Buffalo: number of animals by country
The world had 212 million buffalo in 2024, up 6.9% over ten years. The largest herds were in India (53.0%), Pakistan (21.8%), China (14.2%), together 89% of the world total.
- World total, 2024
- 212 million head
- 10-year change
- +6.9%
- Countries reporting
- 47
- Largest herd
- India
World total, 1961–2024 (head)
Map of buffalo numbers by country, 2024
Share of the world total. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
Countries by number of animals, 2024
| # | Country | Head | Share | 10-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India I | 112,377,516 | 53.0% | +2.2% |
| 2 | Pakistan | 46,310,000 | 21.8% | +34% |
| 3 | China E | 30,139,500 | 14.2% | +12% |
| 4 | Nepal | 3,307,031 | 1.56% | −36% |
| 5 | Philippines | 2,705,548 | 1.28% | −5.0% |
| 6 | Myanmar E | 2,075,000 | 0.98% | −39% |
| 7 | Vietnam | 2,032,396 | 0.96% | −19% |
| 8 | Venezuela I | 2,011,237 | 0.95% | — |
| 9 | Brazil | 1,805,145 | 0.85% | +37% |
| 10 | Bangladesh | 1,524,000 | 0.72% | +4.6% |
| 11 | Egypt E | 1,440,000 | 0.68% | −64% |
| 12 | Laos | 1,263,000 | 0.60% | +9.5% |
| 13 | Indonesia E | 1,100,000 | 0.52% | −18% |
| 14 | Thailand E | 872,691 | 0.41% | −14% |
| 15 | Cambodia I | 673,380 | 0.32% | −1.0% |
| 16 | Colombia | 538,574 | 0.25% | +147% |
| 17 | Italy | 437,000 | 0.21% | +18% |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | 336,540 | 0.16% | +4.9% |
| 19 | Iraq I | 269,940 | 0.13% | +44% |
| 20 | Turkey | 162,051 | 0.08% | +33% |
| 21 | Iran I | 137,869 | 0.07% | +29% |
| 22 | Timor-Leste I | 135,972 | 0.06% | +25% |
| 23 | Azerbaijan I | 95,874 | 0.05% | −62% |
| 24 | Malaysia | 70,521 | 0.03% | −42% |
| 25 | Bhutan I | 57,054 | 0.03% | +22% |
| 26 | Bulgaria | 19,980 | 0.01% | +101% |
| 27 | Georgia I | 18,777 | 0.01% | −2.7% |
| 28 | Romania | 16,600 | 0.01% | — |
| 29 | Tajikistan I | 15,744 | 0.01% | +5.0% |
| 30 | Germany | 12,080 | 0.01% | +86% |
| 31 | Kazakhstan I | 9,402 | 0.00% | −6.0% |
| 32 | Hungary | 8,900 | 0.00% | — |
| 33 | Syria | 6,791 | 0.00% | −14% |
| 34 | Trinidad and Tobago I | 6,593 | 0.00% | +6.3% |
| 35 | Russia I | 4,673 | 0.00% | −30% |
| 36 | Greece | 4,300 | 0.00% | +84% |
| 37 | Taiwan E | 1,976 | 0.00% | −21% |
| 38 | Suriname I | 1,018 | 0.00% | +25% |
| 39 | Brunei | 883 | 0.00% | −65% |
| 40 | Spain | 740 | 0.00% | — |
| 41 | Poland | 690 | 0.00% | — |
| 42 | North Macedonia I | 644 | 0.00% | −0.9% |
| 43 | Armenia | 554 | 0.00% | −24% |
| 44 | Hong Kong I | 333 | 0.00% | +11% |
| 45 | Micronesia I | 168 | 0.00% | +5.0% |
| 46 | Jordan I | 91 | 0.00% | −9.0% |
| 47 | Mauritius I | 25 | 0.00% | 0.0% |
E = estimated by FAO, I = imputed by FAO, X = from an external organisation; other figures are official.
How concentrated is the world herd?
The largest herd, in India, accounts for 53.0% of the world total in 2024; the five largest for 91.9% and the ten largest for 96.4%.
| Year | Top 5 share | Top 10 share | Countries with data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 89.0% | 96.6% | 41 |
| 2005 | 89.4% | 96.6% | 41 |
| 2010 | 90.1% | 96.7% | 42 |
| 2015 | 91.0% | 96.9% | 43 |
| 2020 | 92.1% | 96.3% | 46 |
| 2024 | 91.9% | 96.4% | 47 |
By continent, 2024
| Continent | Head | Share of world | Share in 2014 | 10-year change | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 206 million head | 97.0% | 97.0% | +6.9% | 29 |
| South America | 4.4 million head | 2.1% | 0.8% | +183% | 4 |
| Africa | 1.4 million head | 0.7% | 2.0% | −64% | 2 |
| Europe | 505,607 head | 0.2% | 0.2% | +28% | 10 |
| North and Central America | 6,593 head | 0.0% | 0.0% | +6.3% | 1 |
| Oceania | 168 head | 0.0% | 0.0% | +5.0% | 1 |
Sums of country figures; the world total also includes countries without a continent assignment, so shares may not add up to 100%.
Fastest growing and declining producers, 2014–2024
Countries with at least 0.5% of world numbers in 2024, change over ten years.
Long-term trend, 1961–2024
- Average growth per year, 1961–2024
- +1.4%
- Average growth per year, last 10 years
- +0.7%
- Record year
- 2024 212 million head
- Largest yearly fall
- 1997 −1.4%
| Decade | Average per year | vs previous decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s (1961–1969) | 96.2 million head | — |
| 1970s | 113 million head | +17% |
| 1980s | 135 million head | +19% |
| 1990s | 156 million head | +16% |
| 2000s | 177 million head | +13% |
| 2010s | 199 million head | +12% |
| 2020s (2020–2024) | 209 million head | +5.3% |
Questions and answers
Which country has the most buffalo?
India had the largest number, 112 million head in 2024, 53.0% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
How many buffalo are there in the world?
FAOSTAT counts 212 million head in 2024, +6.9% compared with 2014.
Which countries have the most buffalo?
In 2024: India (112 million head, 53.0%), Pakistan (46.3 million head, 21.8%), China (30.1 million head, 14.2%), Nepal (3.3 million head, 1.6%), Philippines (2.7 million head, 1.3%). Together they account for 91.9% of the world total.
Where does this data come from?
Production and area figures are from FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (dataset Crops and livestock products, release of 23 December 2025). Shares, rankings, changes and averages are calculated by Husfarm.
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About the data
- Figures are numbers of live animals as reported to or estimated by FAO for each calendar year; the latest year is 2024.
- Letters next to a country mark figures that are not official national data: E estimated by FAO, I imputed by FAO (filled in by a statistical model), X taken from an external organisation. Treat them as approximate.
- Shares are relative to the FAO world total; ten-year changes compare 2024 with 2014; average growth per year is the compound annual rate between the two years.
- Country series on Husfarm start in 2000; the world series starts in 1961.
Download CSV All countries and years: production and FAO flag.
How to cite: FAO (2025). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products — Buffalo. Retrieved via Husfarm, https://husfarm.com/production/buffalo/. Licence CC BY 4.0.
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.