The 2000 census reported 27,839 residents of Switzerland self-identifying as Hindus (0.38% of the total population; 1.11% in Berne, 1% in Zurich, 0.27% in Geneva). Most of them are Sri Lankan Tamils (81.2%). Approximately 90% of Hindu adherents are foreign-born[1], and about a third of them have the status of refugee or asylum seeker. The Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple, located in the Sihl Valley in Adliswil, is the most famous and largest Hindu temple in Switzerland.[2]
In earlier censuses, Hinduism figured together with other non-Abrahamic traditions (mainly Buddhism) as "other churches and communities". These accounted for 0.12% in 1970, 0.19% in 1980, 0.42% in 1990 and 0.78% in 2000 (0.38% Hinduism, 0.29% Buddhism, 0.11% other). Hinduism has overtaken Judaism as the third largest religion in Switzerland (after Christianity and Islam) during the 1990s and was tied at 0.38% with the New Apostolic Church in 2000.
References
- 2000 census results (Swiss federal statistics office)
- Swiss Tamils look to preserve their culture, Swissinfo, February 18, 2006.
See also
External links
Media related to Hinduism in Switzerland at Wikimedia Commons
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