Country ranking for field: religions 1989

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This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below.|Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace may be achieved on earth. Baha'i revelation contends the prophets of major world religions reflect some truth or element of the divine, believes all were manifestations of God given to specific communities in specific times, and that Baha'u'llah is an additional prophet meant to call all humankind. Bahais are an open community, located worldwide, with the greatest concentration of believers in South Asia.|Buddhism - Religion or philosophy inspired by the 5th century B.C. teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Gautama Buddha 'the enlightened one'). 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. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. 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.|Basic Groupings|Theravada Buddhism: The oldest Buddhist school, Theravada is practiced mostly in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, and Thailand, with minority representation elsewhere in Asia and the West. Theravadans follow the Pali Canon of Buddha's teachings, and believe that one may escape the cycle of rebirth, worldly attachment, and suffering for oneself; this process may take one or several lifetimes.|Mahayana Buddhism, including subsets Zen and Tibetan (Lamaistic) Buddhism: Forms of Mahayana Buddhism are common in East Asia and Tibet, and parts of the West. Mahayanas have additional scriptures beyond the Pali Canon and believe the Buddha is eternal and still teaching. Unlike Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana schools maintain the Buddha-nature is present in all beings and all will ultimately achieve enlightenment.|Hoa Hao: a minority tradition of Buddhism practiced in Vietnam that stresses lay participation, primarily by peasant farmers; it eschews expensive ceremonies and temples and relocates the primary practices into the home.|Christianity - Descending from Judaism, Christianity's central belief maintains Jesus of Nazareth is the promised messiah of the Hebrew Scriptures, and that his life, death, and resurrection are salvific for 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. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels).|Basic Groupings|Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. It is supranational, and recognizes a hierarchical structure with the Pope, or Bishop of Rome, as its head, located at the Vatican. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Roman or Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. The Latin Rite is by far the largest, making up about 98% of Catholic membership. Eastern-Rite Churches, such as the Maronite Church and the Ukrainian Catholic Church, are in communion with Rome although they preserve their own worship traditions and their immediate hierarchy consists of clergy within their own rite. The Catholic Church has a comprehensive theological and moral doctrine specified for believers in its catechism, which makes it unique among most forms of Christianity.|Mormonism (including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): Originating in 1830 in the United States under Joseph Smith, Mormonism is not characterized as a form of Protestant Christianity because it claims additional revealed Christian scriptures after the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The Book of Mormon maintains there was an appearance of Jesus in the New World following the Christian account of his resurrection, and that the Americas are uniquely blessed continents. Mormonism believes earlier Christian traditions, such as the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant reform faiths, are apostasies and that Joseph Smith's revelation of the Book of Mormon is a restoration of true Christianity. Mormons have a hierarchical religious leadership structure, and actively proselytize their faith; they are located primarily in the Americas and in a number of other Western countries.|Jehovah's Witnesses structure their faith on the Christian Bible, but their rejection of the Trinity is distinct from mainstream Christianity. They believe that a Kingdom of God, the Theocracy, will emerge following Armageddon and usher in a new earthly society. Adherents are required to evangelize and to follow a strict moral code.|Orthodox Christianity: The oldest established eastern form of Christianity, the Holy Orthodox Church, has a ceremonial head in the Bishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), also known as a Patriarch, but its various regional forms (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox) are autocephalous (independent of Constantinople's authority, and have their own Patriarchs). Orthodox churches are highly nationalist and ethnic. The Orthodox Christian faith shares many theological tenets with the Roman Catholic Church, but diverges on some key premises and does not recognize the governing authority of the Pope.|Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. It encompasses several forms or denominations which are extremely varied in structure, beliefs, relationship to state, clergy, and governance. Many protestant theologies emphasize the primary role of scripture in their faith, advocating individual interpretation of Christian texts without the mediation of a final religious authority such as the Roman Pope. The oldest Protestant Christianities include Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians), which have established liturgies, governing structure, and formal clergy. 