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''See also: [[Religion and Atheism in Vietnam]]''

''See also: [[Religion and Atheism in Vietnam]]''

Officially, Vietnam is an [[Atheism|atheist]] state.<ref>Jan Dodd, Mark Lewis, Ron Emmons. The Rough Guide to Vietnam, Vol. 4, 2003. p. 509: "After 1975, the Marxist-Leninist government of reunified Vietnam declared the state atheist while theoretically allowing people the right to practice their religion under the constitution."</ref> More than half of the population is at least nominally [[Buddhist]] (the "Light of Asia" spread very early in the country; from the beginning of the second century of the Christian era) <ref>[http://www.phatviet.com/pgvn/Buddhisminvietnam.htm Buddhism and Vietnam]<ref>. The Roman Catholic Church comprises 8 to 10%, several Cao Dai organizations comprise 1.5 to 3%, the primary Hoa Hao organization 1.5 to 4%, Protestant denominations 0.5 to 2%, and one Muslim organization less than 0.1% of the population. Most other citizens consider themselves nonreligious, although many practice traditional beliefs such as veneration of ancestors and national heroes.<ref> See [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108430.htm U.S. State Department "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>

Officially, Vietnam is an [[Atheism|atheist]] state.<ref>Jan Dodd, Mark Lewis, Ron Emmons. The Rough Guide to Vietnam, Vol. 4, 2003. p. 509: "After 1975, the Marxist-Leninist government of reunified Vietnam declared the state atheist while theoretically allowing people the right to practice their religion under the constitution."</ref> More than half of the population is at least nominally [[Buddhist]] (the "Light of Asia" spread very early in the country; from the beginning of the second century of the Christian era) <ref>[http://www.phatviet.com/pgvn/Buddhisminvietnam.htm Buddhism and Vietnam]</ref>. The Roman Catholic Church comprises 8 to 10%, several Cao Dai organizations comprise 1.5 to 3%, the primary Hoa Hao organization 1.5 to 4%, Protestant denominations 0.5 to 2%, and one Muslim organization less than 0.1% of the population. Most other citizens consider themselves nonreligious, although many practice traditional beliefs such as veneration of ancestors and national heroes.<ref> See [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108430.htm U.S. State Department "International Religious Freedom Report 2008"]</ref>

[[File:Buddhism in Vietnam.jpg|left]]

[[File:Buddhism in Vietnam.jpg|left]]

Many Buddhists practice an amalgam of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism that is sometimes called the "triple religion." The CRA cited an estimate of 10 million (12% of the population) practicing Mahayana Buddhists, most of whom are members of the ethnic Kinh majority and found throughout the country, especially in the populous areas of the northern and southern delta regions. There are proportionately fewer Buddhists in certain highland areas, although migration of Kinh to these areas is changing this distribution. A Khmer ethnic minority in southern Vietnam practices Theravada Buddhism. Numbering more than 1 million, they live almost exclusively in the Mekong Delta. In 1981 the officially sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) was established. The Government does not recognize the legitimacy of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV).

Many Buddhists practice an amalgam of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism that is sometimes called the "triple religion." The CRA cited an estimate of 10 million (12% of the population) practicing Mahayana Buddhists, most of whom are members of the ethnic Kinh majority and found throughout the country, especially in the populous areas of the northern and southern delta regions. There are proportionately fewer Buddhists in certain highland areas, although migration of Kinh to these areas is changing this distribution. A Khmer ethnic minority in southern Vietnam practices Theravada Buddhism. Numbering more than 1 million, they live almost exclusively in the Mekong Delta. In 1981 the officially sanctioned Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) was established. The Government does not recognize the legitimacy of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV).