Jewish population by country

As of 2026, the world's core Jewish population (those identifying as Jews to the exclusion of all else) was estimated at 16 million, which is 0 % of the 8 billion worldwide population. However, the "core Jewish" criterion faces criticism, especially in debates over the American Jewish population count, since it excludes the growing number of people who carry multiple ethnic and religious identities who may self-identify as Jews or qualify as Jewish under the Halakhic principle of matrilineal descent. Israel and the United States host the largest Jewish populations of 7 million and 6 million respectively. Other countries with core Jewish populations above 100,000 include France (438,500), Canada (398,000), the United Kingdom (312,000), Argentina (171,000), Russia (132,000), Germany (125,000), and Australia (117,200). In 1939, the core Jewish population reached its historical peak of 16 million or more. Due to the murder of almost six million Jews during the Holocaust, this number was reduced to 11 million by 1945. The core Jewish population grew to around 13 million by the 1970s and then recorded almost no growth until around 2005, due to low fertility rates and interfaith marriage by Jews. From 2005 to 2018, the world's core Jewish population grew 0 % annually on average, while the world's population overall grew 1 % annually in the same period. This increase primarily reflects rapid growth of Haredi, Orthodox populations.