According to Pew Research Center research, over 1.1 billion individuals—roughly one in six people worldwide—considered themselves “religiously unaffiliated” in 2012
According to some surveys, persons labeled as “irreligious” may include atheists who reject the idea of a supernatural deity, agnostics who feel it is impossible to know whether or not there are deities, and those who don’t identify with any religion at all.
Although atheism is not a religion, it might be considered such because of its intentional rejection of the existence of spiritual entities. As a result, atheism is afforded many of the same constitutional safeguards as any other religious belief.
Is there a nation with the most non-believers?
Each country’s overall non-believer population and percentage of the country’s population in 2020 are shown below using data from a Pew Research Center research.
Most Non-Religious Countries (Pew Research 2020) by Percentage
- Czech Republic – 78.4%
- North Korea – 71.3%
- Estonia – 60.2%
- Japan – 60%
- Hong Kong (China) – 54.7%
- China – 51.8%
- South Korea – 46.6%
- Latvia – 45.3%
- Netherlands – 44.3%
- Uruguay – 41.5%
Pew Research 2020 has compiled a list of the world’s least religious countries.
- China – 720,100,000
- Japan – 74,780,000
- United States – 62,310,000
- Vietnam – 28,760,000
- South Korea – 23,250,000
- Russia – 21,190,000
- Germany – 21,150,000
- France – 20,830,000
- United Kingdom – 20,070,000
- North Korea – 18,070,000
As a percentage of the world’s population, China is the world’s most religiously unaffiliated nation. Just a few people feel religious in our country, and more than half of them are “convinced atheists.” As the world’s most populous nation, China has the highest percentage of non-believers. However, several smaller countries outpace this figure.
Public Perceptions of the Least Religious Countries in the World
The findings are quite different from the general public’s perspective. Australia was voted the least religious nation globally by a poll of more than 16,000 people, with Sweden and Germany in second and third place, respectively.
Survey participants’ geographic knowledge and/or location may be questioned by the absence of nations from Asia, Africa, and South America.
- Australia
- Sweden
- Germany
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Luxembourg
- Denmark
- Canada
- France
- Austria
Compared to the world’s main faiths, there are many individuals who are not religious.
According to Pew Research Center forecasts for 2020, the following main global religions will have the greatest number of adherents:
- Christianity – 2.38 billion
- Islam – 1.91 billion
- Unaffiliated/irreligious – 1.19 billion
- Hinduism – 1.16 billion
- Buddhism – 507 million
- Folk Religions (African traditional, Native American, Chinese folk, etc.) – 430 million
- Other Religions (Taoism, Sikhism, Wicca, etc.) – 61 million
- Judaism – 14.6 million
Country | Unaffiliated % | Unaffiliated | 2022 Population |
---|---|---|---|
Czech Republic | 78.4000 | 8280000 | 10736.7840 |
North Korea | 71.3000 | 18070000 | 25990.6790 |
Estonia | 60.2000 | 770000 | 1321.9100 |
