Final answer:
Japan is the country in question, known for its broad range of Shinto adherents, from 4 to 100 million. Shintoism, a key religious tradition in Japan, lacks a single sacred text and is practiced alongside Buddhism. The variation in the number of adherents reflects the complexity and fluidity of religious identity in Japan.
Step-by-step explanation:
The country referenced with a broad range of adherents to Shintoism is Japan. Shintoism is the ethnic religion of Japan that is characterized by practices that seek to establish a connection between Japan and its ancient past. When looking at the religious landscape of Japan, Shintoism and Buddhism are the main religious traditions. Unlike organized religions that often have a single written text, Shintoism is more of a loosely connected set of beliefs and practices focused on morality, attitude, sensibility, and the proper way of living. Ancestral veneration and a deep respect for the divine forces in nature, including kami spirits in various natural elements, form the core of Shinto practices.
In modern Japan, even with the prevalence of Shintoism and Buddhism, there is a considerable number of people who subscribe to nonreligious ideologies. This divergence in religious beliefs among Japanese people is in contrast to the largely homogeneous nature of Japanese society, where language and cultural heritage provide a centripetal force uniting the population. Nevertheless, the range in reported numbers of Shinto adherents suggests a fluid religious identification within the country. As for the vast difference in the estimated number of Shintoists, it indicates the challenges in defining and quantifying belief in a country with a rich and complex religious culture like Japan.