Demography

The Anabaptist movement began in 16th-century Switzerland, Germany, and The Netherlands. However, by 1988 Mennonites had fanned out into 57 countries of the world and are represented on every continent. These world Mennonite population shifts are of great interest to demographers who like to trace population trends, taking into account such changes as births, deaths, and migration (immigration and emigration). The Mennonite World Conference surveys are not always as complete as one would like, but the 1984 data show interesting demographic patterns.

Mennonite Distribution. Table 1 shows that in 1984 about three-fourths of a million (723,747) Mennonites were located on six continents. Almost half of these were located in North America (46.1 percent), an d the other half were located fairly evenly on four continents including Asia (113, 504), Africa (107,221), Europe (92,368) and Latin America (76,936). Only 12 Mennonites were located in Australia. These are adult membership figures; if younger unbaptized offspring were included, these fi gures would likely double.

DEMOGRAPHY

Compiler: Leo Driedger (author of the article) and Sam Steiner (2003 figures)

Table 1. Distribution of Mennonites of the World by Continents, 1984 & 2003

Continents	Countries with Mennonites 1984	Countries with Mennonites 2003	Mennonite Membership 1984	% of All Mennonites 1984	Mennonite Membership 2003	% of All Mennonites 2003
North America	2	2	333704	46.1	451180	34.8
Europe	13	13	92368	12.7	53272	4.1
Latin America*	23	23	76938	10.7	133150	10.3
Asia	7	10	113504	15.7	208105	16.0
Africa	11	16	107201	14.8	451959	34.8
Australia	1	1	12	0.0	50	0.0
	57	65	723,747	100.0	1,297,716	100.0

°Includes Caribbean countries 

Source: Mennonite World Conference map, 1984; Mennonite World Conference website, 2005. Although the table has been updated, the commentary remains that of the 1988 article.

In 1984 only about one eighth (92,368; 12.7 percent) of the Mennonites of the world lived in Europe, the place of Anabaptist origins. The majority of the European Mennonites were located in the Soviet Union (55,000; 7.6 percent). The 20,000 Mennonites in The Netherlands (2.8 percent) were the second largest group in Europe, one of the two Mennonite groups with continuous links to their 16th-century origins. Mennonites in West Germany numbered 11,688 (1.6 percent), and only 2,750 Mennonites remained in Switzerland (.4 percent), the other country with a history of unbroken Anabaptist and Mennonite presence. Many emigrated from the original Anabaptist centers in central Europe which resulted in loss of potential for growth.

Almost half of all Mennonites lived in North America (46.1 percent), in United States (232,192) and Canada (101,512). Most of them are descendants of Mennonite immigrants from Europe. The first Mennonites came to America 300 years ago, and to Canada 200 years ago. A large number of Mennonites arrived in both countries in the 1870s, and more immigrants came to Canada in the 1920s and 1950s, mostly from the Soviet Union. In 1984 one-third of all Mennonites lived in the United States (32.1 percent), and the second largest number lived in Canada (14.0 percent).

The 76,938 Mennonites living in 23 countries of Latin America in 1984 represented 10.7 percent of all Mennonites. The largest number (31,161 or 4.3 percent) were descendants of those who went to Mexico in the 1920s from Canada; the 13,939 Mennonites living in Paraguay (1.9 percent) were descendants of later immigrants from both Canada an d Europe, including the Soviet Union. Mennonites in the other Latin American countries represented small minorities, some who came as immigrants, and others who were converts of mission outreach. Thus, about two-thirds of the Mennonites in Latin America were also descendants of the original European Anabaptists.

The 113,504 Mennonites in seven countries of Asia represented 15.7 percent of all Mennonites in 1984. The two oldest and also largest groups of Mennonites resided in Indonesia (62,911 or 8.7 percent) and India (43,998 or 6.1 percent) representing the fourth- and sixth-largest groups in the world respectively. These Mennonites were the outgrowth of late 19th-century and 20th-century mission outreach, rather than immigration. The same is true of the comparatively small groups of Mennonites in the other five Asian countries.

