If you think Christianity's dominance is a given, consider this: the world's largest faith is on track to add half a billion more adherents by 2050, yet its share of a growing global population is holding remarkably steady, according to a revealing breakdown of current religious demographics.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, the global Christian population was estimated at 2.3 billion, comprising 31% of the world's total population of 7.8 billion
- As of 2023, there are approximately 2.382 billion Christians worldwide, representing 31.1% of the global population
- In 2010, Christians numbered 2.2 billion globally, making up 31% of the world population
- In 2020, the global Muslim population was 1.9 billion, 24% of world population
- As of 2023, Muslims number approximately 1.98 billion worldwide, 24.9% of global population
- In 2010, the Muslim population stood at 1.6 billion, 23% of world total
- Global Hindu population in 2020 was 1.09 billion, 15% of world total
- As of 2023, Hindus number 1.16 billion worldwide, 14.9% global share
- In 2010, Hindu population was 966 million, 14% of world
- Global Buddhist population in 2020: 492 million, 6.6% world share
- 2023 estimate: 507 million Buddhists worldwide, 6.4%
- 2010: 488 million Buddhists, 7% global
- Global unaffiliated population in 2020: 1.19 billion, 16% world share
- 2023: 1.2 billion religiously unaffiliated, 15.6%
- 2010: 1.13 billion unaffiliated, 16%
Christianity remains the largest global religion, but Islam is growing faster.
Buddhism
- Global Buddhist population in 2020: 492 million, 6.6% world share
- 2023 estimate: 507 million Buddhists worldwide, 6.4%
- 2010: 488 million Buddhists, 7% global
- 2050 projection: 486 million Buddhists, slight decline
- China has 244 million Buddhists in 2023, 18% population
- Thailand 64 million Buddhists in 2023, 93%
- Japan 46 million Buddhists in 2023, 36%
- Myanmar 48 million Buddhists in 2023, 88%
- Vietnam 39 million Buddhists in 2023, 39%
- Sri Lanka 14 million Buddhists in 2023, 70%
- Asia-Pacific: 99% of Buddhists, 487 million in 2020
- Buddhist growth rate 0.9% 2010-2020
- Buddhist fertility rate 1.6 children per woman 2010-2015, lowest among majors
- Buddhists under 15: 85 million in 2020
- Cambodia 15 million Buddhists in 2023, 97%
- Laos 6.4 million Buddhists in 2023, 66%
- Bhutan 770,000 Buddhists in 2023, 75%
- Mongolia 1.9 million Buddhists in 2023, 53%
- South Korea 7 million Buddhists in 2023, 15%
- Taiwan 35 million Buddhists/Taoists in 2023, 35%
- United States 3.5 million Buddhists in 2023, 1%
Buddhism Interpretation
While Buddhism's global share gently wanes due to the lowest fertility rate among major religions, its profound Asian heartland remains steadfast, proving that spiritual influence is measured not merely in births but in the depth of its cultural roots.
Christianity
- In 2020, the global Christian population was estimated at 2.3 billion, comprising 31% of the world's total population of 7.8 billion
- As of 2023, there are approximately 2.382 billion Christians worldwide, representing 31.1% of the global population
- In 2010, Christians numbered 2.2 billion globally, making up 31% of the world population
- By 2050, the Christian population is projected to reach 2.9 billion, still the largest religious group
- In 2023, the United States has the largest Christian population at 230 million adherents
- Brazil's Christian population stands at 173 million in 2023, 88% of its national population
- Mexico has 107 million Christians as of 2023, representing 92% of its population
- Nigeria's Christian population is estimated at 97 million in 2023, about 50% of the country
- Russia has 105 million Christians in 2023, primarily Orthodox, 71% of population
- Philippines has 93 million Christians in 2023, 86% Roman Catholic
- In Europe, Christians number 558 million in 2020, 75% of regional population
- Sub-Saharan Africa's Christian population grew to 631 million by 2020, 62% regional share
- Latin America's Christians total 531 million in 2020, 90% of population
- North America's Christian population is 235 million in 2023, down from previous decades
- Asia-Pacific has 287 million Christians in 2020, 7% regional share
- The annual growth rate of global Christians was 1.18% from 2010-2020
- Roman Catholics number 1.329 billion worldwide in 2023, largest Christian denomination
- Protestants total around 900 million globally in 2023
- Eastern Orthodox Christians are 220 million in 2023, mainly in Eastern Europe
- Anglicans number 85 million worldwide in 2023
- Pentecostals and Charismatics total over 600 million in 2023
- Christians under 15 years old number 530 million globally in 2020
- Christian fertility rate averages 2.6 children per woman in 2010-2015
- 84% of global Christians live in developing regions as of 2020
- China has 70 million Christians in 2023, growing rapidly underground
- India has 28 million Christians in 2023, 2% of population
- Ethiopia's Christians total 52 million in 2023, 63% Orthodox
- DR Congo has 83 million Christians in 2023, 95% of population
- Germany has 45 million Christians in 2023, declining due to secularization
- Italy's Christian population is 52 million in 2023, 83% Roman Catholic
Christianity Interpretation
Despite holding a steady third of humanity for decades, Christianity's future looks less like a global monolith and more like a vibrant, shifting mosaic—with its energetic growth in the global south quietly compensating for its yawn of decline in the secularizing west.
