Around 15–16 percent of the world’s population—roughly 1.2 billion people—identify with or practice Sanātana Dharma. That makes it the third-largest faith tradition globally, right behind Christianity and Islam. Nearly 95 percent of those adherents live in India and Nepal, where Sanātana Dharma forms the cultural and spiritual backbone of daily life.

Beyond South Asia, vibrant communities flourish from the Caribbean to North America, Europe to Oceania. The United States hosts around 4.5 million Hindus, Canada about 830 000, the United Kingdom close to 800 000, and Australia roughly 700 000. Caribbean islands—Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago foremost—boast diasporas rooted in 19th-century indentureship, totaling some 300 000 across the region. South Africa’s scene adds another 700 000 or so, keeping the global tapestry richly diverse.

Recent years have seen Sanātana Dharma traditions ripple into mainstream consciousness. International Yoga Day, now celebrated on June 21, draws tens of thousands to public events in over 190 countries, tying ancient Vedic rhythms to modern wellness movements. In bustling tech hubs from Bengaluru to Silicon Valley, meditation apps inspired by Vedānta and Sāṅkhya philosophies report record downloads, weaving millennia-old insights into 21st-century self-care.

Numbers tell only part of the story. Each festival—Diwali lanterns lighting up London, Rath Yātrā chariots rolling through New York—reveals how Sanātana Dharma’s “eternal way” adapts and thrives across borders. Whether reciting the Gayātrī Mantra at dawn or simply bowing to a temple deity in Kathmandu, over a billion people today weave these teachings into the fabric of modern life—a testament to a tradition as enduring as the Ganges itself.