Religion by Country 2022

Religion is a system of belief or worship that shapes how an individual perceives, thinks about, and interacts with the world. Often, a person’s religion serves as the primary source of ethical and moral views.

For many believers, religion provides immense comfort, if not the purpose. Numerous faiths are practiced around the globe.




Although faiths are sometimes opposed in their theology and practice, one might argue that most of them center on two near-universal themes: how to behave on Earth and what to anticipate after death.

Most faiths instill confidence in a greater power, whether that power is one’s spirituality, nature, the God/YHWH/Allah of Christians, Jews, and Muslims, or the Hindu deities Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Shakti, and Surya.

What percentage of the world’s population adheres to a different religion?

Calculating the actual number of faiths in the world is a difficult, if not impossible, process. Numerous faiths might be difficult to distinguish for someone unfamiliar with their theology.

More significantly, criteria defining what constitutes a legitimately distinct religion versus a denomination (subdivision) are uncommon, if not nonexistent.




To take Christianity as an example, whereas the practices and beliefs of a historic Mennonite church are very different from those of a contemporary Vineyard or Assembly of God church, both are nevertheless recognized as Christian.

In contrast, despite its historical ties to Islam, Sikhism is often regarded as a distinct faith in its own right.

On a comparable but lesser scale, the border between a spiritual but non-religious experience or an actual religion may vary according to the individual—for example, some people regard New Age activities, Wicca, and even some types of yoga to be religions, while others do not.

According to one widely accepted estimate, around 4000-4300 faiths worldwide. However, this figure is strongly contested.

To begin, it encompasses defunct belief systems that are no longer practiced.

Additionally, it counts each of a religion’s numerous denominations separately—so Christianity, for example, would be included as hundreds of religions: Protestant, Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopalian, Assembly of God, Seventh Day Adventist, and Mormon, to name a few.




The population of the World by Religion

Around 85 percent of the world’s population self-identifies as religious. Christianity is the most widely practiced religion, with an estimated 2.38 billion adherents worldwide.

Islam is the second-largest religion, with around 1.91 billion adherents. By 2050, demographic analysts say, Islam, will have almost equaled Christianity. Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and two umbrella categories are also assessed and predicted.

The first category is “folk religions,” including traditional African religions, Chinese folk religions, and aboriginal faiths from North America and Australia.

The second category is “other religions,” including minorities such as Shintoism, Taoism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Finally, a sizable population—nearly 1.2 billion individuals worldwide—remains agnostic or has Atheist views.




The following table summarised the overall expected population of each religion in 2020:

  1. Christianity – 2.38 billion
  2. Islam – 1.91 billion
  3. Hinduism – 1.16 billion
  4. Buddhism – 507 million
  5. Folk Religions – 430 million
  6. Other Religions – 61 million
  7. Judaism – 14.6 million
  8. Unaffiliated – 1.19 billion

Christianity

Christianity is the world’s biggest religion, with almost 2.4 billion adherents. Christianity is split into Eastern and Western theology, with other branches like Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy existing within these boundaries.

These branches then split into the hundreds of denominations today, including Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons, and Amish.




The Vatican City and the Pitcairn Islands have a Christian majority. At least 93 percent of the population in some other countries is Christian.

Vatican City, Pitcairn Islands, American Samoa, Armenia, Barbados, East Timor, El Salvador, Greece, Kiribati, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Tonga, and Venezuela are among the countries with at least 93% Christian inhabitants.

Islam

Islam is the world’s second-biggest religion by the number of adherents. Muslims are individuals who adhere to Islam. In the Maldives, Mauritania, and Saudi Arabia, Islam is practiced by 100% of the population. At least 95 percent of the population self-identifies as Sunni or Shi’a Muslim in several countries.

Maldives, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Algeria, Comoros, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, and Yemen are Muslim-majority countries. Worldwide, there are 50 Muslim-majority nations.




Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s third-biggest religion. Hinduism is seen as a kind of dharma, or way of life. It started in India and is now extensively practiced across Southeast Asia.

Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism are the four major denominations. India, unsurprisingly, has the greatest Hindu population but not the highest Hindu proportion.

There are an estimated 1.093 billion Hindus in India, accounting for around 79.8% of the population. Nepal has the second-largest Hindu population globally, at 28.6, accounting for around 81.3 percent of the population.

