The countries with the least number of Catholics are those with a majority Muslim population. On many questions in the survey, Uruguay is an outlier, far and away Latin Americas most secular country. If you look at the countries with the highest population growth, the top 20 are all in Africa. See Chesnut, Andrew. Edward P. Hahnenberg. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax As a result, Catholics have made up a remarkably stable share of all people on Earth. The majority of the citizens practice Islam, followed by Russian Orthodox, and the rest are either irreligious or another religion. The Maldives is an island nation and is estimated to have 0.02% of its total population identifying as Catholic. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. For many former Catholics, the jury is still out. It has less than a thousand people, but 100% of them are Catholic. Alan Cooperman was the lead editor. Second, estimates that relied on older data, such as the 2001 census in Austria, have been updated based on the population projections for the overall Christian population reported in the Pew Research Centers 2012 report The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Major Religious Groups as of 2010. Detailed source lists and complete methodological discussions are included in the appendices of these Pew Research Center reports. Report February 13, 2013 The Global Catholic Population Over the past century, the number of Catholics around the globe has more than tripled, from an estimated 291 million in 1910 to nearly 1.1 billion as of 2010, according to a comprehensive demographic study by the Pew Research Center. Some countries like Paraguay and Croatia are almost entirely Catholic while others like Afghanistan barely have any Catholics. Across the countries polled, a median of 48% of Catholics think priests should be allowed to marry. The Politics of Evangelical Growth. University of California Press. Catholics Live in East, Midwest Twenty-three percent of all Americans identify as Catholics, but there is wide variation in Catholic representation across states -- ranging from 44% in Rhode . ), Scholars of religion in Latin America offer several possible sociological explanations for the rise of Protestantism, and especially its Pentecostal variant. The next highest rate was for Kenya where 73% of Catholics said they went to Mass at least weekly. The last column shows the national Catholic percentage compared to the total Catholic population of the world (number in the region x 100 / total RC population of the world). Each of the most religious countries is relatively poor, with a per-capita GDP below $5,000. Protestants now account for about one-in-five Hispanics in the United States (22%), roughly the same as in Latin America (19%). roughly one-in-four Nicaraguans, one-in-five Brazilians and one-in-seven Venezuelans are former Catholics. A religion is a system of faith or worship that influences the way a person thinks about, views, and interacts with the world. Together, these countries and Puerto Rico account for more than 95% of the total population of Latin America. The most 'Catholic' university that isn't Catholic So if you did manage to get a CATHOLIC country, the minute one well meaning "Catholic" absorbs the philosophy of "be nice/tolerance", you will be 3 generations from a non-Catholic country. Among the many things I have always been curious to know is, which are the most catholic countries in the world? The recently renamed Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Tehran-Isfahan has six parishes and around 2,000 Catholics. There is a Wikipedia article on the Catholic Church in Afghanistan for those interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_in_Afghanistan. I feel bad for that one Catholic guy in Afghanistan. Least Religious States [Updated April 2023] - World Population Review This page documents Catholic Church sexual abuse cases by country.. Catholic sexual abuse cases in Europe have been documented by cases in several dioceses in European nations. The top 10 countries with the least catholic population, in descending order, are Afghanistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Maldives, Yemen, Iran, and Azerbaijan. pewresearch.org/religion December 19, 2011, Catholics Views of U.S. Bishops A century later, the Pew Research study found, Catholics still comprise about half (50%) of Christians worldwide and 16% of the total global population. (For more details, see Chapter 6.). The religious sphere in Uruguay: An atypical country in Latin America. Presentation delivered at Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. Alanis, Walter and Santiago Altieri. Just one-in-ten Latin Americans (9%) were raised in Protestant churches, but nearly one-in-five (19%) now describe themselves as Protestants. The Latin Church is headed by the Pope, while the Eastern Churches are autonomous in their governance. The survey also asked churchgoing respondents how often they see fellow worshipers speaking in tongues, praying for a miraculous healing or prophesying (spontaneously uttering a message or word of knowledge believed to come from the Holy Spirit). It is estimated that there are 0.01% of Catholics that make up about 2300 citizens out of the total population. The Western (Latin) church is the largest of these churches. One study found that the Catholic population reduced by 13% between 