Dragon Statistics
What dragons from 82 cultures have in common, by the numbers.
These figures come from the 114 dragons and dragon-like creatures from myth, religion, and folklore in the Draconika Encyclopedia of Dragons, drawn from 82 cultures. Each figure is the share of these dragons whose traditional sources, not modern retellings, describe the trait.
Key Findings
- Fire-breathing appears in the traditional sources of only 8% of these dragons (9 of 114). It is far more common in modern fantasy than in myth.
- 51% live in or rule over water (58 of 114), from Chinese rain dragons to sea serpents and river worms.
- Only 11% are described with wings (13 of 114). Many of the oldest dragons are giant serpents.
- 51% are hostile, 23% are benevolent, 26% are ambivalent toward people.
Dragon Traits in Myth and Folklore
| Trait | Share | Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| Have wings | 11% | 13 of 114 |
| Breathe fire | 8% | 9 of 114 |
| Are venomous or poisonous | 18% | 20 of 114 |
| Guard treasure | 9% | 10 of 114 |
| Can speak | 25% | 28 of 114 |
| Can change shape | 19% | 22 of 114 |
| Live in or rule water | 51% | 58 of 114 |
Dragons by Region
| Region | Dragons | Winged | Breathe fire | Water | Hostile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Isles | 11 | 18% | 0% | 36% | 73% |
| Western Europe | 10 | 30% | 0% | 60% | 80% |
| Northern Europe | 9 | 22% | 11% | 22% | 67% |
| Eastern Europe | 10 | 40% | 30% | 20% | 80% |
| Mediterranean | 13 | 8% | 15% | 31% | 92% |
| Near East | 8 | 0% | 13% | 63% | 50% |
| Africa | 8 | 0% | 0% | 75% | 38% |
| South Asia | 7 | 0% | 14% | 71% | 29% |
| East Asia | 20 | 5% | 5% | 60% | 25% |
| Southeast Asia | 3 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 33% |
| Oceania | 2 | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| North America | 5 | 0% | 0% | 80% | 20% |
| Mesoamerica | 4 | 0% | 0% | 25% | 0% |
| South America | 2 | 0% | 0% | 50% | 0% |
| Caribbean | 2 | 0% | 0% | 50% | 0% |
Get the Data
The full dataset is free to use with credit to Draconika: download dragons.json (143 entries with names, cultures, regions, earliest sources, and traits). Please cite it as: Draconika Encyclopedia of Dragons, https://www.draconika.com/dragons.
How These Numbers Were Made
Each entry records what the earliest and most traditional sources say about the creature. A trait is counted when those sources describe it; when they deny it or are silent, it is not counted. Every percentage is out of all the traditional dragons in the collection, so a trait that old sources rarely mention will show a low share even if later storytellers added it. Fictional dragons from novels, films, and games are listed in the encyclopedia but left out of these figures. The numbers describe this collection, which favors well-documented dragons, so treat them as a guide rather than a census.