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.|Hinduism - Originating in the Vedic civilization of India (second and first millennium B.C.), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. Hindus may worship one or many deities, usually with prayer rituals within their own home. The most common figures of devotion are the gods Vishnu, Shiva, and a mother goddess, Devi. 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. 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.|Islam - The third of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Muslims believe Muhammad is the final of all religious prophets (beginning with Abraham) and that the Qu'ran, which is the Islamic scripture, was revealed to him by God. Islam derives from the word submission, and obedience to God is a primary theme in this religion. In order to live an Islamic life, believers must follow the five pillars, or tenets, of Islam, which are the testimony of faith (shahada), daily prayer (salah), giving alms (zakah), fasting during Ramadan (sawm), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).|Basic Groupings|The two primary branches of Islam are Sunni and Shia, which split from each other over a religio-political leadership dispute about the rightful successor to Muhammad. The Shia believe Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, was the only divinely ordained Imam (religious leader), while the Sunni maintain the first three caliphs after Muhammad were also legitimate authorities. In modern Islam, Sunnis and Shia continue to have different views of acceptable schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and who is a proper Islamic religious authority. Islam also has an active mystical branch, Sufism, with various Sunni and Shia subsets.|Sunni Islam accounts for over 75% of the world's Muslim population. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Sunni has four schools of Islamic doctrine and law - Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali - which uniquely interpret the Hadith, or recorded oral traditions of Muhammad. A Sunni Muslim may elect to follow any one of these schools, as all are considered equally valid.|Shia Islam represents 10-20% of Muslims worldwide, and its distinguishing feature is its reverence for Ali as an infallible, divinely inspired leader, and as the first Imam of the Muslim community after Muhammad. 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.|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. Ismaili tradition awaits the return of the seventh Imam as the Mahdi, or Islamic messianic figure. Ismailis are located in various parts of the world, particularly South Asia and the Levant.|Alawi faith: Another Shia sect of Islam, the name reflects followers' devotion to the religious authority of Ali. Alawites are a closed, secretive religious group who assert they are Shia Muslims, although outside scholars speculate their beliefs may have a syncretic mix with other faiths originating in the Middle East. Alawis live mostly in Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.|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. The Druze have a key presence in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.|Jainism - Originating in India, Jain spiritual philosophy believes in an eternal human soul, the eternal universe, and a principle of 'the own nature of things.' It emphasizes compassion for all living things, seeks liberation of the human soul from reincarnation through enlightenment, and values personal responsibility due to the belief in the immediate consequences of one's behavior. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society.|Judaism - One of the first known monotheistic religions, likely dating to between 2000-1500 B.C., Judaism is the native faith of the Jewish people, based upon the belief in a covenant of responsibility between a sole omnipotent creator God and Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism's Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh. Divine revelation of principles and prohibitions in the Hebrew Scriptures form the basis of Jewish law, or halakhah, which is a key component of the faith. While there are extensive traditions of Jewish halakhic and theological discourse, there is no final dogmatic authority in the tradition. Local communities have their own religious leadership. Modern Judaism has three basic categories of faith: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform/Liberal. These differ in their views and observance of Jewish law, with the Orthodox representing the most traditional practice, and Reform/Liberal communities the most accommodating of individualized interpretations of Jewish identity and faith.|Shintoism - A native animist tradition of Japan, Shinto practice is based upon the premise that every being and object has its own spirit or kami. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Shintoism has no fixed tradition of prayers or prescribed dogma, but is characterized by individual ritual. