Religions
Various forms of Tengriism and Shamanism have been widely practiced throughout the history of what is now modern day Mongolia, as such beliefs were common among nomadic people in Asian history. Such beliefs gradually gave way to Tibetan Buddhism, but shamanism has left a mark on Mongolian religious culture, and continues to be practiced. Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhism was the predominant religion. However, it was suppressed under the communist regime until 1990, with only one showcase monastery allowed to remain. Since 1990, as liberalization began, Buddhism has enjoyed a resurgence.
| Religion | Population | Share % |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhism | 1,009,357 | 53.0 |
| Islam | 57,702 | 3.0 |
| Shamanism | 55,174 | 2.9 |
| Christianity | 41,117 | 2.1 |
| Other religions | 6,933 | 0.4 |
| Atheism | 735,283 | 38.6 |
| TOTAL | 1,905,566 | 100.0 |
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Mongolia
Famous quotes containing the word religions:
“The main business of religions is to purify, control, and restrain that excessive and exclusive taste for well-being which men acquire in times of equality.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)
“The ancients adorned their sarcophagi with the emblems of life and procreation, and even with obscene symbols; in the religions of antiquity the sacred and the obscene often lay very close together. These men knew how to pay homage to death. For death is worthy of homage as the cradle of life, as the womb of palingenesis.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)