Japan | 60 | 74780000 | 125584.8380 |
Hong Kong | 54.7000 | 4090000 | 7604.2990 |
China | 51.8000 | 720100000 | 1448471.4000 |
South Korea | 46.6000 | 23250000 | 51329.8990 |
Latvia | 45.3000 | 960000 | 1848.8370 |
Netherlands | 44.3000 | 7550000 | 17211.4470 |
Uruguay | 41.5000 | 1450000 | 3496.0160 |
New Zealand | 39.6000 | 1910000 | 4898.2030 |
Mongolia | 36.5000 | 1160000 | 3378.0780 |
France | 31.9000 | 20830000 | 65584.5180 |
Falkland Islands | 31.5000 | 5000 | 3.5390 |
United Kingdom | 31.2000 | 20070000 | 68497.9070 |
Belgium | 31 | 3370000 | 11668.2780 |
Vietnam | 29.9000 | 28760000 | 98953.5410 |
Sweden | 29 | 2860000 | 10218.9710 |
Belarus | 28.6000 | 2690000 | 9432.8000 |
Australia | 28.6000 | 6990000 | 26068.7920 |
Luxembourg | 26.7000 | 140000 | 642.3710 |
Germany | 26.3000 | 21150000 | 83883.5960 |
Canada | 24.5000 | 8950000 | 38388.4190 |
Cuba | 23.2000 | 2600000 | 11305.6520 |
Switzerland | 22.8000 | 1800000 | 8773.6370 |
Spain | 21 | 10190000 | 46719.1420 |
Finland | 20.8000 | 1140000 | 5554.9600 |
Hungary | 20.3000 | 1970000 | 9606.2590 |
Bermuda | 19.4000 | 10000 | 61.9390 |
Slovenia | 18.8000 | 380000 | 2078.0340 |
United States | 18.6000 | 62310000 | 334805.2690 |
Botswana | 17.5000 | 390000 | 2441.1620 |
Mozambique | 17.3000 | 5020000 | 33089.4610 |
Jamaica | 17 | 500000 | 2985.0940 |
Singapore | 16.5000 | 970000 | 5943.5460 |
Slovakia | 15.8000 | 880000 | 5460.1930 |
Isle of Man | 15.4000 | 10000 | 85.7320 |
Macau | 15.4000 | 90000 | 667.4900 |
South Africa | 15.3000 | 8220000 | 60756.1350 |
Russia | 15.2000 | 21190000 | 145805.9470 |
Austria | 14.5000 | 1250000 | 9066.7100 |
Taiwan | 13.7000 | 3190000 | 23888.5950 |
Italy | 13.4000 | 8100000 | 60262.7700 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 13.2000 | 30000 | 227.6790 |
Nicaragua | 13 | 870000 | 6779.1000 |
Ukraine | 12.5000 | 5370000 | 43192.1220 |
Argentina | 12.1000 | 5320000 | 46010.2340 |
Denmark | 12 | 680000 | 5834.9500 |
Monaco | 11.7000 | 5000 | 39.7830 |
Norway | 11.6000 | 600000 | 5511.3700 |
El Salvador | 11.2000 | 740000 | 6550.3890 |
Dominican Republic | 10.9000 | 1230000 | 11056.3700 |
Haiti | 10.7000 | 1230000 | 11680.2830 |
Honduras | 10.5000 | 950000 | 10221.2470 |
New Caledonia | 10.4000 | 30000 | 290.9150 |
Lithuania | 9.8000 | 310000 | 2661.7080 |
Chile | 9.7000 | 1800000 | 19250.1950 |
Venezuela | 9.7000 | 3220000 | 29266.9910 |
Cayman Islands | 9.4000 | 5000 | 67.2770 |
Belize | 9 | 30000 | 412.1900 |
Cape Verde | 9 | 50000 | 567.6780 |
Andorra | 8.8000 | 5000 | 77.4630 |
Portugal | 8.6000 | 890000 | 10140.5700 |
Brazil | 8.4000 | 17620000 | 215353.5930 |
Ivory Coast | 8.1000 | 1970000 | 27742.2980 |
Costa Rica | 8 | 420000 | 5182.3540 |
Republic of the Congo | 8 | 410000 | 5797.8050 |
Ireland | 7.9000 | 400000 | 5020.1990 |
Zimbabwe | 7.6000 | 1110000 | 15331.4280 |
Madagascar | 7.3000 | 2010000 | 29178.0770 |
Poland | 7.3000 | 2780000 | 37739.7850 |
San Marino | 7.2000 | 5000 | 34.0850 |
Colombia | 6.7000 | 3510000 | 51512.7620 |
Aruba | 6.2000 | 5000 | 107.6090 |
Suriname | 6.2000 | 40000 | 596.8310 |
Togo | 6.2000 | 450000 | 8680.8370 |