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor.|Sikhism - Founded by the Guru Nanak (born 1469), Sikhism believes in a non-anthropomorphic, supreme, eternal, creator God; centering one's devotion to God is seen as a means of escaping the cycle of rebirth. Sikhs follow the teachings of Nanak and nine subsequent gurus. Their scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib - also known as the Adi Granth - is considered the living Guru, or final authority of Sikh faith and theology. Sikhism emphasizes equality of humankind and disavows caste, class, or gender discrimination.|Taoism - Chinese philosophy or religion based upon Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, which centers on belief in the Tao, or the way, as the flow of the universe and the nature of things. Taoism encourages a principle of non-force, or wu-wei, as the means to live harmoniously with the Tao. Taoists believe the esoteric world is made up of a perfect harmonious balance and nature, while in the manifest world - particularly in the body - balance is distorted. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics.|Zoroastrianism - Originating from the teachings of Zoroaster in about the 9th or 10th century B.C., Zoroastrianism may be the oldest continuing creedal religion. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. The key ethical tenets of Zoroastrianism expressed in its scripture, the Avesta, are based on a dualistic worldview where one may prevent chaos if one chooses to serve God and exercises good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. Zoroastrianism is generally a closed religion and members are almost always born to Zoroastrian parents. Prior to the spread of Islam, Zoroastrianism dominated greater Iran. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India (where they are known as Parsi), and Pakistan.|Traditional beliefs|Animism: the belief that non-human entities contain souls or spirits.|Badimo: a form of ancestor worship of the Tswana people of Botswana.|Confucianism: an ideology that humans are perfectible through self-cultivation and self-creation; developed from teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Confucianism has strongly influenced the culture and beliefs of East Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam.|Inuit beliefs are a form of shamanism (see below) based on animistic principles of the Inuit or Eskimo peoples.|Kirant: the belief system of the Kirat, a people who live mainly in the Himalayas of Nepal. It is primarily a form of polytheistic shamanism, but includes elements of animism and ancestor worship.|Pagan is a blanket term used to describe many unconnected belief practices throughout history, usually in reference to religions outside of the Abrahamic category (monotheistic faiths like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).|Shamanism: beliefs and practices promoting communication with the spiritual world. 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. In shaman-based religions, the shaman is also responsible for leading sacred rites.|Spiritualism: the belief that souls and spirits communicate with the living usually through intermediaries called mediums.|Syncretic (fusion of diverse religious beliefs and practices)|Cao Dai: a nationalistic Vietnamese sect, officially established in 1926, that draws practices and precepts from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Catholicism.|Chondogyo: or the religion of the Heavenly Way, is based on Korean shamanism, Buddhism, and Korean folk traditions, with some elements drawn from Christianity. Formulated in the 1860s, it holds that God lives in all of us and strives to convert society into a paradise on earth, populated by believers transformed into intelligent moral beings with a high social conscience.|Kimbanguist: a puritan form of the Baptist denomination founded by Simon Kimbangu in the 1920s in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Adherents believe that salvation comes through Jesus' death and resurrection, like Christianity, but additionally that living a spiritually pure life following strict codes of conduct is required for salvation.|Modekngei: a hybrid of Christianity and ancient Palauan culture and oral traditions founded around 1915 on the island of Babeldaob. Adherents simultaneously worship Jesus Christ and Palauan goddesses.|Rastafarian: an afro-centrist ideology and movement based on Christianity that arose in Jamaica in the 1930s; it believes that Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930-74, was the incarnation of the second coming of Jesus.|Santeria: practiced in Cuba, the merging of the Yoruba religion of Nigeria with Roman Catholicism and native Indian traditions. Its practitioners believe that each person has a destiny and eventually transcends to merge with the divine creator and source of all energy, Olorun.|Voodoo/Vodun: a form of spirit and ancestor worship combined with some Christian faiths, especially Catholicism. Haitian and Louisiana Voodoo, which have included more Catholic practices, are separate from West African Vodun, which has retained a focus on spirit worship.|Non-religious|Agnosticism: the belief that most things are unknowable. In regard to religion it is usually characterized as neither a belief nor non belief in a deity.|Atheism: the belief that there are no deities of any kind.


