Afghanistan

Buddhism in Afghanistan has a long history. Many monuments, such as the famous Buddhas of Bamyan, testify to the Buddhist culture in Afghanistan. The statues were the largest religious statues in the world, before they were destroyed by the extremist Taliban government in 2001.

It was during Ashoka's reign that Buddhism was introduced to what later became Afghanistan. Kanishka (120 to 160) was a Buddhist who built many stupas. Many of the Iranian forebearers of the Pashtuns, including the Scythians followed Buddhism until the arrival of Islam. Currently, there are a few Buddhists in Afghanistan, probably numbering 0.3% of this Islamic country. Along with Hindus and Sikhs, they are all collectively known as the Hindki.