...

Hinduism by territories

Anguilla

The total Hindu population of

Anguilla Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The terr ...

is 58 as of the 2011 Census. This represents 0.42% of the population and is an increase of 13 from the previous count of 45 (0.39%, taken from the 2001 Census). Hinduism is also the 7th fastest growing religion by percent (28.9%) and the 9th fastest by absolute change (13). Hindus also contributed 0.61% of the total population gain.

Antigua and Barbuda

The percentage of Hindus in Antigua and Barbuda as of the 2011 Census is 0.4%, or 379 adherents. This represented growth of more than 40% from the 2001 Census, which showed that there were 157 active followers. This growth made the number of Hindus surpass Presbyterians (170 to 142), Salvation Army (369 to 365) and Islam (189 to 208). The population is mainly made up of Indian immigrants, who alone make up over 1.1% of the total population. Most Hindus are from the category of Indian/East Indian, which makes up less than 5%.

Bahamas

According to the 2010 Census, there were a total of 428 Hindus living in the

, making up 0.12% of the total population. The 2010 census showed that slightly more than half of Hindus (around 220 people) in the Bahamas are younger than age 34.

Barbados

Today,

has 2,000 Indians living in the country. They came as recently immigrants from Guyana. Because of the huge Indian population, Hinduism became one of the growing religions of Barbados. The 2000 Census showed the number of Hindus in Barbados to be at 840, which accounted for 0.34% of the total population. The 2010 Census showed that the number of Hindus rose by 215 people (or 25%) to be at 1,055. This increased Hinduism's share of the total Barbados population from 0.34% in 2000 to 0.46% in 2010.

Bermuda

Most of the Hindus in

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

are of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

descent. The population of Hindu's in Bermuda is 0.2%

Cayman Islands

Hinduism is the fastest growing religion in the Cayman Islands, with the population skyrocketing in recent years. Previously, there were only 98 Hindus in the Caymans according to the 2000 census (about 0.25% of the population). In the 2008 census, the number of Hindus increased to 510 (1% of the total population). The 2010 Census showed the number of Hindus decreasing to 454 (0.8% of the total Cayman Islands population). In 2021, the Hindu population increased to 1,671 (2.4% of the population).https://www.eso.ky/UserFiles/File/The%202010%20Cayman%20Islands%20Census%20Report.pdf

Cuba

Hindus who live in Cuba accounted for 0.2% of the population in 2010.

Dominica

A non-negligible amount of Hindus live in Dominica, accounting for under 0.1% of the population.

Grenada

According to the 2000 census and the National Census Report 2001, there were 156 Hindus in Grenada accounting 0.15% of the total population.

Guadeloupe

Hinduism is a minority religion in Guadeloupe, followed by a small fraction of

Indo-Guadeloupeans Indo-Guadeloupeans are mostly descended from indentured workers who came mostly from South India in the late 19th century. There are currently about 35,617 people of Indian origin living in Guadeloupe, making it home to one of the largest Sout ...

. According to a statistics data, Hinduism is practised by 0.5% of the people in Guadeloupe.

Martinique

Hinduism is followed in the Martinique by a small fraction of

Indo-Martiniquais Indo-Martiniquais are an ethnic group of Martinique, compromising approximately 10% of the population of the island. The Indo-Martiniquais are descendants of indentured labourers of the nineteenth century from India of primarily Tamil people, Tamil ...

. As of 2007,Hinduism constitute 0.3% of the population of Martinique.

Jamaica

was once home to 25,000 Hindus until the mid-20th century. However, most of them were converted to Christianity. In the last few decades, the population of Hindus in Jamaica decreased steeply. In the 1970s, 5,000 identified themselves as Hindus. Since then, the Hindu population of Jamaica has risen and it has become the second largest religion (after Christianity) in Jamaica. Diwali (pronounced Divali), the festival of lights, is celebrated in Jamaica every year. There were 1,453 Hindus in Jamaica according to the 2001 census. The 2011 Census showed that the number of Hindus in Jamaica increased by 383 people to be at 1,836 adherents. Hinduism's share of the total Jamaican population increased from 0.06% in 2001 to 0.07% of the population in 2011.