2008 and 2019. Czech Republic - 78.4%; North Korea - 71.3% . the idea that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause harm. Australia - 63% Rather, many young people are simply deciding not to hold any religion at all. In Cambodia, the majority of the population is Buddhist, while in North Korea the political ideology of Juche has displaced most religions. The Catholic Church includes the international body of churches in full communion with the bishop of Rome, the pope. pewresearch.org/religion December 11, 2011, Map: The worlds Catholics Those branches further divide into the thousands of various denominations known today, including Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists, Mormons, Amish, and more. There already is a Least Catholic Countries by Percentage which is far more accurate in terms of Catholicism, but this is slightly less predictable. This special administrative region of China appears, however, to be slightly more religious than China itself, which is the least religious country in the world. In Guinea-Bissau and Haiti, an estimated 50% of the population follows one of these religions. The Czech Republic is also one of the most secular countries in the world. With little more than 15,000 registered Catholics in an overall population of 5.5 million, Finland has the lowest Catholic percentage of any European nation. Least Catholic Countries - JetPunk Media related to Catholic Church by country at Wikimedia Commons, Percentage of Catholics by country (2010). In the United States, it is speculated that 51 million U.S. citizens identify as Catholic. Which countries have the most Catholics now? For these people, religion only plays a ceremonial role in their society. In a few countries - Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua - Catholic-to-Protestant converts are significantly more likely than current Catholics to have changed their place of residence, rather than to have always lived in one place. For example, Protestants who participate in religious services at least once a week are somewhat more likely to oppose abortion and divorce and considerably more likely to oppose homosexuality, sex outside of marriage and drinking alcohol than are Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly.2 These differing views on social issues may help explain why many former Catholics who have become Protestants say they were looking for a church that places greater importance on living a moral life (a median of 60%). 25. They and the Spanish had tremendous success converting the people of Kyushu, the southernmost island. Again, Catholics in Chile (82%), Uruguay (78%) and Argentina (77%) are among the most likely to voice support for change. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, pewresearch.org/religion December 11, 2011, pewresearch.org/religion December 19, 2011, pewresearch.org/religion November 12, 2012, Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Christian Population, The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Major Religious Groups as of 2010, Pope Benedict Over the Years: News Coverage by the Numbers. "Pope's Congo visit seeks to heal 'still bleeding' wounds, envoy says," Reuters.com/world/Africa/ 2023-01-22. Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world, but the share of self-identified Catholics in Brazil dropped from approximately three-quarters (74%) in 2000 to about two-thirds (65%) in 2010. (For more details, see Chapter 6.). Being raised by Christians significantly impacted my life since I started professing Christ from a young age. The most catholic countries in the world, that make the top ten list by descending order are speculated to be Brazil, Mexico, The Philippines, The United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, and The Democratic Republic of Congo. Not officially, at least. Catholics and Protestants in Latin America differ in their levels of religious observance. This is more than double the percentage of Latin American adults (8%) who are religiously unaffiliated. In most countries surveyed, solid majorities of Protestants say they have participated in charity work in the past 12 months. Learn how your comment data is processed. [14] [15] [16] In Latin American countries, Latinobarometro is often cited. Sample sizes and margins of error by country are available below. Luis Lugo, former director of the centers Religion & Public Life Project, was instrumental in conceiving the survey and provided guidance throughout its execution. But Catholics began declining as a share of the regions population in the 1970s, according to Brazilian and Mexican census data and historical estimates from the World Religion Database. Phillip Connor drafted the sections on the history of religious change in the region. What is the catholic population percentage in the world? Beliefs in witchcraft and reincarnation also are widespread, held by 20% or more of the population in most countries. Although many Catholics in Latin America also say they have witnessed divine healing or other gifts of the Holy Spirit, these experiences are much less common in Catholic churches than in Protestant congregations. Christianity is the predominant religion in Europe, Russia, North America, . Conversely, Sikhism is generally considered to be its own unique religion despite claims that the religion is historically rooted in Hinduism. Due to this, it is known as one of the least religious countries in the world. The first percentage, 4th column, is the percentage of population that is Catholic in a region (number in the region x 100 / total population of the region). The largest population of Catholics is in Latin America, where youll find about 40% of the global population of Catholics. Historians Debate. