Adherents of folk religions, Jews and members of other religions make up smaller shares of the worlds people. ), Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est. ), Christian 98.3%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est. ), Muslim 98% (Sunni 95%, Shia 3%) other 2% (2014 est. ), Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2021 est. Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C. In regard to religion, it is usually characterized as neither a belief nor non-belief in a deity. WebCatholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. What is the Largest Religion In The World 2021. Despite the popularity of its great classics the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching, the practice of Taoism has not been promulgated in America with much success;[77] these religions are not ubiquitous worldwide in the way that adherents of bigger world religions are, and they remain primarily an ethnic religion. ), Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. ), Muslim (official) 95-98% (Shia 61-64%, Sunni 29-34%), Christian 1% (includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Assyrian Church of the East), other 1-4% (2015 est. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. There is no focus on a supreme god or deity. ), Orthodox 84.6%, Catholic 5%, Muslim 3.1%, Protestant 1%, atheist 1.1%, other 0.8% (includes agnostics, other Christians, Eastern, Jewish), undeclared or unknown 4.5% (2011 est. It is not an Sikhism (25 million followers). It is a modern Pagan religion with no central authority figure. ), Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha "the enlightened one"). ), Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est. ), Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est. ), Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est. ), Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <1%, Buddhist <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, none 6.2% (2020 est. Buddhism. Christianity. ), Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 15%, other 6%, agnostic 3%, atheist 10%, unspecified 24% (2014 est. )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. ), 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. WebThe map features brief descriptions of each religious grouping and bar graphs that reflect the percentage of a countrys population associated with each grouping. The 10 Largest Religions in the World. Christianity is one of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, along with Islam and Judaism, which traces its spiritual lineage to Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. Whats the Difference Between a Frog and a Toad? The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. )note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice, Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Ibadi Muslim) <1% (2012 est. Sikhs are not ubiquitous worldwide in the way that adherents of larger world religions are, and they remain primarily an ethnic religion. Sunni Islam accounts for over 87-90% of the world's Muslim population. ), Muslim 99.3%, Christian 0.3%, animist 0.2%, none 0.1% (2012 est. Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. The religious groupings are (in alphabetical order) Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, indigenous religions, Islam, Judaism, non-religious people, and other religions. Holy Mass in the Church Our Lady of Queen in Poland. ), Protestant 64.8% (includes Seventh Day Adventist 12.0%, Pentecostal 11.0%, Other Church of God 9.2%, New Testament Church of God 7.2%, Baptist 6.7%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.5%, Anglican 2.8%, United Church 2.1%, Methodist 1.6%, Revived 1.4%, Brethren 0.9%, and Moravian 0.7%), Roman Catholic 2.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.9%, Rastafarian 1.1%, other 6.5%, none 21.3%, unspecified 2.3% (2011 est. It is a modern Pagan religion with no central authority figure. Shintoism 27-65 million. ), 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. ), folk religion 21.9%, Buddhist 18.2%, Christian 5.1%, Muslim 1.8%, Hindu < 0.1%, Jewish < 0.1%, other 0.7% (includes Daoist (Taoist)), unaffiliated 52.1% (2021 est. ), Muslim 63.2%, Roman Catholic 24.6%, Protestant 6.9%, traditional/animist 4.2%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2017-18 est. Adherents are required to evangelize and to follow a strict moral code. Spiritist estimates come from a single source, which gives a relative indication of the size of the Spiritist communities within each country. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society. WebWorldwide percentage of adherents by religion, 2020 [1] Christianity (31.1%) Islam (24.9%) Irreligion (15.6%) Hinduism (15.2%) Buddhism (6.6%) Folk religions (5.6%) Other religions (1%) The world 's principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, though this is not a uniform practice. But they can be found in many international cities and have become an especially strong religious presence in the United Kingdom and Canada. ), Roman Catholic 41%, Orthodox 10%, Protestant 9%, other Christian 4%, Muslim 2%, other 4% (includes Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu), atheist 10%, non-believer/agnostic 17%, unspecified 3% (2019 est. ), Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est. Thus, over half of this group is theistic and/or influenced by religious principles, but nonreligious/non-practicing and not true atheists or agnostics. ), Roman Catholic 72.1%, Church of England 7.7%, other Christian 3.8%, Muslim 3.6%, Jewish 2.4%, Hindu 2%, other 1.1%, none 7.