1flag of United KingdomUnited Kingdom27000000 
2flag of Pitcairn IslandsPitcairn Islands100% Seventh-Day Adventist 
3flag of Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia100% Muslim 
4flag of Western SamoaWestern Samoa99.7% Christian 
5flag of SpainSpain99% Roman Catholic 1% other sects 
6flag of AlgeriaAlgeria99% Sunni Muslim 
7flag of Gaza StripGaza Strip99% Muslim 
8flag of MayotteMayotte99% Muslim; remainder Christian mostly Roman Catholic 
9flag of Saint-Pierre and MiquelonSaint-Pierre and Miquelon98% Roman Catholic 
10flag of GuamGuam98% Roman Catholic 2% other 
11flag of GreeceGreece98% Greek Orthodox 1.3% Muslim 0 
12flag of MaltaMalta98% Roman Catholic 
13flag of TurkeyTurkey98% Muslim 
14flag of TunisiaTunisia98% Muslim 1% Christian less than 1% Jewish 
15flag of DenmarkDenmark97% Evangelical Lutheran 2% other Protestant and Roman Catholic 1% other 
16flag of FinlandFinland97% Evangelical Lutheran 1.2% Eastern Orthodox 1 
17flag of LuxembourgLuxembourg97% Roman Catholic 3% Protestant and Jewish 
18flag of PortugalPortugal97% Roman Catholic 1% Protestant denominations 2% other 
19flag of MexicoMexico97% nominally Roman Catholic 3% Protestant 
20flag of IraqIraq97% Muslim 
21flag of PakistanPakistan97% Muslim 
22flag of LibyaLibya97% Sunni Muslim 
23flag of United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates96% Muslim 
24flag of VenezuelaVenezuela96% nominally Roman Catholic 2% Protestant 
25flag of ThailandThailand95.5% Buddhist 4% Muslim 0 
26flag of Dominican RepublicDominican Republic95% Roman Catholic 
27flag of EcuadorEcuador95% Roman Catholic 
28flag of NicaraguaNicaragua95% Roman Catholic 5% Protestant 
29flag of Costa RicaCosta Rica95% Roman Catholic 
30flag of MonacoMonaco95% Roman Catholic 
31flag of ColombiaColombia95% Roman Catholic 
32flag of MartiniqueMartinique95% Roman Catholic 5% Hindu and pagan African 
33flag of GuadeloupeGuadeloupe95% Roman Catholic 5% Hindu and pagan African 
34flag of PolandPoland95% Roman Catholic 
35flag of QatarQatar95% Muslim 
36flag of CambodiaCambodia95% Theravada Buddhism 5% other 
37flag of BoliviaBolivia95% Roman Catholic; active Protestant minority especially Evangelical Methodist 
38flag of IcelandIceland95% Evangelical Lutheran 3% other Protestant and Roman Catholic 2% no affiliation 
39flag of RéunionRéunion94% Roman Catholic 
40flag of NorwayNorway94% Evangelical Lutheran 
41flag of DjiboutiDjibouti94% Muslim 6% Christian 
42flag of IrelandIreland94% Roman Catholic 4% Anglican 2% other 
43flag of SwedenSweden93.5% Evangelical Lutheran 1 
44flag of IranIran93% Shia Muslim; 5% Sunni Muslim; 2% Zoroastrian Jewish Christian and Bahai 
45flag of TaiwanTaiwan93% mixture of Buddhist Confucian and Taoist; 4.5% Christian; 2 
46flag of JordanJordan92% Sunni Muslim 8% Christian 
47flag of SenegalSenegal92% Muslim 6% indigenous beliefs 2% Christian 
48flag of ArgentinaArgentina90% nominally Roman Catholic 
49flag of MaliMali90% Muslim 9% indigenous beliefs 1% Christian 
50flag of FranceFrance90% Roman Catholic 2% Protestant 1% Jewish 1% Muslim 
51flag of Hong KongHong Kong90% eclectic mixture of local religions 10% Christian 
52flag of The GambiaThe Gambia90% Muslim 9% Christian 1% indigenous beliefs 
53flag of BrazilBrazil90% Roman Catholic 
54flag of Saint LuciaSaint Lucia90% Roman Catholic 7% Protestant 3% Anglican 
55flag of SeychellesSeychelles90% Roman Catholic 8% Anglican 2% other 
56flag of ParaguayParaguay90% Roman Catholic; Mennonite and other Protestant denominations 