Montserrat

According to the 2001 census there were 31 Hindus in Montserrat, accounting for 0.8% of the total population and forming the 4th largest religious entity. Hindu males numbered 20 and made up 1.0% of the total number of males in the 2001 Census, with 11 Hindu females making up 0.6% of the female total.

Puerto Rico

As of 2006, there were 3,482 Hindus in

making 0.09% of the population according to Religious Intelligence.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Hindus made up 1.82% of the total population of

Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country and microstate consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain ...

according to the 2010 census up from 0.8% in 2001. There are 860 Hindus in Saint Kittie and Nevis. Hinduism is currently the second largest religion in St. Kitts-Nevis after Christianity.

Saint Lucia

Most of the Indian community in Saint Lucia have converted to Christianity. Only 325 people were reported as Hindus in the 2001 census (0.2% of the total populatio
census
. The 2010 Census showed the percentage total of Hindus had increased to 0.3%. Most of them were recent immigrants. Of the original East Indian community, only 1-2% retains Hinduism.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The 2000 census reported 83 Hindus in

making up 0.08% of the total population. The 2000 Census showed that Hindus in St Vincent-Grenadines were overwhelmingly male, with only 77 females for every 100 males on average. The 2000 Census also showed a very youthful Hindu population, with less than 1.5% of Hindus being classified as "elder".

Trinidad and Tobago

Hinduism is a minority but significant religion in

, making up over 18% in the 2011 census, the second largest religion in the islands. Hinduism has had a presence for 170 years, when the first Indians came to work. There are currently 240,100 Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago, with the decline resulting from emigration.

Turks and Caicos Islands

The Indian population in the

Turks and Caicos Islands The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...

is mostly of Sindhi origin. The community mostly is employed in retail jewellery and electronics business, in addition to some doctors, nurses, teachers, chartered accountants and other sectors. Many Indians are self-employed, and some are employed in the local hospitality industry.

United States Virgin Islands

According to the 2000 census there were more than 400 Hindus in the

United States Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

(0.4% of the population). Most of them were recent immigrants from India, and most of them reside on St. Thomas.

British Virgin Islands

According to the 1991 census, Hindus constituted 2.16% of the population of

British Virgin Islands ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = Territorial song , song = " Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands" , image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg , map_caption = , mapsize = 290px , image_map2 = Bri ...

, which then decreased to 1.95% in the 2001 census. It further decreased to 1.88% in 2011 census.

Hindu populations according to the latest Census

* Guyana: 213,282 or 28.4% (Census of 2002) * Suriname: 120,623 or 22.3% (Census of 2012) *

: 240,100 or 18.2% (Census of 2011) *

: 3,482 or 0.09% (Religious Intelligence 2006) *

: 1,836 or 0.07% (Census of 2011) *

: 1,055 or 0.38% (Census of 2010) *

St Lucia Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindi ...

: 500 or 0.3% (Census of 2010) *

: 428 or 0.12% (Census of 2010) *

US Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...

: 400 or 0.4% (Census of 2000) * Antigua and Barbuda: 379 or 0.4% (Census of 2011) * St Kitts and Nevis: 860 or 1.82% (Census of 2011) * Grenada: 156 or 0.15% (Census of 2001) * St Vincent: 83 or 0.08% (Census of 2001) *

: 58 or 0.42% (Census of 2011) * Montserrat: 31 or 0.8% (Census of 2001) * Cayman Islands:454 or 0.8%(Census of 2011)

References

* ''This article contains

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...

material from the Library of Congress Country Studies on

and Guyana (1995).'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Hinduism In The West Indies

Religion in the Caribbean Indo-Caribbean religion