In Africa, the 66,408 members in Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) represented about two-thirds of all Mennonites in the 11 countries, and in 1984 Zaire Mennonites were the third-largest group in the world representing 9.2 percent of all Mennonites. Tanzania, the country with the second-largest Mennonite population in Africa, ranked tenth in the world, but the 13,614 Mennonites there represented only 1.9 percent of all Mennonites. Demographic trends suggested that the growth potential for Mennonites in Africa was great.

Population Growth. What is the potential for the future increase or decrease of the Mennonite population in the various parts of the world? Demographers work with four factors: births and immigration which increase population growth, and deaths and emigration, which decrease the population. Since the Mennonites are an ethno-religious group, two other factors, recruitment and assimilation, enter the equation. Evangelism will add to the numbers, and assimilation will subtract from the population. Data for longer periods of time is not as readily available as might be desired, but some tentative observations and projections can be made.

With respect to births and deaths, industrial countries tend to have low birth and low death rates. This applies to Mennonites in North America and Europe. Small families and better medical care will tend to keep both birth and deaths down, so that population will stabilize. However, in developing countries of Africa and Asia, where birth rates are high, and death rates are beginning to decrease, Mennonite population will likely grow considerably in the future by natural increase. Migration, the other change factor, was important when Mennonites left Europe in large numbers and migrated to North America and South America, decreasing the Mennonite numbers in Europe and adding to growth in the Americas. In the future migrations will most likely not be as important.

Evangelism has greatly increased the Indonesian Mennonite population in recent decades, and Mennonite World Conference projections suggest that it is also an important factor in Africa, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), where Mennonite numbers have escalated since 1984. More study is needed to help decide whether the minimal growth in Europe is due to continued out-migration, lack of evangelism, and assimilation, now that birth and death rates are low. The available data suggest that the proportion of world Mennonites will decline in Europe, hold steady in North America, and increase in South America and especially Africa in the next several decades.

DEMOGRAPHY

Compiler: Leo Driedger (author of the article) and Sam Steiner (2003 figures)

