With a world where over eight out of ten people align with a spiritual path, the numbers behind our beliefs paint a dynamic and often surprising portrait of global faith.
Key Takeaways
- As of 2020, approximately 2.38 billion people worldwide identified as Christians, representing 31% of the global population.
- Muslims numbered about 1.91 billion in 2020, comprising 24% of the world's population.
- Hindus totaled around 1.16 billion in 2020, accounting for 15% of global population.
- Catholics represent 50% of all Christians worldwide, about 1.3 billion in 2023.
- Protestants number around 900 million globally as of 2023 estimates.
- Orthodox Christians total 260 million, mainly in Eastern Europe.
- World Muslim population reached 1.8 billion in 2015, 24% global.
- Indonesia has largest Muslim population at 229 million in 2023.
- Pakistan second with 225 million Muslims.
- India has 1.2 billion Hindus, 79% of population in 2023.
- Nepal 81% Hindu majority.
- Mauritius 48% Hindu.
- World's Buddhists total 520 million in 2020, 7% global.
- Theravada Buddhists 150 million, mainly SE Asia.
- Mahayana Buddhists 350 million, East Asia.
Global Christianity remains largest but Islam is projected to nearly match it by 2050.
Buddhism and Other Religions
- World's Buddhists total 520 million in 2020, 7% global.
- Theravada Buddhists 150 million, mainly SE Asia.
- Mahayana Buddhists 350 million, East Asia.
- Vajrayana 20 million, Tibet, Mongolia.
- China 244 million Buddhists.
- Thailand 64 million, 93% Buddhist.
- Japan 46% Buddhist identification.
- Myanmar 88% Buddhist.
- Cambodia 97% Buddhist.
- Sri Lanka 70% Buddhist.
- 67% of Buddhists believe in karma.
- Sikhism has 25-30 million adherents worldwide.
- India 20 million Sikhs, 2% population.
- Canada 2% Sikh population.
- Jews total 14.7 million worldwide in 2023.
- Israel 73% Jewish population.
- US 2.4% Jewish, 7.5 million.
- Orthodox Jews 10% of US Jews.
- Unaffiliated 1.2 billion globally, 16% in 2020.
- China 52% unaffiliated.
- Japan 57% unaffiliated.
- Czech Republic 59% unaffiliated.
- Baha'is 5-8 million worldwide.
- Jains 4-5 million, mostly India.
- Shintoists 2-4 million in Japan.
- Taoists 2-3 million globally.
- Zoroastrians under 200,000.
- 26% of US adults unaffiliated in 2021.
Buddhism and Other Religions Interpretation
While Buddhists dominate Asia's spiritual landscape with the serene weight of half a billion adherents, the quietly growing chorus of the unaffiliated suggests that in a crowded marketplace of beliefs, the most popular faith might just be a deeply personal, private one.
Christianity Statistics
- Catholics represent 50% of all Christians worldwide, about 1.3 billion in 2023.
- Protestants number around 900 million globally as of 2023 estimates.
- Orthodox Christians total 260 million, mainly in Eastern Europe.
- In the US, 63% identify as Christian per 2021 Pew survey.
- Evangelicals make up 25% of US adults in 2021.
- US Catholics declined to 20% of adults from 23% in 2007-2021.
- Mainline Protestants in US at 14% in 2021.
- 90% of Christians worldwide live outside Europe/North America.
- Sub-Saharan Africa has 24% of world's Christians in 2023.
- Latin America holds 24% of global Christians.
- Asia-Pacific has 13% of world's Christians.
- 80% of Christians in Nigeria are Protestant per 2020 data.
- Brazil has 173 million Christians, 88% of population in 2022.
- US has 243 million Christians, but declining share.
- 37% of US Christians attend church weekly per 2021 Gallup.
- Christian belief in God at 80% among US adults in 2022.
- Pentecostals number 279 million worldwide in 2023.
- Anglicans total 85 million members globally.
- Baptists have 100 million adherents worldwide.
- Seventh-day Adventists: 21 million members in 2023.
- Jehovah's Witnesses: 8.7 million active members in 2023.
- 65% of US Christians say Bible is literal word of God.
- Christian missionaries number over 430,000 globally.
- 2.5 billion Christians projected by 2025.
- China has 70 million Christians, growing rapidly.
- 47% of sub-Saharan Christians are Protestant.
- Ethiopia has 63 million Christians, 64% Orthodox.
- Philippines 93% Christian, mostly Catholic.
- DR Congo 95% Christian population.
- Mexico 92% Christian, 80% Catholic.
- Russia 71% Orthodox Christian.
Christianity Statistics Interpretation
While Catholicism may claim the largest single slice of the Christian pie, the faith's undeniable center of gravity has decisively shifted southward, where its most explosive growth now occurs far from its traditional European strongholds.
Global Religious Population
- As of 2020, approximately 2.38 billion people worldwide identified as Christians, representing 31% of the global population.
- Muslims numbered about 1.91 billion in 2020, comprising 24% of the world's population.
- Hindus totaled around 1.16 billion in 2020, accounting for 15% of global population.
- Buddhists were approximately 507 million in 2020, or 7% of the world population.
- The religiously unaffiliated population stood at 1.19 billion in 2020, 16% globally.
- Folk religions had 430 million adherents in 2020, 6% of world population.
- Other religions combined reached 61 million in 2020, 1% globally.
- Jews numbered about 14.8 million in 2020, less than 0.2% of global population.
- By 2050, Muslims are projected to nearly equal Christians at 2.76 billion vs 2.92 billion.