57flag of ChileChile89% Roman Catholic 11% Protestant and small Jewish population 
58flag of IndonesiaIndonesia88% Muslim 6% Protestant 3% Roman Catholic 2% Hindu 1% other 
59flag of ComorosComoros86% Sunni Muslim 14% Roman Catholic 
60flag of LaosLaos85% Buddhist 15% animist and other 
61flag of MyanmarMyanmar85% Buddhist 15% animist beliefs Muslim Christian or other 
62flag of KuwaitKuwait85% Muslim 
63flag of GuineaGuinea85% Muslim 5% indigenous beliefs 1.5% Christian 
64flag of AustriaAustria85% Roman Catholic 6% Protestant 9% other 
65flag of BangladeshBangladesh83% Muslim about 16% Hindu less than 1% Buddhist Christian and other 
66flag of PhilippinesPhilippines83% Roman Catholic 9% Protestant 5% Muslim 3% Buddhist and other 
67flag of IsraelIsrael83% Judaism 13.1% Islam 
68flag of LiechtensteinLiechtenstein82.7% Roman Catholic 7 
69flag of IndiaIndia82.6% Hindu 11 
70flag of ArubaAruba82% Roman Catholic 8% Protestant; also small Hindu Muslim Confucian and Jewish minority 
71flag of New ZealandNew Zealand81% Christian 18% none or unspecified 1% Hindu Confucian and other 
72flag of LesothoLesotho80% Christian rest indigenous beliefs 
73flag of NigerNiger80% Muslim remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians 
74flag of DominicaDominica80% Roman Catholic; Anglican Methodist 
75flag of RomaniaRomania80% Romanian Orthodox; 6% Roman Catholic; 4% Calvinist Lutheran Jewish Baptist 
76flag of West BankWest Bank80% Muslim 
77flag of CyprusCyprus78% Greek Orthodox; 18% Muslim; 4% Maronite Armenian Apostolic and other 
78flag of LebanonLebanon75% Islam 25% Christian NEGL% Judaism; 17 legally recognized sects - 4 Orthodox Christian 
79flag of GibraltarGibraltar75% Roman Catholic 8% Church of England 2.25% Jewish 
80flag of NiueNiue75% Ekalesia Nieue 
81flag of HaitiHaiti75-80% Roman Catholic 
82flag of BhutanBhutan75% Lamaistic Buddhism 25% Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 
83flag of BelgiumBelgium75% Roman Catholic; remainder Protestant or other 
84flag of OmanOman75% Ibadhi Muslim; remainder Sunni Muslim Shia Muslim some Hindu 
85flag of SyriaSyria74% Sunni Muslim; 16% Alawite Druze and other Muslim sects; 10% Christian 
86flag of AfghanistanAfghanistan74% Sunni Muslim 15% Shia Muslim 11% other 
87flag of SudanSudan70% Sunni Muslim in north 20% indigenous beliefs 5% Christian 
88flag of TokelauTokelau70% Congregational Christian Church 30% Roman Catholic; on Atafu all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo both denominations with the Congregational Christian Church predominant 
89flag of LiberiaLiberia70% traditional 20% Muslim 10% Christian 
90flag of BeninBenin70% indigenous beliefs 15% Muslim 15% Christian 
91flag of BarbadosBarbados70% Anglican 9% Methodist 4% Roman Catholic 17% other including Moravian 
92flag of Sri LankaSri Lanka69% Buddhist 15% Hindu 8% Christian 8% Muslim 
93flag of HungaryHungary67.5% Roman Catholic 20 
94flag of UruguayUruguay66% Roman Catholic 
95flag of Burkina FasoBurkina Faso65% indigenous beliefs about 25% Muslim 10% Christian 
96flag of Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau65% indigenous beliefs 30% Muslim 5% Christian 
97flag of RwandaRwanda65% Roman Catholic 9% Protestant 9% Muslim 17% indigenous beliefs and other 
98flag of Côte d'IvoireCôte d'Ivoire63% indigenous 25% Muslim 12% Christian 
99flag of BruneiBrunei60% Muslim 
100flag of BelizeBelize60% Roman Catholic; 40% Protestant 
