ASEAN Religious Diversity. Strength or Threat?

1. Religious Diversity in the ASEAN Region
2. Main religions of the ASEAN Countries: Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism

Religions of the ASEAN Countries

The Subject “Religious diversity in the ASEAN” belongs to the following Programs taught by EENI Global Business School:

Course: Islam & Business.

Doctorate: Ethics, Religion & Business.

Masters: International Business, Religions & Business.

Languages: or Religión ASEAN ASEAN ASEAN.

Why study “Islam and Business”?.

The ASEAN Countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) are not a homogeneous block:

Political.

In the ASEAN Region (Southeast Asia), cohabits democratic regimes with authoritarian or military dictatorships (Myanmar).

Ethnical.

In the ASEAN Countries, there are local born Chinese, Arabic, or Hindu citizens

Socio-economic Development.

From the economic point of view, there are huge differences between the ASEAN-6 economies and the four CLMV countries (Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Vietnam).

Religious.

1. Islam is the largest religion in the ASEAN Region (official religion in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia)
2. The Buddhist bloc of the ASEAN Countries consists of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam
3. The Philippines is mainly Christian

About 42% of the ASEAN population is Muslim (mostly Sunni), then follow by Buddhism (18%) and Christianity (17%).

Linguistic.

Although the official language of the ASEAN is English practically every country or even region, speaks a different language.

Country Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Burma Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam TOTAL

Population (*) 374 14.131 215.960 6.200 28.671 47.960 93.260 5.090 69.120 87.850 568.616

Islam 300 1.918 209.166 0 18.090 1.918 5.129 727 3.801 175 241.224

% 75 4 87 0 63 4 5 14 5 0.20 42

Buddhism 34 38.415 1.679 4.092 5.026 38.415 80 1.725 64.19 14.407 103.873

% 8 80 1 80 18 80 0 33 93 16 18,2

* thousands of people.

If we compare the ASEAN with, for example, the EU; it is easy to see that the EU could be considered almost as a monolithic block from the religious point of view.

Islam in Asia.