- The unaffiliated population is expected to decline to 13% by 2050 from 16% in 2010.
- In 2010-2050, Asia-Pacific will remain home to majority of global Hindus at 99%.
- Europe's Christian share to drop from 75% in 2010 to 65% by 2050.
- Global median age for Muslims is 24 years, youngest among major groups.
- Christians have median age of 30, Hindus 26, unaffiliated 34 globally.
- 73% of global population expected to live in countries with religious restrictions in 2020.
- Government restrictions on religion highest in Middle East-North Africa at median 5.2/10.
- Social hostilities involving religion peaked at 3.7/10 median globally in 2020.
- 84% of world population identifies with a religion as of 2023 estimates.
- Christianity is largest religion in 157 countries as of 2023 data.
- Islam predominant in 49 countries worldwide per 2023 stats.
- Hindus majority in 3 countries: India, Nepal, Mauritius in 2023.
- Buddhists lead in 7 countries including Cambodia, Thailand per 2023.
- Unaffiliated highest in 15 countries like China, Japan in 2023.
- Global religious switching adds 3 million net gains to Christianity annually.
- Islam projected to grow by 70% from 2010-2050 due to fertility.
- Hinduism to increase 34% by 2050, mostly in India.
- Buddhism population stable, projected decline to 5% by 2050.
- Folk religions to grow 11% by 2050 to 450 million.
- 52 countries had high religious restrictions in mid-2020.
Global Religious Population Interpretation
In a world where the devout and the doubtful are meticulously counted, it appears we are not so much losing our religion as we are vigorously, and sometimes forcibly, redistributing it.
Hinduism Statistics
- India has 1.2 billion Hindus, 79% of population in 2023.
- Nepal 81% Hindu majority.
- Mauritius 48% Hindu.
- 94% of global Hindus live in India.
- Hindu median age 26 years, young population.
- 80% of Hindus are in North/Central/South Asia.
- 61% of Indian Hindus say being Hindu is important to nationality.
- 64% of Hindus in India have caste ties.
- Diwali celebrated by 75% of Indian Hindus.
- 77% of Indian Hindus believe in karma.
- 81% of Hindus believe in reincarnation.
- 30% of Hindus meditate daily in India.
- Vaishnavism largest Hindu tradition with 340 million.
- Shaivism second with 300 million followers.
- 72% of Indian population Hindu per 2011 census.
- Hindu fertility rate 2.3, above replacement.
- 4 million Hindus in US per 2020 ARIS.
- Fiji 27% Hindu population.
- Guyana 28% Hindu.
- Suriname 22% Hindu.
- 89% of Hindus visit temple occasionally.
- 45% of Hindus oppose interfaith marriage.
- Bangladesh 8% Hindu minority.
- Pakistan 2% Hindu.
- 96% of Hindus vegetarian or prefer veg food.
Hinduism Statistics Interpretation
India is a young, devout, and demographically robust Hindu heartland, whose majority holds faith, philosophy, and tradition as central to its identity, even as its diaspora and distinct regional pockets reveal a surprisingly resilient global tapestry woven with caste, karma, and the occasional samosa.
Islam Statistics
- World Muslim population reached 1.8 billion in 2015, 24% global.
- Indonesia has largest Muslim population at 229 million in 2023.
- Pakistan second with 225 million Muslims.
- India third at 211 million Muslims in 2023.
- Bangladesh 153 million Muslims.
- Nigeria 99 million Muslims, nearly half population.
- 80% of Muslims live in Asia-Pacific region.
- Middle East-North Africa has 20% of global Muslims.
- Sub-Saharan Africa 15% of world Muslims.
- Sunni Muslims 87-90% of total Muslim population.
- Shia Muslims 10-13% globally, concentrated in Iran, Iraq.
- Ahmadiyya Muslims estimated 10-20 million worldwide.
- 93% of US Muslims born outside US per 2017 Pew.
- US Muslim population 3.45 million adults in 2017.
- 82% of US Muslims say Islam motivates charity.
- Ramadan fasting observed by 79% of Muslims in many countries.
- 67 countries have Islam as official religion in 2023.
- Saudi Arabia 100% Muslim population.
- Maldives 100% Muslim.
- Mauritania 100% Muslim.
- 65% of Muslims pray five times daily in surveyed countries.
- Sharia preferred as law by 99% in Afghanistan.
- 12% of Muslims in US are Shia.
- Muslim fertility rate 2.9 children per woman vs global 2.5.
- Iran 99% Muslim, 90-95% Shia.
- Turkey 99% Muslim, mostly Sunni.
- Egypt 90 million Muslims, 95% of population.
Islam Statistics Interpretation
Nearly a quarter of humanity finds common ground in Islam, making it a faith of immense scale and diversity, from the bustling Muslim-majority streets of Jakarta and Lagos to the smaller, devout communities in the West, all united by pillars like charity and prayer yet distinctly shaped by their local cultures and interpretations.
Sources & References
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- Reference 3CATHOLIC-HIERARCHYcatholic-hierarchy.orgVisit source
- Reference 4NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 5PEWFORUMpewforum.orgVisit source
- Reference 6ADVENTISTadventist.orgVisit source
- Reference 7JWjw.orgVisit source
- Reference 8GALLUPgallup.comVisit source
- Reference 9GORDONCONWELLgordonconwell.eduVisit source
- Reference 10CENSUSINDIAcensusindia.gov.inVisit source
- Reference 11JEWISHVIRTUALLIBRARYjewishvirtuallibrary.orgVisit source