The next most widely practiced religions, based on number of followers, are: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Non-religious Agnosticism: the belief that most things are unknowable. 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. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. ), Roman Catholic 74.2%, Russian Orthodox 3.7%, Old Believer 0.6%, Evangelical Lutheran 0.6%, Evangelical Reformist 0.2%, other (including Sunni Muslim, Jewish, Greek Catholic, and Karaite) 0.9%, none 6.1%, unspecified 13.7% (2021 est. 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. ), Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Church of Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. Thus, over half of this group is theistic and/or influenced by religious principles, but nonreligious/non-practicing and not true atheists or agnostics. ), Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est. https://www.britannica.com/story/what-is-the-most-widely-practiced-religion-in-the-world. 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. What is the Largest Religion In The World 2021. Islam is catching up quickly, though: Muslims make up the only major religious group projected to increase faster than the worlds population as a whole. ), Roman Catholic 41.7%, Evangelical 38.8%, other 2.7%, atheist 0.1%, none 13.8%, unspecified 2.9% (2018 est. 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. ), Roman Catholic 45.3%, Protestant 34.9% (includes Evangelical 26.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.9%, Assembly of God .9%, Baptist .7%), Modekngei 5.7% (indigenous to Palau), Muslim 3%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 9.7% (2015 est. But they can be found in many international cities and have become an especially strong religious presence in the United Kingdom and Canada. )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. ), Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est. This is the only place where Sikhs are in the majority. 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. )note: data represent only the government-controlled area of Cyprus, Roman Catholic 7%, other believers belonging to a church or religious society 6% (includes Evangelical United Brethren Church and Czechoslovak Hussite Church), believers unaffiliated with a religious society 9.1%, none 47.8%, unspecified 30.1% (2021 est. Britannica Book of the Year]; p. 695. Shintoism 27-65 million. Protestant Christianity: Protestant Christianity originated in the 16th century as an attempt to reform Roman Catholicism's practices, dogma, and theology. If current trends continue Christians will remain the largest religious group by 2060 (32 percent of the world's population), but Islam will experience the fastest growth, with an expected increase from 24 percent to 31 percent of Spiritist estimates come from a single source, which gives a relative indication of the size of the Spiritist communities within each country. Percentage of Global Population in 2020: 0.19%. ), Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est. Catholics believe the Pope is the divinely ordered head of the Church from a direct spiritual legacy of Jesus' apostle Peter. Basic Groupings Catholicism (or Roman Catholicism): This is the oldest established western Christian church and the world's largest single religious body. Of the worlds major religions, Christianity is the largest Religion In The World, with more than two billion followers. 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." 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. ), Muslim 65.2%, Christian 13.7%, Hindu 15.9%, Buddhist 3.8%, folk religion <0.1%, Jewish <0.1%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est. Holy Mass in the Church Our Lady of Queen in Poland. Little is known about the founding of Hinduism, but its teachings deeply influence almost all aspects of believers lives. 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. Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. ), traditionally Buddhist and Confucian, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom, Protestant 19.7%, Buddhist 15.5%, Catholic 7.9%, none 56.9% (2015 est. ), Hinduism is an extremely diverse set of beliefs and practices with no single founder or religious authority. )note: most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census, Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est. Sikhs have emigrated to countries all over the world especially to English-speaking and East Asian nations. ), Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3%, Indian- and Nepali-influenced Hinduism 22.1%, other 2.6% (2005 est. ), Hindu 79.8%, Muslim 14.2%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.7%, other and unspecified 2% (2011 est. 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. Islam. ), Christian 58.9%, folk religion 17.6%, Buddhist <1%, Hindu <1%, Jewish <1%, Muslim <1%, other <1%, none 23.2% (2020 est. Sudanese refugees have fled the recent fighting to the countys neighbours, including thousands who have crossed into Chad. Modekngei: a hybrid of Christianity and ancient Palauan culture and oral traditions founded around 1915 on the island of Babeldaob. 