In Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, , detailed percentage of population by religion as given by Central Bureau of Statistics 2001 is as follows. Religion Percentage
Hindu 80.62
Bouddha 10.74
Islam 4.20
Kirat 6.60
Jain 0.02
Christain 0.45
Sikha 0.03
Bahai 0.01
Other 0.35
Percentage of Hindu has gone down from 89.5(1981),86.5(1991) and 80.62(2001). percent of Buddhist has increased 5.3(1981)7.77(1991),4.20(2001). Jains have decreased from 2.0 (1981), 0.81(1991), 0.02 (2001).
Some scholars say that there are some conflicting remarks about the percentage of the population of followers of some religions and the figures given are not reliable.
Deva (1984) writes that about 1500 years ago, a majority of the Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, ese were followers of Buddhism which was then the religion of the country. But the Hindu immigrant in various periods have influenced the Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, ese way of life and there is Hinduism, while in the middle or the valley region or the greater part of the country, both Hinduism and Buddhism are in existence, especially in an intermixed from in other words, both Hinduism and Buddhism exist in the same place, in the same temple, in the minds and hearts of the people and their rituals and ceremonies. In the philosophies of both the religions several practices have, come to stay. There is thus a kind of syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism as they exist in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, .
Hinduism and Buddhism existed side by side as their basic principle consisted to tolerance for every human being and in kindness to animals. Hinduism, as it stands in Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, is that as practised in India with the addition of some Buddhist custom, ritual, festival and deities. Theravada Buddhism as well as Vajrayana form which is an off shoot of Mahayana, is followed by a majority of Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, ese Buddhist, which also includes several Hindu legends, rites, rituals. Vajrayana is different from Mahayana in that is in their basic features.
Shaktism or Tantrism is adopted both Hindus and Buddhists. Besides, there are other religions viz. Lamaism and Born religion which are practiced by those ethnic group who live in high mountains of Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, and are Tiberan in origin. Some other unhabitants of Nepal, the beautiful country, tourist based country, , the beautiful country, tourist based country, are followers of Jainism, Sikkhism , Islam and Christianity.