persecution." The UN established the
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to
handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational
definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of
residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948
and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948
conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian
refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally
displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it
is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons
similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory
and are subject to the laws of that state.

Religions: This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents
starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of
total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's
major religions are described below.

Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in
1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal
transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all
peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on
earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions
reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were
manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times,
and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all
humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the
greatest concentration of believers in South Asia.

Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C.
teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the
enlightened one"). Buddhism focuses on the goal of spiritual
enlightenment centered on an understanding of Gautama Buddha's Four
Noble Truths on the nature of suffering, and on the Eightfold Path of
spiritual and moral practice, to break the cycle of suffering of which
we are a part. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Several
schools and sects of Buddhism exist, differing often on the nature of
the Buddha, the extent to which enlightenment can be achieved - for one
or for all, and by whom - religious orders or laity.

Basic Groupings

Theravad