Buddhism is the largest religion in Thailand, practiced by over 93% of the population. Buddhism is the State religion as per the Thai constitution, despite which, it guarantees religious freedom for all Thai citizens, though the king is required by law to be a Theravada Buddhist. Many other people, especially among the Isan ethnic group, practice Tai folk religions. A significant Muslim population, mostly constituted by Thai Malays, is present especially in the southern regions. Thai law officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity. Demographics According to official census data approximate 95% of Thais follow Buddhism. However, the religious life of the country is more complex than how it is portrayed by such statistics. Of the large Thai Chinese population, most of those who follow Buddhism have been integrated into the dominant Theravada tradition, with only a small minority having retained Chinese Buddhism. Otherwise, a large part of the Thai Chinese have retained the practice of ethnic Chinese religion, including Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese salvationist religions (such as Yiguandao and the Church of Virtue). Despite being practised freely, these religions have no official recognition, and their followers are counted as Theravada Buddhists in statistical studies. Also, many Thai and Isan practise their ethnic Tai folk religion. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4% to 5% of the population. Thailand's southernmost provinces — Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Satun, Trang, and part of Songkhla — have large populations of Muslims, consisting of both ethnic Thai and Malay. Christians, mainly Catholics, represent just over 1% of the population. A small but influential community of Sikhs in Thailand and some Hindus, mostly live in the country's cities and are engaged in retail commerce. There is also a small Jewish community in Thailand, dating back to the 17th century. According to the 2015 Gallup International survey, Thailand was the most religious country of the 65 countries polled, with 94% of Thais identifying as religious. Censuses Overview Religions by region According to the 2015 census, 67,328,562 Thailand residents in the different regions of the country belonged to the following religious groups: Religions by province According to the 2010 census, Thailand residents in the different provinces of the country belonged to the following religious groups: Indic religions Buddhism Buddhism in Thailand is largely of the Theravada school. Over 90% of Thailand's population adheres to such school. Thai Buddhism is practised alongside