101flag of SwazilandSwaziland60% Christian 40% indigenous beliefs 
102flag of MozambiqueMozambique60% indigenous beliefs 30% Christian 10% Muslim 
103flag of GuyanaGuyana57% Christian 33% Hindu 9% Muslim 1% other 
104flag of GabonGabon55-75% Christian less than 1% Muslim remainder animist 
105flag of MalawiMalawi55% Protestant 20% Roman Catholic 20% Muslim; traditional indigenous beliefs are also practiced 
106flag of MadagascarMadagascar52% indigenous beliefs; about 41% Christian 7% Muslim 
107flag of MauritiusMauritius51% Hindu 30% Christian 
108flag of CameroonCameroon51% indigenous beliefs 33% Christian 16% Muslim 
109flag of ZaireZaire50% Roman Catholic 20% Protestant 10% Kimbanguist 10% Muslim 10% other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 
110flag of ZambiaZambia50-75% Christian 1% Muslim and Hindu remainder indigenous beliefs 
111flag of YugoslaviaYugoslavia50% Eastern Orthodox 30% Roman Catholic 9% Muslim 1% Protestant 10% other 
112flag of BotswanaBotswana50% indigenous beliefs 50% Christian 
113flag of CongoCongo50% Christian 42% animist 2% Muslim 
114flag of NigeriaNigeria50% Muslim 40% Christian 10% indigenous beliefs 
115flag of ZimbabweZimbabwe50% syncretic 
116flag of SwitzerlandSwitzerland49% Roman Catholic 48% Protestant 0.3% Jewish 
117flag of KiribatiKiribati48% Roman Catholic 45% Protestant 
118flag of AngolaAngola47% indigenous beliefs 38% Roman Catholic 15% Protestant 
119flag of CanadaCanada46% Roman Catholic 16% United Church 10% Anglican 
120flag of ChadChad44% Muslim 33% Christian 23% indigenous beliefs animism 
121flag of U.S. Virgin IslandsU.S. Virgin Islands42% Baptist 34% Roman Catholic 17% Episcopalian 7% other 
122flag of The NetherlandsThe Netherlands40% Roman Catholic 31% Protestant 24% unaffiliated 5% none 
123flag of EthiopiaEthiopia40-45% Muslim 35-40% Ethiopian Orthodox 15-20% animist 5% other 
124flag of GhanaGhana38% indigenous beliefs 30% Muslim 24% Christian 8% other 
125flag of KenyaKenya38% Protestant 28% Roman Catholic 26% indigenous beliefs 6% Muslim 
126flag of BermudaBermuda37% Anglican 14% Roman Catholic 10% African Methodist Episcopal 
127flag of Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago36.2% Roman Catholic 23 
128flag of UgandaUganda33% Roman Catholic 33% Protestant 16% Muslim rest indigenous beliefs 
129flag of Sierra LeoneSierra Leone30% Muslim 30% indigenous beliefs 10% Christian 30% other or none 
130flag of SurinameSuriname27.4% Hindu 19 
131flag of AustraliaAustralia26.1% Anglican 26 
132flag of Central African RepublicCentral African Republic24% indigenous beliefs 25% Protestant 25% Roman Catholic 15% Muslim 11% other; animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority 
133flag of French GuianaFrench Guianapredominantly Roman Catholic 
134flag of JerseyJerseyAnglican Roman Catholic Baptist Congregational New Church Methodist Presbyterian 
135flag of BahrainBahrainMuslim 
136flag of MontserratMontserratAnglican Methodist Roman Catholic Pentecostal Seventh-Day Adventist other Christian denominations 
137flag of TongaTongaChristian; Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30000 adherents 
138flag of JapanJapanmost Japanese observe both Shinto and Buddhist rites; about 16% belong to other faiths including 0.8% Christian 
139flag of TogoTogoabout 70% indigenous beliefs 20% Christian 10% Muslim 
140flag of Marshall IslandsMarshall Islandspredominantly Christian mostly Protestant 