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main Least Catholic Countries by Population - JetPunk Like their counterparts in Latin America, many U.S. Hispanics have left Catholicism for Protestant churches. But over the same period, the worlds overall population also has risen rapidly. Gun Violence Widely Viewed as a Major and Growing National Problem, A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married, Majorities of Americans Prioritize Renewable Energy, Back Steps to Address Climate Change, More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Colleges Considering Race, Ethnicity in Admissions Decisions, International Views of Biden and U.S. Many Pew Research staff members contributed to the development of this survey and accompanying report. Fully 37% of Uruguayans say that they have no particular religion or are atheist or agnostic. By emphasizing personal contact with the divine through faith healing, speaking in tongues and prophesying, Pentecostalism attracts those who share an affinity with indigenous religions that traditionally incorporate beliefs and practices associated with direct communication with the spirit world.. [2] [3] According to a PEW estimation in 2020, Christians made up to 2.4 billion of the worldwide population of about 8 billion people. Italy may have about 50 million of its citizens following the Catholic faith, which makes up about 78% of its total population. Overall, 84% of Latin American adults report that they were raised Catholic, As with the popes overall favorability, substantial percentages of former Catholics say it is too soon to tell whether Francis represents much change. . It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. There also is substantial support among Latin American Catholics (a regional median of 60%) for ending the churchs prohibition on divorce. | View Mobile Site. The Vatican Publishing House publishes a Statistical Yearbook of the Church, which includes Catholic population estimates. In a majority of the countries polled, at least one-in-five Protestants say they personally have spoken in tongues, including about four-in-ten in Panama (39%) and a third in Brazil (33%). (Everything You Need To Know About Becoming a Nun), 10 Baptism Guest Outfit Ideas (What To Wear To A Catholic Baptism As A Guest), 16 Catholic Easter Vigil Outfit Ideas (What To Wear To Catholic Easter Vigil?). Many Latin Americans including substantial percentages of both Catholics and Protestants say they subscribe to beliefs and practices often associated with Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Brazilian or indigenous religions. Roughly half say they belong to a Pentecostal church. The total number of Catholics countrywide is speculated to be about 13,000. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an index which ranks countries "by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys." The CPI generally defines corruption as an "abuse of entrusted power for private gain". The reasons for this are as fascinating as they are depressing. For instance, a majority of Mexicans (60%) and more than a third of Bolivians (39%) say they make offerings of food, drinks, candles or flowers to spirits, but just one-in-ten Uruguayans (9%) do so. Even in predominantly Catholic Latin America, some countries are seeing a drop in Catholic populations. Namibia Namibia comes in 25th on our list, taking a hit on basic human needs and access to education in the Social Progress Index. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. This is most frequently seen in the following nations: China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Most of the people of French descent moved to France once it became independent. Which country has a rapidly rising catholic population in the world? (For more details, see Chapter 2.). This is especially true in parts of Central America and the Caribbean, where roughly half of Catholics in El Salvador (53%), the Dominican Republic (50%), Nicaragua (49%) and Guatemala (46%) report that they have witnessed or experienced a divine healing. Among Catholics, roughly half or fewer report that they have done so. As the population has increased significantly over a century, the percentage of Catholics has increased too. As of 2014, the new Pew Research Center survey finds that 69% of Latin Americans identify as Catholic, while 19% belong to Protestant churches and 8% are religiously unaffiliated (atheist, agnostic or no particular religion). In fact, there was growth in every continent except Europe. They usually appoint an individual Bishop, Archbishop, or Patriarch to govern them. The Church as the "soul" of the society, can temper the corruption of the . It is estimated to have 89% of its population identifies as Muslim, 10% are of the Eastern Orthodox church, and the remaining 1% is unknown. (For more details, see Chapter 4.). (See the 2006 Pew Research report Spirit and Power: A 10-Country Survey of Pentecostals and the 2013 report Brazils Changing Religious Landscape.). Finally, as mentioned, many