Table 2. Mennonite Population by Continents and Countries, 1984 & 2003

Continent	Country	World Rank 1984	World Rank 2003	Mennonite Membership 1984	% of All Mennonites 1984	Mennonite Membership 2003	% of All Mennonites 2003
North America	United States	1	1	232192	32.1	323329	24.9
North America	Canada	2	3	101512	14.0	127851	9.9
Europe	Russia / CIS	5	22	55000	7.6	5000	.4
Europe	Netherlands	8	18	20200	2.8	11000	.8
Europe	West Germany / Germany	11	8	11688	1.6	31677	2.4
Europe	Switzerland	19	31	2750	.4	2500	.2
Europe	France	26	34	2000	.3	2050	.2
Europe	East Germany	40	99	244	.0	see Germany	.0
Europe	Austria	41	50	185	.0	300	.0
Europe	Luxembourg	43	58	105	.0	110	.0
Europe	Belgium	47	64	73	.0	35	.0
Europe	Italy	48	51	66	.0	258	.0
Europe	Spain	51	54	33	.0	160	.0
Europe	United Kingdom	53	57	15	.0	112	.0
Europe	Ireland	56	65	9	.0	15	.0
Europe	Portugal	99	61	0	.0	55	.0
Latin America	Mexico	7	13	31161	4.3	19688	1.5
Latin America	Paraguay	9	11	13939	2.0	27693	2.1
Latin America	Bolivia	13	15	6203	.9	13275	1.0
Latin America	Brazil	17	20	4750	.7	8262	.6
Latin America	Honduras	18	12	2850	.4	20716	1.6
Latin America	Colombia	22	29	2633	.4	2910	.2
Latin America	Belize	23	26	2591	.4	3575	.3
Latin America	Nicaragua	25	19	2412	.3	9275	.7
Latin America	Dominican Republic	27	23	1800	.2	4626	.4
Latin America	Guatemala	28	21	1789	.2	6673	.5
Latin America	Argentina	29	24	1576	.2	4448	.3
Latin America	Uruguay	31	38	971	.1	1220	.1
Latin America	Puerto Rico	32	47	909	.1	540	.0
Latin America	Haiti	33	37	900	.1	1265	.1
Latin America	Costa Rica	35	30	850	.1	2719	.2
Latin America	Chile	36	99	400	.1	0	.0
Latin America	Panama	37	43	400	.1	750	.1
Latin America	Jamaica	39	44	385	.1	731	.1
Latin America	Venezuela	45	46	85	.0	704	.1
Latin America	El Salvador	46	48	75	.0	535	.0
Latin America	Trinidad & Tobago	49	56	44	.0	130	.0
Latin America	Ecuador	52	41	15	.0	810	.1
Latin America	Cuba	57	33	NA	.0	2070	.2
Latin America	Peru	99	49	0	.0	515	.0
Asia	Indonesia	4	6	62911	8.7	71302	5.5
Asia	India	6	4	43998	6.1	127348	9.8
Asia	Japan	20	28	2710	.4	3292	.3
Asia	Philippines	24	32	2500	.3	2437	.2
Asia	Taiwan	30	35	1200	.2	1678	.1
Asia	Vietnam	42	39	150	.0	1100	.1
Asia	Hong Kong / China	50	59	35	.0	90	.0
Asia	Nepal	99	42	0	.0	750	.1
Asia	Singapore	99	63	0	.0	48	.0
Asia	South Korea	99	60	0	.0	60	.0
Africa	Zaire / Dem. Rep. Congo	3	2	66408	9.2	194119	15.0
Africa	Tanzania	10	7	13614	1.9	50000	3.9
Africa	Ethiopia	12	5	7000	1.0	98025	7.6
Africa	Zambia	14	14	6000	.8	15374	1.2
Africa	Zimbabwe	15	10	5184	.7	29213	2.3
Africa	Nigeria	16	16	5000	.7	11373	.9
Africa	Kenya	21	9	2653	.4	31556	2.4
Africa	Ghana	34	25	854	.1	4101	.3
Africa	Angola	38	17	395	.0	11176	.9
Africa	Somalia	44	99	100	.0	0	.0
Africa	Upper Volta	54	99	13	.0	0	.0
Africa	Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)	99	36	0	.0	1300	.1
Africa	Malawi	99	27	0	.0	3500	.3
Africa	South Africa	99	40	0	.0	950	.1
Africa	Mozambique	99	45	0	.0	718	.1
Africa	Burkino Faso	99	52	0	.0	230	.0
Africa	Namibia	99	53	0	.0	180	.0
Africa	Togo	99	55	0	.0	144	.0
Australia	Australia	55	62	12	.0	50	.0
Totals				723,474	100%	1,297,716	100.00

Source: Mennonite World Conference map, 1984; Mennonite World Conference website, 2005. Although the table has been updated, the commentary remains that of the 1988 article.

See also Sociological Studies; Statistics; Urbanization.

Bibliography

Kraybill, Paul N., ed. Mennonite World Handbook. Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1978.

Mennonite World Handbook Supplement. Strasbourg, France, and Lombard, IL: Mennonite World Conference, 1984

Shelly, David. "World Membership Now 774,000." Mennonite Weekly Review (30 October 1986): 1.

Cf. Courier 1, no. 4 (1986): 9 and Mennonite World Conference directory insert; Courier 2 no. 2 (1987): 9.

Mennonite World Conference website

Author(s)	Leo Driedger
Date Published	1988

Cite This Article

MLA style

Driedger, Leo. "Demography." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1988. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Demography&oldid=170131.

APA style

Driedger, Leo. (1988). Demography. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Demography&oldid=170131.

---

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, pp. 223-226. All rights reserved.

©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.