India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Mauritius are countries having a sizable Hindu population.




Buddhism

Buddhism, like Hinduism, began in India and is founded on Buddha’s teachings. Buddhists have their traditions, morals, and beliefs, including those about rebirth. Around 507 million people worldwide practice Buddhism.

China has the highest Buddhist population, with 254.7 million, followed by Thailand (66.1 million), Burma (Myanmar), and Japan (41.44 million).

Also See: Protestant Countries 2022

Cambodia has the greatest Buddhist population at 97.9 percent, followed by Thailand (94.6 percent) and Burma (Myanmar) at 87.9 percent. Cambodia, Thailand, Burma/Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Laos, Mongolia, and Bhutan have the greatest percentages of Buddhists.

Additional Religions

Traditional Chinese faiths such as Confucianism and Taoism are practiced in several countries. This is most prevalent in China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Numerous nations follow ethical and indigenous faiths.




In Guinea-Bissau and Haiti, almost half of the population practices one of these faiths. Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, and Togo are more states where ethnic and indigenous faiths are practiced.

Atheist or Unaffiliated

Finally, as already said, many individuals are agnostic or atheists. This is especially evident in Estonia, the Czech Republic, China, and Japan, where almost three-quarters of the population has abandoned religious activity.

China, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Japan, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Macau, Norway, Sweden, and Vietnam are countries with a large proportion of unaffiliated/atheist inhabitants.