Hinduism
- Global Hindu population in 2020 was 1.09 billion, 15% of world total
- As of 2023, Hindus number 1.16 billion worldwide, 14.9% global share
- In 2010, Hindu population was 966 million, 14% of world
- By 2050, Hindus projected at 1.4 billion
- India has 1.09 billion Hindus in 2023, 79% of national population
- Nepal's Hindus total 28 million in 2023, 81% of population
- Bangladesh has 13 million Hindus in 2023, 8% share
- Indonesia's Hindu population is 4.2 million in 2023, mainly Bali, 1.6%
- Pakistan has 4 million Hindus in 2023, 2% of population
- Sri Lanka's Hindus number 2.7 million in 2023, 12.6%
- Asia-Pacific holds 99% of global Hindus, 1.08 billion in 2020
- Hindu growth rate 0.7% annually 2010-2020
- Hindu fertility rate 2.3 children per woman 2010-2015
- Hindus under 15: 272 million in 2020
- Mauritius has 600,000 Hindus in 2023, 48% of population
- Fiji's Hindu population 274,000 in 2023, 27%
- Guyana has 190,000 Hindus in 2023, 24%
- Trinidad and Tobago 300,000 Hindus in 2023, 18%
- Malaysia 1.9 million Hindus in 2023, 6%
- South Africa 1 million Hindus in 2023, 1.2%
- United Kingdom 1 million Hindus in 2023, 1.7%
- United States 2.5 million Hindus in 2023, 0.7%
- Canada 830,000 Hindus in 2023, 2.3%
- Australia 684,000 Hindus in 2023, 2.7%
- UAE 1 million Hindus in 2023, expatriates
Hinduism Interpretation
While Hinduism's soul remains anchored in India and Nepal, its story is one of steadfast growth and global diffusion, proving that a billion-plus adherents can both dominate a subcontinent and quietly become a significant minority from Mauritius to Manhattan.
Islam
- In 2020, the global Muslim population was 1.9 billion, 24% of world population
- As of 2023, Muslims number approximately 1.98 billion worldwide, 24.9% of global population
- In 2010, the Muslim population stood at 1.6 billion, 23% of world total
- By 2050, Muslims are projected to reach 2.8 billion, nearly equaling Christians
- Indonesia has the largest Muslim population at 241 million in 2023, 87% of country
- Pakistan's Muslims total 225 million in 2023, 96% Sunni
- India has 211 million Muslims in 2023, 15% of population
- Bangladesh has 153 million Muslims in 2023, 91% of population
- Nigeria's Muslim population is 99 million in 2023, 50% of country
- Egypt has 95 million Muslims in 2023, 90% Sunni
- Middle East-North Africa's Muslims number 341 million in 2020, 93% regional share
- Asia-Pacific Muslims total 1.1 billion in 2020, 62% global total
- Sub-Saharan Africa has 248 million Muslims in 2020, 30% regional population
- Europe's Muslim population is 44 million in 2020, 6% share
- Global Muslim growth rate was 1.84% annually 2010-2020
- Sunni Muslims comprise 87-90% of global Muslims, about 1.7 billion in 2023
- Shia Muslims total 200-300 million worldwide in 2023, mainly in Iran/Iraq
- Muslim fertility rate averages 2.9 children per woman 2010-2015
- Muslims under 15 years: 422 million in 2020
- Iran has 84 million Muslims in 2023, 99% Shia
- Turkey's Muslims number 84 million in 2023, 99% Sunni
- Saudi Arabia has 35 million Muslims in 2023, 100% officially
- Algeria's Muslim population is 43 million in 2023, 99% Sunni
- Iraq has 41 million Muslims in 2023, 60-65% Shia
- Afghanistan's Muslims total 41 million in 2023, 99.7% Sunni
- Morocco has 37 million Muslims in 2023, 99% Sunni
Islam Interpretation
While remaining firmly second place in the global faith race, Islam’s youthful energy and robust fertility suggest it’s not just growing, but actively stretching the finish line tape for 2050.
Other and Unaffiliated
- Global unaffiliated population in 2020: 1.19 billion, 16% world share
- 2023: 1.2 billion religiously unaffiliated, 15.6%
- 2010: 1.13 billion unaffiliated, 16%
- China has 700 million unaffiliated in 2023, 52%
- Japan 72 million unaffiliated in 2023, 57%
- United States 100 million unaffiliated in 2023, 29%
- Global Jews: 14.7 million in 2020, 0.2%
- 2023 Jewish population: 15.7 million
- Israel 6.8 million Jews in 2023, 74%
- United States 5.7 million Jews in 2023
- Folk religions 430 million in 2020, 6%
- Chinese folk religions 394 million in 2023
- African traditional religions 100 million in 2023
- Sikhs 25 million globally in 2020
- India 23 million Sikhs in 2023, 1.7%
- Canada 770,000 Sikhs in 2023, 2%
- Other religions total 61 million in 2020, 1%
- Baha'is 8 million worldwide in 2023
- Jains 4.5 million, mostly India 2023
- Shintoists 2-4 million in Japan 2023
- Zoroastrians under 200,000 globally 2023
Other and Unaffiliated Interpretation
While China and Japan are quietly leading a secular majority movement, the world's religious landscape is otherwise a stubbornly stable tapestry where, despite massive population growth, the pie slices of belief are barely budging, proving that faith and identity are far stickier than the latest headlines suggest.
Sources & References
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- Reference 2WORLDPOPULATIONREVIEWworldpopulationreview.comVisit source
- Reference 3CIAcia.govVisit source
- Reference 4VATICANNEWSvaticannews.vaVisit source
- Reference 5ORTHODOXWIKIorthodoxwiki.orgVisit source
- Reference 6ANGLICANCOMMUNIONanglicancommunion.orgVisit source
- Reference 7ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 8ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 9STATCANstatcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 10ABSabs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 11BAHAIbahai.orgVisit source