141flag of The BahamasThe BahamasBaptist 29% Anglican 23% Roman Catholic 22% smaller groups of other Protestants Greek Orthodox and Jews 
142flag of Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks and Caicos IslandsAnglican Roman Catholic Baptist Methodist Church of God Seventh-Day Adventist 
143flag of NamibiaNamibiawhites predominantly Christian nonwhites either Christian or indigenous beliefs 
144flag of TanzaniaTanzaniamainland - 33% Christian 33% Muslim 33% indigenous beliefs; Zanzibar - almost all Muslim 
145flag of NauruNauruChristian 
146flag of São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé and PríncipeRoman Catholic Evangelical Protestant Seventh-Day Adventist 
147flag of NepalNepalonly official Hindu state in world although no sharp distinction between many Hindu 
148flag of Netherlands AntillesNetherlands Antillespredominantly Roman Catholic; Protestant Jewish Seventh-Day Adventist 
149flag of GuernseyGuernseyAnglican Roman Catholic Presbyterian Baptist Congregational Methodist 
150flag of MongoliaMongoliapredominantly Tibetan Buddhist about 4% Muslim limited religious activity because of Communist regime 
151flag of TuvaluTuvaluChristian predominantly Protestant 
152flag of New CaledoniaNew Caledoniaover 60% Roman Catholic 30% Protestant 10% other 
153flag of Wallis and FutunaWallis and Futunalargely Roman Catholic 
154flag of Holy SeeHoly SeeRoman Catholic 
155flag of Isle of ManIsle of ManAnglican Roman Catholic Methodist Baptist Presbyterian Society of Friends 
156flag of ItalyItalyalmost 100% nominally Roman Catholic 
157flag of American SamoaAmerican Samoaabout 50% Christian Congregationalist 20% Roman Catholic 30% mostly Protestant denominations and other 
158flag of Western SaharaWestern SaharaMuslim 
159flag of AndorraAndorravirtually all Roman Catholic 
160flag of VietnamVietnamBuddhist Confucian Taoist Roman Catholic indigenous beliefs Islamic Protestant 
161flag of Falkland IslandsFalkland Islandsprimarily Anglican Roman Catholic and United Free Church; Evangelist Church Jehovah's Witnesses Lutheran Seventh-Day Adventist 
162flag of Federated States of MicronesiaFederated States of Micronesiapredominantly Christian divided between Roman Catholic and Protestant; other churches include Assembly of God Jehovah's Witnesses Seventh-Day Adventist Latter Day Saints and the Baha'i Faith 
163flag of VanuatuVanuatumost at least nominally Christian 
164flag of JamaicaJamaicapredominantly Protestant 
165flag of United StatesUnited StatesProtestant 61% 
166flag of AnguillaAnguillaAnglican Methodist and Roman Catholic 
167flag of Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and BarbudaAnglican 
168flag of Faroe IslandsFaroe IslandsEvangelical Lutheran 
169flag of GuatemalaGuatemalapredominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant traditional Mayan 
170flag of GrenadaGrenadalargely Roman Catholic; Anglican; other Protestant sects 
171flag of French PolynesiaFrench Polynesiamainly Christian; 55% Protestant 32% Roman Catholic 
172flag of Cocos IslandsCocos IslandsNA 
173flag of Puerto RicoPuerto Ricomostly Christian 85% Roman Catholic 15% Protestant denominations and other 
174flag of HondurasHondurasabout 97% Roman Catholic; small Protestant minority 
175flag of EgyptEgypt(official estimate) 94% Muslim 
176flag of ChinaChinaofficially atheist but traditionally pragmatic and eclectic; most important elements of religion are Confucianism Taoism and Buddhism; about 2-3% Muslim 1% Christian 
177flag of Christmas IslandChristmas IslandNA 