CountryChistiansMuslimsUnaffiliatedHindusBuddhistsFolk ReligionsOtherJews
Afghanistan300003133000050001000050005000200005000
Albania58000025700005000050005000500050005000
Algeria6000034730000660000500050001000050005000
American Samoa500005000500050005000500050005000
Andorra700005000500050005000500050005000
Angola17270000400009800005000500079000050005000
Anguilla100005000500050005000500050005000
Antigua and Barbuda800005000500050005000500050005000
Argentina344200004000004920000500020000330000120000200000
Armenia305000050004000050005000500050005000
Aruba1000005000500050005000500050005000
Australia149800005400005390000310000600000150000180000110000
Austria6750000450000113000050002000050001000010000
Azerbaijan2800008900000500050005000500050005000
Bahamas33000050001000050005000500050005000
Bahrain1800008900002000012000030000500050005000
Bangladesh4500001344300005000126800009200001000001000005000
Barbados2600005000500050005000500050005000
Belarus683000020000274000050005000500050005000
Belgium68800006300003110000500030000200001000030000
Belize27000050003000050005000500050005000
Benin4690000211000045000050005000160000050005000
Bermuda5000050001000050005000500050005000
Bhutan5000500050001600005400001000050005000
Bolivia9330000500040000050005000900001000005000
Bosnia and Herzegovina197000017000009000050005000500050005000
Botswana1450000500041000050005000120000100005000
Brazil173300000400001541000050002500005540000300000110000
British Virgin Islands200005000500050005000500050005000
Brunei4000030000050005000300002000050005000
Bulgaria6150000102000031000050005000500050005000
Burkina Faso3710000101500007000050005000253000050005000
Burundi767000023000050005000500048000050005000
Cambodia50000280000300005000136900008000050005000
Cameroon1378000035900001050000500050006500005300005000
Canada234700007100008050000470000280000390000300000350000
Cape Verde44000050005000050005000500050005000
Cayman Islands500005000500050005000500050005000
Central African Republic394000037000040000500050004000050005000
Chad4560000621000028000050005000160000200005000
Chile15300000500014700005000100002600003000020000
China68410000246900007006800002000024411000029430000090800005000
Colombia4281000010000305000050005000370000400005000
Comoros5000720000500050005000500050005000
Cook Islands200005000500050005000500050005000
Costa Rica423000050003700005000500040000100005000
Croatia41100006000023000050005000500050005000
Cuba667000050002590000200005000196000050005000
Curacao1400005000500050005000500050005000
Cyprus8100002800001000050005000500050005000
Czech Republic24500005000802000050005000500050005000
Denmark46300002300006500002000010000500050005000
Djibouti20000860000500050005000500050005000
Dominica700005000500050005000500050005000
Dominican Republic8740000500010800005000500090000100005000
DR Congo6321000097000011700003000050004900001000005000
Ecuador136100005000800000500050004000050005000
Egypt412000076990000500050005000500050005000
El Salvador546000050006800005000500030000200005000
Equatorial Guinea6200003000030000500050001000050005000
Eritrea331000019200005000500050002000050005000
Estonia540000500080000050005000500050005000
Eswatini10400005000120000500050001000050005000
Ethiopia52070000286800005000050005000213000050005000
Falkland Islands50005000500050005000500050005000
Faroe Islands500005000500050005000500050005000
Fiji5500005000050002400005000500050005000
Finland430000040000102000050005000500050005000
France3956000047100001758000030000280000220000100000310000
French Guiana20000050005000500050002000050005000
French Polynesia25000050001000050005000500050005000
Gabon115000017000080000500050009000050005000
Gambia800001640000500050005000500050005000
Georgia38500004700003000050005000500050005000
Germany565400004760000203500008000021000040000100000230000
Ghana1826000038600001020000500050001200000400005000
Gibraltar300005000500050005000500050005000
Greece100100006100007000002000050001000050005000
Greenland500005000500050005000500050005000
Grenada1000005000500050005000500050005000
Guadeloupe44000050001000050005000500050005000
Guam1700005000500050005000500050005000
Guatemala1369000050005900005000500080000100005000
Guinea109000084300001800005000500027000050005000
Guinea-Bissau300000680000700005000500047000050005000
Guyana50000050000100001900005000500050005000
Haiti86900005000106000050005000220000300005000
Honduras6660000100007900005000500080000400005000
Hong Kong10100001300003950000300009300009000001100005000
Hungary809000050001860000500050005000500010000
Iceland30000050001000050005000500050005000
India31130000176200000870000973750000925000058500002756000010000
Indonesia23660000209120000240000405000017200007500003400005000
Iran1100007357000011000020000500050001500005000
Iraq2700003134000040000500050005000200005000
Ireland411000050000280000100005000500050005000
Isle of Man7000050001000050005000500050005000
Israel15000013800002300005000200002000050005610000
Italy504400002220000750000090000110000800006000050000
Ivory Coast871000073900001570000500050002020000300005000
Jamaica2120000500047000050005000120000300005000
Japan203000020000072120000300004582000045000058900005000
Jordan13000060100005000500020000500050005000
Kazakhstan39700001129000067000050004000050000200005000
Kenya34340000392000010000006000050006900005000005000
Kiribati900005000500050005000500050005000
Kuwait3900002030000500023000080000500050005000
Kyrgyzstan61000046900002000050005000500050005000
Laos90000500050000500041000001910000500005000
Latvia1260000500099000050005000500050005000
Lebanon162000025900001000050005000500050005000
Lesotho210000050007000050005000500050005000
Liberia343000048000060000500050002000050005000
Libya170000614000010000500020000500050005000
Liechtenstein300005000500050005000500050005000
Lithuania2980000500033000050005000500050005000
