Hinduism in Denmark

Hindus in Denmark
Hindu goddess Kali in the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen
Total population
Increase40,000 (2022)
(0.5%) of total population
Regions with significant populations
Copenhagen, Aarhus
Religions
Hinduism
Languages
Sacred
Sanskrit
Majority
Hindi, Tamil
Hinduism by country
Africa
Asia
Europe
North America
Caribbean
Oceania
South America
Full list

Hinduism is a minority faith in Denmark. There are 40,000 Hindus in Denmark as of 2020, representing 0.5% of the total population.[1]

History

The first Hindus of Sri Lankan Tamil origin arrived in 1983 due to the escalating Sri Lankan Civil War. They were mostly men, and were categorized as de facto refugees. Today, many have married, established families, and settled in Denmark. Around half of the Tamils have been granted Danish citizenship.

Holding little hope for a solution to the conflict in the near future, they have begun to rebuild or reorganize some of their cultural and religious organisations in Denmark, aiming to fulfil the requirements of their traditions and those of Danish society at the same time.[citation needed]

Since the mid-2010s, Denmark has become home to many Indian professionals, a majority of whom identify themselves as Hindu.

Demographics

It was estimated that there were about 12,000 Hindus in Denmark in 2010.[2]

Most Hindus in Denmark have roots in Sri Lanka and India, numbering approximately 18,000–19,000 individuals out of a total population of 5.7 million in 2017. In 2020, Hindus constituted about 0.5% of the total population.

Hinduism is also represented among the ethnic Danish community. About 2,000 people of Danish ethnic origin belong to Hindu-related and Hindu-inspired groups.[3]

Historical Population
YearPop.±%
201012,000—    
201511,400−5.0%
201717,100+50.0%
202040,000+133.9%
Source: [2][4]
Year Percent Increase
2010 0.2% -
2015 0.2% -
2017 0.3% +0.1%
2020 0.5% +0.2%

Temples

There are five Hindu temples in Denmark.[2] There are two consecrated Hindu temples: two dedicated to Vinayakar or Ganesha and the other to the goddess Abirami, aside from the ISKCON temples.

Community

There are 9 registered Hindu groups in Denmark.[5] The community is perceived to be peaceful and highly educated.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Religions in Denmark". Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  2. ^ a b c "Denmark people receptive to Hinduism". oneindia.com. 2010-11-26. Archived from the original on 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  3. ^ "Hinduism in Denmark - Hinduism - Oxford Bibliographies - obo". www.oxfordbibliographies.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  4. ^ "Religions in Denmark". Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  5. ^ United States Department of State (2017). "DENMARK 2017 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT" (PDF). www.state.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-29. Retrieved 2019-04-05.