One of the world's largest religious gatherings is moving ahead as planned. ), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. ), Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9%note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state, Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%, Roman Catholic 42.3%, Protestant 12.3%, other Christian 27.4%, Muslim 9.8%, animist 0.6%, other 0.5%, none/no answer 7.1% (2012 est. Islam states that the teachings of God, who is known as Allah, were written down in a holy book known as the Qurn, which is the faiths spiritual text. ), Roman Catholic 64.6%, other Catholic 0.4%, Protestant 22.2% (includes Adventist 6.5%, Assembly of God 2.0%, Christian Congregation of Brazil 1.2%, Universal Kingdom of God 1.0%, other Protestant 11.5%), other Christian 0.7%, Spiritist 2.2%, other 1.4%, none 8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est. world's religions have changed over time ), Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2014 est. ), Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est. ), Catholic 55%, Protestant 29%, Vodou 2.1%, other 4.6%, none 10% (2018 est. ), Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est. 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). Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the )note: data represent the total population; about 72% of the population consists of immigrants, Muslim 90% (majority Sunni), Christian 7% (Russian Orthodox 3%), other 3% (includes Jewish, Buddhist, Baha'i) (2017 est. Voodoo/Vodun: a form of spirit and ancestor worship combined with some Christian faiths, especially Catholicism. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). ), Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%,don'tknow/no answer0.2% (2019 est. Britannica Book of the Year]; p. 695. Indigenous statistics come from the U.S. Department of State International Religious Freedom Report (2009),[88] based on the highest estimate of people identified as indigenous or followers of indigenous religions that have been well-defined. Religions The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. )note: does not include data from the former Western Sahara, Roman Catholic 27.2%, Muslim 18.9%, Zionist Christian 15.6%, Evangelical/Pentecostal 15.3%, Anglican 1.7%, other 4.8%, none 13.9%, unspecified 2.5% (2017 est. )note: estimates reflect registered members of faith communities eligible for state funding (not all religions are state-funded and not all people who identify with a particular religion are registered members) and the Church of Sweden, Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est. Confucianism has strongly influenced the culture and beliefs of East Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The Fastest Growing Religions in the World Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. The worlds primary religions fall into two categories: Abrahamic religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam; and Indian religions, which include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and others. Spiritism. Christianity. For example, Hindus increased from 304 million (30.4 crore) to 966 million (96.6 crore), Muslims grew from 35 million (3.5 crore) to 172 million (17.2 crore), and the number of Indians who say they are Christian rose from 8 ), Christian 89%, Muslim 9%, folk religion 1%, unaffiliated 1% (2020 est. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Buddhism. Chinese traditional religion is described as "the common religion of the majority Chinese culture: a combination of, Taoists/Confucians/Chinese traditional religionists. world ), Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est. Its largest groups are theRoman Catholic Church, theEastern Orthodoxchurches, and theProtestantchurches, and its sacred text is the Bible. Variants Ismaili faith: A sect of Shia Islam, its adherents are also known as "Seveners," because they believe that the rightful seventh Imam in Islamic leadership was Isma'il, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq. 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. ), Roman Catholic 79.5%, Muslim 6%, Iglesia ni Cristo 2.6%, Evangelical 2.4%, National Council of Churches in the Philippines 1.1%, other 7.4%, none <0.1% (2015 est. Major religious groups ), Protestant 46.8% (Anglican 29.2%, Uniting Church in Australia 9.8%, Presbyterian 2.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.7%, other 2.2%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 1.4%, none 26.7%, unspecified 9.5% (2016 est. ), Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar/Malagasy Lutheran Church/Anglican Church 34%, Roman Catholic 32.3%, other Christian 8.1%, traditional/Animist 1.7%, Muslim 1.4%, other 0.6%, none 21.9% (2021 est. Other variants on Protestant Christianity, including Pentecostal movements and independent churches, may lack one or more of these elements, and their leadership and beliefs are individualized and dynamic. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. The organizers of Indias Magh Mela, which usually draws 10 million Hindus, know how to handle the health of a crowd. ), Roman Catholic 79.7%, Protestant 2.2%, other Christian 2.5%, other non-Christian, 1.1%, none 14.5% (2021 est. WebCatholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. Holy Mass in the Church Our Lady of Queen in Poland. For example, Hindus increased from 304 million (30.4 crore) to 966 million (96.6 crore), Muslims grew from 35 million (3.5 crore) to 172 million (17.2 crore), and the number of Indians who say they are Christian rose from 8 ), Sunni Muslim 94% (nearly all Djiboutians), other 6% (mainly foreign-born residents - Shia Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Baha'i, and atheist), Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 29.7% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 6.7%, Pentecostal 6.1%, Baptist 5.2%, Christian Union Church 3.9%, Methodist 2.6%, Gospel Mission 2.1%, other Protestant 3.1%), Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 4.3%, none 9.4%, unspecified 1.4% (2011 est. For example, Hindus increased from 304 million (30.4 crore) to 966 million (96.6 crore), Muslims grew from 35 million (3.5 crore) to 172 million (17.2 crore), and the number of Indians who say they are Christian rose from 8 ), Roman Catholic 58.2%, atheist 16.2%, agnostic 10.8%, other 2.7%, non-believer 10.5%, unspecified 1.7% (2021 est. Druze faith: A highly secretive tradition and a closed community that derives from the Ismaili sect of Islam; its core beliefs are thought to emphasize a combination of Gnostic principles believing that the Fatimid caliph, al-Hakin, is the one who embodies the key aspects of goodness of the universe, which are, the intellect, the word, the soul, the preceder, and the follower. )note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus, Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est. Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the Modekngei: a hybrid of Christianity and ancient Palauan culture and oral traditions founded around 1915 on the island of Babeldaob. 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What is the Largest Religion In The World 2021. Religion Adherents simultaneously worship Jesus Christ and Palauan goddesses. ), Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 89.5, other 8.8%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est. ), Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI). Badimo: a form of ancestor worship of the Tswana people of Botswana. ), Roman Catholic 26.7%, Protestant 24.3%, Muslim 3.5%, other 4.8%, none 40.7% (2020 est. Sikhs have emigrated to countries all over the world especially to English-speaking and East Asian nations. Holy Mass in the Church Our Lady of Queen in Poland. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. )note: religious affiliation forthe majority ofAzerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probablymuch lower, Protestant 69.9% (includes Baptist 34.9%, Anglican 13.7%, Pentecostal 8.9% Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, Methodist 3.6%, Church of God 1.9%, Brethren 1.6%, other Protestant .9%), Roman Catholic 12%, other Christian 13% (includes Jehovah's Witness 1.1%), other 0.6%, none 1.9%, unspecified 2.6% (2010 est. ), Macedonian Orthodox 46.1%, Muslim 32.2%, other Christian 13.8%, other and non-believers 0.5%, unspecified 0.2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no religious affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est. )note: many people also carry on at least some Confucian traditions and practices, Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.1%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est. World Religions Map List of religious populations It moved to England by the mid-17th century. ), Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est. ), Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est. Of the worlds major religions, Christianity is the largest Religion In The World, with more than two billion followers. Spiritist estimates come from a single source, which gives a relative indication of the size of the Spiritist communities within each country. ), Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 1%, unaffiliated 3.5%, no response or unspecified 22.8%, none 10.1% (2002 est. The goal of religious life is to learn to act so as to finally achieve liberation (moksha) of one's soul, escaping the rebirth cycle. WebThe next most widely practiced religions, based on number of followers, are: Shint (104 million followers). The 10 Largest Religions in the World. It moved to England by the mid-17th century. ), Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est. Percentage of Global Population in 2020: 0.19%. ), Protestant 62.8% (Cook Islands Christian Church 49.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 7.9%, Assemblies of God 3.7%, Apostolic Church 2.1%), Roman Catholic 17%, Church of Jesus Christ 4.4%, other 8%, none 5.6%, no response 2.2% (2011 est. A majority of Shia are known as "Twelvers," because they believe that the 11 familial successor imams after Muhammad culminate in a 12th Imam (al-Mahdi) who is hidden in the world and will reappear at its end to redeem the righteous. The Fastest Growing Religions in the World world Largest Religious Organizations In The World ), Catholic 85% (includes Roman Catholic 84.8% and other Catholic 0.3%), Orthodox 1.3% (almost all are Polish Autocephalous Orthodox), Protestant 0.4% (mainly Augsburg Evangelical and Pentecostal), other 0.3% (includes Jehovah's Witness, Buddhist, Hare Krishna, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Muslim, Jewish, Church of Jesus Christ), unspecified 12.9% (2020 est. It is not an Sikhism (25 million followers). WebAmerican Samoa 98.3% (mostly Protestant) [13] Malta 98.1% [14] (mostly Roman Catholic) Venezuela 98% [15] (71% Roman Catholic) Greece 98% [16] (95% Greek Orthodox) Marshall Islands 97.2% (mostly Protestant) [17] Tonga 97.2% (mostly Protestant) [18] San Marino 97% [19] (~97% Roman Catholic) Paraguay 96.9% [20] (mostly Roman Catholic) Top 10 Largest Religions In The World Judaism 14 million. Though religious groups grew at uneven rates between 1951 and 2011, every major religion in India saw its numbers rise. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Roman or Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. In doing so they have retained, to an unusually high degree, their distinctive cultural and religious identity. Thus, over half of this group is theistic and/or influenced by religious principles, but nonreligious/non-practicing and not true atheists or agnostics. ), Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est. ), Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est. These teachings have drawn many people to Islam and helped it grow quickly worldwide. Spiritualism: the belief that souls and spirits communicate with the living usually through intermediaries called mediums. Adherents of folk religions, Jews and members of other religions make up smaller shares of the worlds people. Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the ), Protestant 70.2% (Methodist 17.6%, Church of God 10.4%, Anglican 9.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.0%, Pentecostal 8.2%, Baptist 7.4%, New Testament Church of God 6.9%, other Protestant 1.2%), Roman Catholic 8.9%, Jehovah's Witness 2.5%, Hindu 1.9%, other 6.2%, none 7.9%, unspecified 2.4% (2010 est. ), Roman Catholic 62.9%, Evangelical 15.3% (Pentecostal 13%, other Evangelical 2.3%), Jehovah's Witness and Church of Jesus Christ 1.4%, other 1.2% (includes Muslim, Jewish), none 18.9% (includes agnostic and atheist), unspecified 0.3% (2019 est. ), Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim, Orthodox 16.2%, Lutheran 9.9%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est. Countries with the greatest proportion of Hindus from Hinduism by country as of 2010[update]: Countries with the greatest proportion of Buddhists from Buddhism by country as of 2010[update]:[73], As a spiritual practice, Taoism has made fewer inroads in the West than Buddhism and Hinduism.