10. One of the youngest religions on this list, Sikhism began in the late 15th century and has become a major world religion. 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. Catholicism is comprised of 23 particular Churches, or Rites - one Western (Roman or Latin-Rite) and 22 Eastern. 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 core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Approximate Total Members in 2020: 15 million. ), Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI). The religion practice a worship on the kami, a host of supernatural beings dwelling in natural elements. 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. The Blue Mosque of Istanbul or Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Turkey. Inuit beliefs: a form of shamanism (see below) based on the animistic principles of the Inuit or Eskimo peoples. 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. 10. ), Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%, Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2019 est. In regard to religion, it is usually characterized as neither a belief nor non-belief in a deity. ), folk religion 58.9%, Buddhist 17.3%, Christian 7.2%, other 1.2%, none 15.4% (2020 est. 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. Today, though a minority, Zoroastrians remain primarily in Iran, India (where they are known as Parsi), and Pakistan. 9. ), Macedonian Orthodox 46.1%, Muslim 32.2%, other Christian 13.8%, other and non-believers 0.5%, unspecified 0.2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no religious affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est. ), Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, Protestant 75.9% (includes Anglican 68.9, Baptist 2.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.8%, Salvation Army 1.7%, New Apostolic 1.4%), Jehovah's Witness 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.2%, other 2.5% (includes Baha'i), unspecified 0.8%, none 6.1%, no response 9.4% (2016 est. ), Muslim 87.2%, Protestant 7%, Roman Catholic 2.9%, Hindu 1.7%, other 0.9% (includes Buddhist and Confucian), unspecified 0.4% (2010 est. Chinese traditional religion is described as "the common religion of the majority Chinese culture: a combination of, Taoists/Confucians/Chinese traditional religionists. The 10 Largest Religions in the World. Respect for the kamis in nature is a key Shinto value. Formally established in Japan in the 8th century CE, Shint promotes the existence of many gods. ), Lutheran 36.2%, Roman Catholic 19.5%, Orthodox 19.1%, other Christian 1.6%, other 0.1%, unspecified/none 23.5% (2017 est. )note: Ukraine's population is overwhelmingly Christian; the vast majority - up to two thirds - identify themselves as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch; theOCU and the UOC-MP each represent less than a quarter of the country's population, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church accounts for 8-10%, and the UAOC accounts for 1-2%; Muslim and Jewish adherents each compose less than 1% of the total population, Muslim (official) 76%, Christian 9%, other (primarily Hindu and Buddhist, less than 5% of the population consists of Parsi, Baha'i, Druze, Sikh, Ahmadi, Ismaili, Dawoodi Bohra Muslim, and Jewish) 15% (2005 est. Christianity. Confucianism: an ideology that humans are perfectible through self-cultivation and self-creation; developed from teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Don Vaughan is a freelance writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Percentage of Global Population in 2020: 0.19%. )note: many people also carry on at least some Confucian traditions and practices, Muslim 95.6%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Orthodox 1.5%, other 0.1%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est. Shinto practitioners worship several particular kamis, including the kamis of nature, and families often have shrines to their ancestors' kamis. Hinduism. ), Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant/evangelical Christian 11.2%, other 0.002%, unaffiliated (includes atheism) 10.6% (2020 est. Its sacred texts include the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (or the Christian Gospels). ), Muslim 99.1% (official; virtually all are citizens, an estimated 65% are Sunni and 35% are Shia), other 0.9% (includes Jewish, Baha'i, Hindu, and Christian; many are refugees or temporary foreign residents) (2020 est. )note: despite having a large expatriate community of various faiths (more than 30% of the population), most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of Sunni Islam are restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi citizenship and non-Muslim places of worship are not permitted (2013), Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est. For example, Hindus increased from 304 million (30.4 crore) to 966 million (96.6 crore), Muslims grew from 35 million (3.5 crore) to 172 million (17.2 crore), and the number of Indians who say they are Christian rose from 8 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. WebThe map features brief descriptions of each religious grouping and bar graphs that reflect the percentage of a countrys population associated with each grouping. 