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2012 est. Muisms followers claim a strong belief in the spirit world. )note: data represent Saint Helena only, Protestant 75.6% (includes Anglican 16.6%, Methodist 15.8%, Pentecostal 10.8%, Church of God 7.4%, Baptist 5.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Wesleyan Holiness 5.3%, Moravian 4.8%, Evangelical 2.1%, Brethren 1.7%, Presbyterian 0.3%), Roman Catholic 5.9%, Hindu 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other 5%, none 8.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est. ), Roman Catholic 68.8%, Evangelical 15.4%, Adventist 1.2%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, other 1.3%, agnostic or atheist 1.4%, none 10.1%, don't know/no response 1% (2020 est. ), Greek Orthodox 81-90%, Muslim 2%, other 3%, none 4-15%, unspecified 1% (2015 est. Adherents of folk religions, Jews and members of other religions make up smaller shares of the worlds people. Shintoism 27-65 million. ), Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est. ), Roman Catholic 58.9%, Kiribati Uniting Church 21.2%, Kiribati Protestant Church 8.4%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.1%, Baha'i 2.1%, other 1.7% (2020 est. ), Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2011 est. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment. ), Christian 53.3%, Muslim 4.9%, Hindu 2.3%, Sikh 2.1%, Buddhist 1%, Jewish 0.9%, Traditional (North American Indigenous) 0.2%, other religions and traditional spirituality 0.6%, none 34.6% (2021 est. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Hinduism. ), Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%, Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2019 est. What is the Largest Religion In The World 2021. )note: Omani citizens represent approximately 56.4% of the population and are overwhelming Muslim (Ibadhi and Sunni sects each constitute about 45% and Shia about 5%); Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists account for roughly 5% of Omani citizens, Muslim (official) 96.5% (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3.5% (2020 est. 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It started in Mecca (a city in modern-day Saudi Arabia) in the 7th century CE and was spread by the Prophet Muhammad (570632 CE), who followers of Islam believe to be Gods ultimate prophet. Data is ranked by mean estimate in parentheses. For decades, Christianity has remained the largest religious group in the world accounting for 31% of the Earths 7.3 billion people. )note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized, Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est. ), Evangelical Lutheran (official) 74.7%, Muslim 5.5%, other/none/unspecified (denominations of less than 1% each in descending order of size include Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Serbian Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Church of Jesus Christ, Pentecostal, and nondenominational Christian) 19.8% (2019 est. Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. Traditional beliefs Animism: the belief that non-human entities contain souls or spirits. Most Hindus believe the soul, or atman, is eternal, and goes through a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) determined by one's positive or negative karma, or the consequences of one's actions. It is primarily a form of polytheistic shamanism, but includes elements of animism and ancestor worship. Islam: The world's fastest growing religion Play 00:57 Islam: The world's fastest growing religion Islam is the world's second-largest religion, after Christianity. It does not necessarily mean that those of this group don't belong to any religion. Shamanistic beliefs are organized around a shaman or medicine man who - as an intermediary between the human and spirit world - is believed to be able to heal the sick (by healing their souls), communicate with the spirit world, and help souls into the afterlife through the practice of entering a trance. 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) The Blue Mosque of Istanbul or Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Turkey. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. The second most widely practiced religion is Islam, with an estimated 1.8 billion followers worldwide. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia. Some religions have harmonized with local cultures and can be seen as a cultural background rather than a formal religion. Chondogyo: or the religion of the Heavenly Way, is based on Korean shamanism, Buddhism, and Korean folk traditions, with some elements drawn from Christianity. 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)