Luxembourg3600001000014000050005000500050005000
Macau4000050008000050009000032000050005000
Madagascar176800006200001440000100005000940000200005000
Malawi1232000019300003700005000500026000050005000
Malaysia26700001810000019000017200005010000650000600005000
Maldives5000310000500050005000500050005000
Mali37000014510000700005000500041000050005000
Malta40000050001000050005000500050005000
Marshall Islands500005000500050005000500050005000
Martinique3900005000500050005000500050005000
Mauritania500034300005000500050002000050005000
Mauritius42000022000050006300005000500050005000
Mayotte5000200000500050005000500050005000
Mexico1079100005000533000050005000700002000070000
Micronesia1100005000500050005000500050005000
Moldova34800002000050000500050005000500020000
Monaco300005000500050005000500050005000
Mongolia60000900009900005000152000010000050005000
Montenegro4900001200002000050005000500050005000
Montserrat50005000500050005000500050005000
Morocco2000031930000500050005000500050005000
Mozambique132600004200000420000050005000172000050005000
Myanmar37500001900000240000820000384100002760000800005000
Namibia223000050004000050005000500050005000
Nauru50005000500050005000500050005000
Nepal1400001370000800002417000030800001100000200005000
Netherlands8410000100000069900008000040000300003000030000
New Caledonia21000050003000050005000500050005000
New Zealand2490000500001600000900007000020000300005000
Nicaragua49700005000730000500050008000050005000
Niger1200001527000011000050005000500050005000
Nigeria78050000773000006800005000100002290000900005000
Niue50005000500050005000500050005000
North Korea4800005000173500005000370000300000031400005000
Northern Mariana Islands400005000500050005000500050005000
Norway414000018000049000020000300005000100005000
Oman18000023900005000150000200005000300005000
Pakistan27500001674100002000033300002000030000200005000
Palau200005000500050005000500050005000
Palestine1000003940000500050005000500050005000
Panama32700003000017000050005000200002000010000
Papua New Guinea6800000500050005000500030000200005000
Paraguay625000050007000050005000110000100005000
Peru277800005000860000500050000290000900005000
Philippines8637000051500009000050008000014300001300005000
Poland3610000050002150000500050005000500010000
Portugal9810000300008000005000200001000050005000
Puerto Rico36300005000700005000100003000050005000
Qatar240000119000020000240000500005000100005000
Republic of the Congo34700005000036000050005000110000400005000
Reunion7400004000020000400005000500050005000
Romania21380000700002000050005000500050005000
Russia1047500001429000023180000300001700003100005000230000
Rwanda992000019000038000050005000100000200005000
Saint Kitts and Nevis500005000500050005000500050005000
Saint Pierre and Miquelon50005000500050005000500050005000
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1000005000500050005000500050005000
Samoa1800005000500050005000500050005000
San Marino300005000500050005000500050005000
Sao Tome and Principe14000050002000050005000500050005000
Saudi Arabia1200000255200001800003100009000070000700005000
Senegal45000011980000500050005000500050005000
Serbia749000033000026000050005000500050005000
Seychelles900005000500050005000500050005000
Sierra Leone123000045800005000500050005000050005000
Singapore92000073000083000026000017300001200004900005000
Sint Maarten400005000500050005000500050005000
Slovakia4660000500078000050005000500050005000
Slovenia15900007000037000050005000500050005000
Solomon Islands5200005000500050005000500050005000
Somalia50009310000500050005000500050005000
South Africa40710000860000745000057000010000021000017000070000
South Korea14170000100000223400005000110500004000001100005000
South Sudan60100006100005000050005000327000050005000
Spain362400009800008740000200005000200001000060000
Sri Lanka153000020400005000283000014450000500050005000
Sudan1810000304900003500005000500095000050005000
Suriname270000800003000010000050003000050005000
Sweden631000043000025400002000040000200002000010000
Switzerland55700003800001600000400004000050001000020000
Syria10600001893000042000050005000500050005000
Taiwan1280000100002950000500049500001026000037600005000
Tajikistan110000665000010000050005000500050005000
Tanzania2754000015770000650000500005000800000300005000
Thailand600000377000019000070000644200006000050005000
Timor-Leste11200005000500050005000500050005000
Togo2640000840000370000500050002150000300005000
Tokelau50005000500050005000500050005000
Tonga1000005000500050005000500050005000
Trinidad and Tobago8800008000030000300000500030000200005000
Tunisia20000104300002000050005000500050005000
Turkey320000713300008600005000400002000015000020000
Turkmenistan32000046900003000050005000500050005000
Turks and Caicos Islands300005000500050005000500050005000
Tuvalu50005000500050005000500050005000
Uganda2898000038400001700001000005000290000400005000
Ukraine38100000560000669000010000200005000500050000
United Arab Emirates9400005780000900004900001500005000600005000
United Kingdom3989000029600001722000089000028000060000460000290000
United States2430600002770000509800001790000357000063000019000005690000
United States Virgin Islands1000005000500050005000500050005000
Uruguay195000050001370000500050003000050005000
Uzbekistan6300002655000022000050001000010000500010000
Vanuatu2200005000500050005000500050005000
Vatican City50005000500050005000500050005000
Venezuela258900009000029000005000500060000200005000
Vietnam717000016000026040000500014380000397500003500005000
Wallis and Futuna100005000500050005000500050005000
Western Sahara5000530000500050005000500050005000
Yemen4000023830000200001500005000500050005000
Zambia127700007000070000100005000400001200005000
Zimbabwe10930000110000990000500050004800004000010000




Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top