178flag of PeruPerupredominantly Roman Catholic 
179flag of Papua New GuineaPapua New Guineaover half of population nominally Christian 
180flag of El SalvadorEl Salvadorabout 97% Roman Catholic with activity by Protestant groups throughout the country 
181flag of PanamaPanamaover 93% Roman Catholic 6% Protestant 
182flag of MaldivesMaldivesSunni Muslim 
183flag of Cook IslandsCook IslandsChristian majority of populace members of Cook Islands Christian Church 
184flag of CubaCubaat least 85% nominally Roman Catholic before Castro assumed power 
185flag of Northern Mariana IslandsNorthern Mariana IslandsChristian with a Roman Catholic majority although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found 
186flag of North KoreaNorth KoreaBuddhism and Confucianism; religious activities now almost nonexistent 
187flag of Norfolk IslandNorfolk IslandAnglican Roman Catholic Uniting Church in Australia and Seventh-Day Adventist 
188flag of Cayman IslandsCayman IslandsUnited Church 
189flag of MalaysiaMalaysiaPeninsular Malaysia - Malays nearly all Muslim Chinese predominantly Buddhists Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah - 38% Muslim 17% Christian 45% other; Sarawak - 35% tribal religion 24% Buddhist and Confucianist 20% Muslim 16% Christian 5% other 
190flag of GreenlandGreenlandEvangelical Lutheran 
191flag of FijiFijiFijians are mainly Christian Indians are Hindu with a Muslim minority 
192flag of British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islandsmajority Methodist; others include Anglican Church of God Seventh-Day Adventist Baptist and Roman Catholic 
193flag of South KoreaSouth Koreastrong Confucian tradition; vigorous Christian minority 
194flag of South AfricaSouth Africamost whites and Coloreds and roughly 60% of blacks are Christian; roughly 60% of Indians are Hindu 20% Muslim 
195flag of SomaliaSomaliaalmost entirely Sunni Muslim 
196flag of Solomon IslandsSolomon Islandsalmost all at least nominally Christian; Anglican Seventh-Day Adventist and Roman Catholic Churches dominant 
197flag of SingaporeSingaporemajority of Chinese are Buddhists or atheists; Malays nearly all Muslim 
198flag of Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guineanatives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some pagan practices retained 
199flag of BulgariaBulgariaregime promotes atheism; religious background of population is 85% Bulgarian Orthodox 13% Muslim 0.8% Jewish 0 
200flag of MacauMacaumainly Buddhist; 17000 Roman Catholics of whom about half are Chinese 
201flag of AlbaniaAlbaniaAlbania claims to be the world's first atheist state; all churches and mosques were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; pre-1967 estimates of religious affiliation - 70% Muslim 20% Albanian Orthodox 10% Roman Catholic 
202flag of San MarinoSan MarinoRoman Catholic 
203flag of BurundiBurundiabout 67% Christian 
204flag of Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesAnglican Methodist Roman Catholic Seventh-Day Adventist 
205flag of Cabo VerdeCabo VerdeRoman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs 
206flag of Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Kitts and NevisAnglican other Protestant sects Roman Catholic 
207flag of Saint HelenaSaint HelenaAnglican majority; also Baptist Seventh-Day Adventist and Roman Catholic 
208flag of MauritaniaMauritanianearly 100% Muslim 


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