people are non-religious or atheist. Despite this difference, there is still a unifying aspect of the Catholic church as a whole, as the Eastern Churches still follow the devotional, theological, and liturgical principles of the Catholic church. While the movement from Catholicism to Protestantism has occurred among people of all ages and socio-economic levels, the survey reveals some broad demographic patterns among converts. All Rights Reserved. As you can see, the majority of these countries are mostly Muslim. Most Christian Countries 2023 - World Population Review The first is "folk religions", which collects traditional African religions, Chinese folk religions, and both Native American and Australian aboriginal religions. In terms of sheer numbers, China is the least religious country, home to more than 50% of religiously unaffiliated people in the world. A full analysis of demographic differences between current Catholics and former Catholics who are now Protestants, including rates of relocation and education, can be found in, For more information on global Pentecostalism, see the Pew Research Centers 2006 report . Much of the movement away from Catholicism and toward Protestantism in Latin America has occurred in the span of a single lifetime. Ghani drafted Chapter 9 (Views of Pope Francis and the Catholic Church) and Juan Carlos Donoso drafted Chapter 8 (Religion andScience). For more details, see the survey methodology. Read our research on: LGBTQ Attitudes & Experiences| Artificial Intelligence | Affirmative Action. As you can guess, the region of the world with the fewest Catholics is the Middle East. It is estimated that about 4600 citizens identify as Catholic. For example, in Uzbekistan, Catholic churches are allowed but any efforts to convert people to Catholicism including missionary work is outlawed. The 10 Least Religious US States - WorldAtlas twice as many (8%) are unaffiliated today. Data for 1910 come from the World Christian Database (Brill 2013) and are based on historical church membership data standardized by Todd M. Johnson and his colleagues at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass. This especially rings true for the country's young people. It is speculated that a rapid increase in the Catholic population is likely to triple, until the year 2050. Fieldwork for this study was carried out by Princeton Survey Research Associates under the direction of Mary McIntosh and by Ipsos Public Affairs under the direction of Clifford Young. However, as is the case in many highly industrialized countries, a large number of Norwegians still culturally identify with Christianity without practicing the religion. Also try Highest Percentage Catholic Countries Quiz by Jerry928 Quizzes Rate: Nominate Last updated: September 29, 2016 You have not attempted this quiz yet. In 10 countries and areas, at least 98% say religion is important in their daily lives. Yemen is estimated to have 0.02% of its total population identifying as Catholics. All the other demographic data in the report were compiled by the staff of the Pew Research Center and are based primarily on censuses and nationally representative surveys. pewresearch.org February 12, 2013, Resources on Catholicism and the Pope In no other Latin American country surveyed do the religiously unaffiliated make up even 20% of the population. A good example is East Timor. Religiosity appears to be diminishing in the United Kingdom, with only 30% of the population affirming that religion plays an important role in their daily lives. (See Religion in Uruguay. This report updates 2010 Catholic population estimates published by the Pew Research Center in its 2011 report Global Christianity: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Christian Population. The updated 2010 Catholic population total (1,078,790,000) is slightly lower than the estimate published in the 2011 Global Christianity report (1,094,610,00). By 2010, by contrast, only about a quarter of all Catholics (24%) were in Europe. Many religions can be difficult to tell apart for those not intimately familiar with their doctrine. Most Latin American Protestants say that speaking in tongues, praying for a miraculous healing and prophesying are frequent occurrences in their religious services. The Global Catholic Population | Pew Research Center Catholicism was introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish. Which Are The Most Catholic Countries In The World? (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main The earliest signs of Catholicism in France began appearing in the second century. Turning to the predominantly Roman Catholic countries, we see that in some areas the Roman Catholic Church itself actually speaks of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The 12 Least Educated Countries in the World - Newsweek Explicitly negative views of Pope Francis are relatively rare among this group, but so are overwhelmingly positive reactions, except in Francis home country of Argentina. Though the Middle East and North Africa are the ancient cradle of Christianity, the Middle East-North Africa region is home to less than 1% of Catholics today, about the same as in 1910. However, recent years have seen the. The Belgian people are not religious, with around 64% of the country living their lives without religious affiliation. The largest share (39%) were in Latin America and the