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. 9. For example, Hindus increased from 304 million (30.4 crore) to 966 million (96.6 crore), Muslims grew from 35 million (3.5 crore) to 172 million (17.2 crore), and the number of Indians who say they are Christian rose from 8 Islam - One of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths, Islam originated with the teachings of Muhammad in the 7th century. Of the worlds major religions, Christianity is the largest Religion In The World, with more than two billion followers. 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. Its key beliefs center on a transcendent creator God, Ahura Mazda, and the concept of free will. ), Congregational Christian Church 50.4%, Roman Catholic 38.7%, Presbyterian 5.9%, other Christian 4.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 est. )note: data represent individuals who declared a religion in the 2021 national census; 13.9% did not respond, Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est. Nonreligious includes agnostic, atheist, secular humanist, and people answering 'none' or no religious preference. ), Protestant 80.5% (United Church of Christ 47%, Assembly of God 16.2%, Bukot Nan Jesus 5.4%, Full Gospel 3.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 3%, Salvation Army 1.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, Meram in Jesus 1.2%, other Protestant 1.1%), Roman Catholic 8.5%, Church of Jesus Christ 7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 1.2%, none 1.1% (2011 est. Prior to the end of World War II, Shinto was the state religion of Japan, and bolstered the cult of the Japanese emperor. ), 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. ), Roman Catholic 79.7%, Protestant 2.2%, other Christian 2.5%, other non-Christian, 1.1%, none 14.5% (2021 est. The Three Jewels of the Tao - compassion, simplicity, and humility - serve as the basis for Taoist ethics. Hinduism has many scriptures; the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita are among some of the most important. ), Protestant 54.9% (Congregationalist 29%, Methodist 12.4%, Assembly of God 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, other Protestant 2.3%), Roman Catholic 18.8%, Church of Jesus Christ 16.9%, Worship Centre 2.8%, other Christian 3.6%, other 2.9% (includes Baha'i, Muslim), none 0.2% (2016 est. WebThe next most widely practiced religions, based on number of followers, are: Shint (104 million followers). Islam is catching up quickly, though: Muslims make up the only major religious group projected to increase faster than the worlds population as a whole. WebThe United Nations Statistics Division collects, compiles and disseminates official demographic and social statistics on a wide range of topics. ), Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other Christian 20.8%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est. Approximate Total Members in 2020: 15 million. It recognizes the Abu Bakr as the first caliph after Muhammad. Though religious groups grew at uneven rates between 1951 and 2011, every major religion in India saw its numbers rise. ), Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed .7%, Lutheran .5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est. )note: officially atheist, Muslim 19.4%, Buddhist 18.3%, Roman Catholic 8.8%, Protestant 6.5% (includes Anglican 3.6%, Uniting Church 1.2%, other 1.7%), other Christian 3.3%, other 0.6%, none 15.3%, unspecified 27.7% (2016 est. Jain philosophy teaches non-violence and prescribes vegetarianism for monks and laity alike; its adherents are a highly influential religious minority in Indian society. ), Evangelical Lutheran, traditional Inuit spiritual beliefs, Protestant 49.2% (includes Pentecostal 17.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 13.2%, Anglican 8.5%, Baptist 3.2%, Church of God 2.4%, Evangelical 1.9%, Methodist 1.6%, other 1.2%), Roman Catholic 36%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, Rastafarian 1.2%, other 5.5%, none 5.7%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est. Sunni Islam accounts for over 87-90% of the world's Muslim population. ), Christian 54.7%, Muslim 0.5%, Buddhist 0.5%, Hindu 0.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 43.8% (2021 est. There are two main branches of Buddhism: Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Countries with the greatest proportion of Jews (as of 2017[update]): Largest Christian populations (as of 2011[update]): Largest Hindu populations (as of 2020):[143]. ), Roman Catholic 47.5%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 19.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.4%, other Protestant 1.2%, other 3.1%, none 27% (2021 est. Buddhism ascribes to a karmic system of rebirth. Shia Islam represents 10-13% 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. ), 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. )note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%), Roman Catholic 86.3%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.5%, not religious or atheist 3.8% (2011 est.
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