Buddhism AustraliaBuddhism in Australia is new, but it is also one of the fastest growing religions in the country. In 2006, a small percentage of the total population of the country, 2.1 percent, identified as Buddhists. Between 1996 and 2001 the number of Buddhists grew by 79 percent. It is Australia’s second largest religion following Christianity. As of 2011 census data, an estimated 2.46 percent of the population, or around 528,977 people identify themselves as Buddhists. There are essentially two strands of Buddhism in the country, ethnic or Chung Tian Buddhism and non-ritualistic.