Greece | 6.1000 | 690000 | 10316.6370 |
Saint Lucia | 5.8000 | 10000 | 185.1130 |
Gabon | 5.7000 | 110000 | 2331.5330 |
Mexico | 5.7000 | 7240000 | 131562.7720 |
Ecuador | 5.6000 | 920000 | 18113.3610 |
Benin | 5.2000 | 600000 | 12784.7260 |
Cameroon | 5.2000 | 1260000 | 27911.5480 |
Angola | 5.2000 | 1270000 | 35027.3430 |
Croatia | 5.1000 | 220000 | 4059.2860 |
Equatorial Guinea | 5 | 40000 | 1496.6620 |
Panama | 5 | 200000 | 4446.9640 |
French Polynesia | 4.9000 | 10000 | 284.1640 |
Montserrat | 4.8000 | 5000 | 4.9650 |
Bulgaria | 4.7000 | 320000 | 6844.5970 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 4.6000 | 5000 | 39.7410 |
Nauru | 4.5000 | 5000 | 10.9030 |
Guinea-Bissau | 4.4000 | 80000 | 2063.3670 |
Bolivia | 4.1000 | 480000 | 11992.6560 |
Anguilla | 4 | 5000 | 15.2300 |
Kazakhstan | 4 | 720000 | 19205.0430 |
British Virgin Islands | 3.9000 | 5000 | 30.5960 |
French Guiana | 3.9000 | 10000 | 314.1690 |
Iceland | 3.9000 | 10000 | 345.3930 |
Guatemala | 3.9000 | 720000 | 18584.0390 |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 3.8000 | 5000 | 5.7590 |
Ghana | 3.8000 | 1160000 | 32395.4500 |
United States Virgin Islands | 3.7000 | 5000 | 103.9710 |
Niue | 3.3000 | 5000 | 1.6220 |
Sint Maarten | 3.3000 | 5000 | 43.9660 |
Curacao | 3.3000 | 5000 | 165.5290 |
Serbia | 3.3000 | 260000 | 8653.0160 |
Cook Islands | 3.2000 | 5000 | 17.5710 |
Israel | 3.2000 | 280000 | 8922.8920 |
Montenegro | 3.1000 | 20000 | 627.9500 |
Peru | 3.1000 | 1010000 | 33684.2080 |
Bahamas | 3 | 10000 | 400.5160 |
Rwanda | 3 | 430000 | 13600.4640 |
Gibraltar | 2.9000 | 5000 | 33.7040 |
Liechtenstein | 2.9000 | 5000 | 38.3870 |
Lesotho | 2.8000 | 70000 | 2175.6990 |
Greenland | 2.5000 | 5000 | 56.9730 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2.5000 | 5000 | 111.5510 |
Guadeloupe | 2.5000 | 10000 | 399.7940 |
Malta | 2.5000 | 10000 | 444.0330 |
Samoa | 2.4000 | 5000 | 202.2390 |
Chad | 2.4000 | 350000 | 17413.5800 |
Martinique | 2.3000 | 5000 | 374.0870 |
Kenya | 2.3000 | 1200000 | 56215.2210 |
Seychelles | 2.1000 | 5000 | 99.4260 |
Puerto Rico | 2.1000 | 80000 | 2829.8120 |
Guyana | 2 | 20000 | 794.0450 |
Reunion | 2 | 20000 | 908.0610 |
Bahrain | 2 | 30000 | 1783.9830 |
Syria | 2 | 500000 | 19364.8090 |
Malawi | 2 | 410000 | 20180.8390 |
Barbados | 1.9000 | 5000 | 288.0230 |
Cyprus | 1.9000 | 20000 | 1223.3870 |
Namibia | 1.9000 | 50000 | 2633.8740 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1.8000 | 30000 | 1406.5850 |
Guinea | 1.8000 | 230000 | 13865.6910 |
Algeria | 1.8000 | 740000 | 45350.1480 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 1.7000 | 5000 | 99.5090 |
Guam | 1.7000 | 5000 | 171.5190 |
DR Congo | 1.7000 | 1450000 | 95240.7920 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1.6000 | 5000 | 53.8710 |
Tanzania | 1.6000 | 1000000 | 63298.5500 |
Marshall Islands | 1.5000 | 5000 | 60.0570 |
Tajikistan | 1.5000 | 130000 | 9957.4640 |
Liberia | 1.4000 | 70000 | 5305.1170 |
Tuvalu | 1.3000 | 5000 | 12.0660 |
North Macedonia | 1.3000 | 30000 | 2081.3040 |
Armenia | 1.3000 | 40000 | 2971.9660 |
Moldova | 1.3000 | 40000 | 4013.1710 |
Palau | 1.2000 | 5000 | 18.2330 |
