The United States of America and Canada is a popular destination for Indians and Hindus. In the USA, Hindus are the fourth largest community numbering around 2.3 million people (0.7%) of the population.
Hindus primarily started migrating to the USA after the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. Most of the American Hindus are immigrants (87%) and 9% are American born.
Hindu achievements in the USA
Highest level of educational attainment among all religious groups.
Many concepts of Hinduism such as meditation, yoga, karma and reincarnation have entered into mainstream American life.
According to Pew Research, 24% of Americans believe in reincarnation, a core concept of Hinduism.
Om is a widely chanted mantra across the United States, particularly among millennials and those who practice yoga and subscribe to the New Age philosophy.
Although Hinduism is practised mainly by immigrants from India and Nepal, a sizable amount of Hindus in the United States were converts to Hinduism. According to the Pew Research estimates, 9% of the Hindus in the United States belong to a non-Asian ethnicity – 4% of the Hindus in the United States were White, 2% were Black, 1% Latino and 2% Mixed.[15] Converts to Hinduism include Hollywood actress Julia Roberts, actor Russell Brand etc.