Caribbean. Buddhism also originated in India and is based on the teachings of Buddha. Mexico, the country with the second-largest Catholic population in the world, went from about 89% Catholic in 2000 to 85% Catholic in 2010. Somalias catholic population is estimated to be 0%. In several other nations, at least 93% of the population is Christian. Afghanistan has the least catholic population and is estimated to be at 0%. And it is the only country in the region where a majority (57%) says that religious leaders should have no influence at all in political matters. In a majority of the countries surveyed, at least half of Protestants report that they have witnessed or experienced the divine healing of an illness or injury, and at least a third say they have experienced or witnessed the devil being driven out of a person. Religion is not an important part of life for many of Australia's citizens. In this post, we explore the most Catholic countries in the world, as well as the least Catholic countries. This consists of about 2,500 citizens who identify as Catholic. One popular estimate claims there exist some 4000-4300 religions worldwide, but this number is highly disputed. The U.S. Hispanic population (now approximately 54.1 million people) is larger than the total population in all but two Latin American countries Brazil (195 million) and Mexico (113 million). It is the only country surveyed where a majority of the public favors allowing same-sex couples to legally marry (62%), and where as many as half of adults (54%) say that abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Similarly, 55% of U.S. Hispanics are Catholic. Catholicism was introduced by the Spanish in the 1500s and began in states now known as Texas and Florida. This comprises about 63-65% of its total population. Please check the About Us Page for more details. Some country estimates differ for two reasons. [18] This method might explain the discrepancy between Pew's figures on Germany[19] and the church figures.[20][21]. There also has been rapid growth in the vast Asia-Pacific region, where 131 million Catholics (12%) now live, up from 14 million (5%) a century ago. When asked what is the most important way Christians can help the poor and needy, Protestants are more likely than Catholics to point toward bringing the poor to Christ, while Catholics are more inclined to say that performing charity work for the poor is most important. The local ordinary, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, has not yet acceded to the school's request for formal recognition as a . First, new data has become available, such as the 2010 census in Brazil. This report is based on findings from a Pew Research Center survey conducted with generous funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John Templeton Foundation. While the dominant religion in Belgium has historically been Christianity, the practicing population has been on a decline for a while now. Catholicism was introduced by the Portuguese, and the first diocese was created in 1551. Family Law in Uruguay. Kluwer Law International, page 96. . Of the eight possible explanations offered on the survey, the most frequently cited was that they were seeking a more personal connection with God. Latinobarometro, Opinion Publica Latinoamericana, Enero 2018. According to the CIA Factbook and the Pew Research Center, the five countries with the largest number of Catholics are, in decreasing order of Catholic population: The country where the membership of the church is the largest percentage of the population is Vatican City at 100%, followed by East Timor at 97%. Indeed, in most of the countries surveyed, at least a third of current Protestants were raised in the Catholic Church, and half or more say they were baptized as Catholics. What Does A Garden Symbolize In The Bible. Interestingly, its not a case of people moving from the Catholic church to other denominations or another religion. What has changed substantially over the past century is the geographic distribution of the worlds Catholics. In Uzbekistan, the Catholic population is estimated to be 0.01% of the total countrys population. In many nations, at least 95% of inhabitants identify as either Sunni or Shi'a Muslim. I'm a Catholic who lived in Korea, Japan, and China, where I - Reddit The World's Most Tolerant, Progressive, and Eco-Friendly Countries For example, at least a third of adults in every country surveyed believe in the evil eye, - 61 million. A recent Times poll discovered that almost 1 in 5 Britons are atheists. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax In more recent years, the country has also witnessed a growth in Islamic mosque and Jewish synagogue attendance, attributed to the large numbers of immigrants arriving into this country. How did the share of Catholics in various regions change between 1910 and 2010? Hence, an individual can enjoy the Christmas celebrations in the country without the need to believe in origin of the festival. Meanwhile, the Catholic share of North Americas population grew from 16% to 26%. The Religiously Distinct States of America - Gallup.com James Bell and Neha Sahgal were the principal researchers and the lead authors of the report. Of that, 97.5% are Catholic, making it the most Catholic country after Vatican City. The highest growth in the number of Catholics has been in Africa, particularly Sub Saharan Africa.