Vanuatu | 1.2000 | 5000 | 321.8320 |
Turkey | 1.2000 | 960000 | 85561.9760 |
Paraguay | 1.1000 | 90000 | 7305.8430 |
United Arab Emirates | 1.1000 | 100000 | 10081.7850 |
Northern Mariana Islands | 1 | 5000 | 58.2690 |
Sudan | 1 | 440000 | 45992.0200 |
Vatican City | 0.0100 | 5000 | 0.7990 |
Tokelau | 0.0100 | 5000 | 1.3780 |
Wallis and Futuna | 0.0100 | 5000 | 10.9820 |
American Samoa | 0.0100 | 5000 | 55.0300 |
Dominica | 0.0100 | 5000 | 72.3440 |
Tonga | 0.0100 | 5000 | 107.7490 |
Grenada | 0.0100 | 5000 | 113.4750 |
Micronesia | 0.0100 | 5000 | 117.4890 |
Kiribati | 0.0100 | 5000 | 123.4190 |
Mayotte | 0.0100 | 5000 | 286.2590 |
Brunei | 0.0100 | 5000 | 445.4310 |
Maldives | 0.0100 | 5000 | 540.9850 |
Western Sahara | 0.0100 | 5000 | 626.1610 |
Solomon Islands | 0.0100 | 5000 | 721.1590 |
Bhutan | 0.0100 | 5000 | 787.9410 |
Comoros | 0.0100 | 5000 | 907.4190 |
Fiji | 0.0100 | 5000 | 909.4660 |
Djibouti | 0.0100 | 5000 | 1016.0970 |
Mauritius | 0.0100 | 10000 | 1274.7270 |
Timor-Leste | 0.0100 | 5000 | 1369.4290 |
Gambia | 0.0100 | 5000 | 2558.4820 |
Albania | 0.0100 | 30000 | 2866.3740 |
Qatar | 0.0100 | 20000 | 2979.9150 |
Eritrea | 0.0100 | 5000 | 3662.2440 |
Georgia | 0.0100 | 30000 | 3968.7380 |
Kuwait | 0.0100 | 5000 | 4380.3260 |
Mauritania | 0.0100 | 5000 | 4901.9810 |
Central African Republic | 0.0100 | 50000 | 5016.6780 |
Oman | 0.0100 | 10000 | 5323.9930 |
Palestine | 0.0100 | 5000 | 5345.5410 |
Turkmenistan | 0.0100 | 30000 | 6201.9430 |
Lebanon | 0.0100 | 10000 | 6684.8490 |
Kyrgyzstan | 0.0100 | 30000 | 6728.2710 |
Libya | 0.0100 | 10000 | 7040.7450 |
Laos | 0.0100 | 60000 | 7481.0230 |
Sierra Leone | 0.0100 | 5000 | 8306.4360 |
Papua New Guinea | 0.0100 | 5000 | 9292.1690 |
Azerbaijan | 0.0100 | 5000 | 10300.2050 |
Jordan | 0.0100 | 5000 | 10300.8690 |
South Sudan | 0.0100 | 60000 | 11618.5110 |
Tunisia | 0.0100 | 30000 | 12046.6560 |
Burundi | 0.0100 | 5000 | 12624.8400 |
Somalia | 0.0100 | 5000 | 16841.7950 |
Cambodia | 0.0100 | 30000 | 17168.6390 |
Senegal | 0.0100 | 5000 | 17653.6710 |
Romania | 0.0100 | 20000 | 19031.3350 |
Zambia | 0.0100 | 100000 | 19470.2340 |
Mali | 0.0100 | 110000 | 21473.7640 |
Sri Lanka | 0.0100 | 5000 | 21575.8420 |
Burkina Faso | 0.0100 | 110000 | 22102.8380 |
Niger | 0.0100 | 170000 | 26083.6600 |
Nepal | 0.0100 | 90000 | 30225.5820 |
Yemen | 0.0100 | 30000 | 31154.8670 |
Malaysia | 0.0100 | 200000 | 33181.0720 |
Uzbekistan | 0.0100 | 240000 | 34382.0840 |
Saudi Arabia | 0.0100 | 210000 | 35844.9090 |
Morocco | 0.0100 | 5000 | 37772.7560 |
Afghanistan | 0.0100 | 5000 | 40754.3880 |
Iraq | 0.0100 | 50000 | 42164.9650 |
Uganda | 0.0100 | 230000 | 48432.8630 |
Thailand | 0.0100 | 200000 | 70078.2030 |
Iran | 0.0100 | 100000 | 86022.8370 |
Egypt | 0.0100 | 5000 | 106156.6920 |
Philippines | 0.0100 | 110000 | 112508.9940 |
Ethiopia | 0.0100 | 60000 | 120812.6980 |
Bangladesh | 0.0100 | 5000 | 167885.6890 |
Nigeria | 0.0100 | 790000 | 216746.9340 |
Pakistan | 0.0100 | 30000 | 229488.9940 |
Indonesia | 0.0100 | 240000 | 279134.5050 |
India | 0.0100 | 900000 | 1406631.7760 |
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