Quick Answer
How many people do yoga worldwide in 2025?
Yoga has an estimated 300 million practitioners worldwide.
Yoga is one of the world’s most popular at-home workouts.
As gyms closed and anxiety arose from Covid lockdowns, many resorted to this grounding practice while confined in the comforts of their homes.
Tune in until the end of the article to find out interesting facts about yoga, including its different types and benefits.
How Many People Practice Yoga Globally in 2025?
The Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal conducted a survey.
They found that the number of Americans doing yoga grew by large numbers, from 20.4 million to 36 million between 2012 and 2016.
Although no similar research has been done in recent years, some data indicates that the number is close to, if not higher than, 55 million Americans practicing yoga.
While yoga practitioners worldwide are estimated to be 300 million or more, according to the International Yoga Federation.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is the most popular form of meditation in the United States and one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world.
Yoga’s ancient practice originated in the 5th century B.C. India has dominated the world, especially in the last two decades.
It started as a spiritual practice but gained popularity to promote and improve physical and mental well-being.
Yoga, Qi gong, and Tai chi are commonly called “meditative movement” practices due to their meditative and physical elements.
Benefits of Yoga
Many people practice yoga to help them become physically more robust and flexible. It also contributes to staying energetic, focused, and alert.
Various studies suggest that yoga benefits the wellness body by promoting health and activity habits, balance, sleep, mental and emotional health, and stress management.
Research suggests that these are some of the health benefits of yoga:
- Improves overall wellness through stress relief and good health habits, better sleep and balance, and emotional and mental health wellness boost.
- Aids people in managing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms related to facing difficulties in life.
- Enhances balance and flexibility
- Promotes strength and stamina
- Increases concentration
- Improves ADHD symptoms in children
- Benefits heart health
- Helps relieve back pain and ease arthritis symptoms
- Helps improve posture
- Helps manage symptoms of people with chronic diseases.
- Helps people quit bad habits like smoking.
- Improves the quality of life and promotes better self-care
Yogi Demographics by Age
Yoga is a perfect exercise for both men and women, and nowadays, children also engage in this exercise.
Although 72% of yoga practitioners are female, an increasing number of men are practicing yoga, from four million in 2012 to ten million in 2016.
Due to its beneficial effects and advantages, children are motivated to do yoga.
There was an estimate of 1,700,000 children practicing yoga in 2012. That adds 400,000 more children compared to its number in 2007.
It has become appealing to children and young adults as well. It can be attributed to parents’ influence, but generally, it is because it is a trend.
Even some schools offer yoga as part of their curriculum due to its beneficial effects on children.
| AGE GROUP | PERCENTAGE |
| 18 to 29 years old | 19% |
| 30 to 49 years old | 43% |
| 50 years old and above | 38% |
The table illustrates the American data of yoga practitioners. The “golden yogis,” or those aged 50 and above, have significantly increased in numbers over the years.
It closely followed the 43% of the 30 to 49 age group.
How Much is the Yoga Industry Worth?
Because of its growing popularity, yoga is becoming a lucrative industry.
Americans spend $16 billion on equipment, clothing, accessories, and yoga classes every year.
There are more than 7,000 studios dedicated to yoga classes in the United States alone.
While yoga instructors registered with the Yoga Alliance are estimated at 100,000.
In 2012, it was one of the fastest-rising industries in the United States. About $80 billion is spent on yoga annually worldwide.
Yoga Popularity by Country
Yoga has taken the world and become a global phenomenon over the past decades. Even so, yoga’s popularity in some countries remains relatively small.
At the same time, there are places where it develops into an essential part of their everyday living.
Its fame in the western world is so widespread that most cities and towns all over the United States and in Europe.
As people discover the benefits of yoga for both body and mind, the practice continuously encourages people to do it.
Here are the top ten countries where yoga is most popular according to a Google Trends data:
- Canada
- Singapore
- Australia
- Ireland
- United States
- India
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
- Hong Kong
- Austria
Countries that Banned Yoga
Isn’t it surprising that some countries banned yoga? Talking about its worldwide popularity, why is it banned in some countries and/or at least doing it in public places?
Because of its country of origin! Yes! The common reason yoga is banned in certain places is that it originated in India. Well, let’s further dive into why.
The root cause is the fear of the spread of Hinduism. Muslim-majority countries, like Malaysia and Indonesia, banned doing yoga by religious decree or “fatwa.”
The Russian Ministry of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy issued a statement referring to yoga as a “pseudoscience” that “erodes people’s health and spiritual development,” which led to banning yoga in Russia in 2015.
Types of Yoga
There are many types of yoga that use different kinds of poses or movements.
Choosing the correct kind of yoga depends on the individual’s target goals and fitness level.
- Hatha yoga
- Bikram yoga
- Ashtanga yoga
- Iyengar yoga
- Kripalu yoga
- Restorative yoga
The Risks of Doing Yoga
It is primarily a safe physical exercise or activity for fit and healthy people if it is executed or performed correctly with the help and guidance of a qualified instructor.
However, injuries such as strains and sprains may occur, although severe injuries rarely happen.
A study in 2017 by the Faculty of Health Science at Sydney University showed that yoga can cause injuries as any other sport.
To reduce the chance of incidents, people should do or practice yoga with the help of a qualified instructor, seek the approval of healthcare providers, and avoid doing extreme poses or practices of yoga using different kinds of poses or movements.
Choosing the correct type of yoga depends on the individual’s target goals and fitness level.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this article about how many people do yoga.
Many are drawn to this exercise due to its long list of health benefits that contribute to one’s overall wellness.
It is easy to do wherever you are! You just need to get on the mat and start.
