Brazil is the largest Catholic country in the world, with an estimated Catholic population of 140 million, ahead of Mexico and the Philippines, with 101 million and 85 million Catholics, respectively. Nevertheless, Brazil's Catholic population is shrinking. By 2050, today's largest Catholic country could have a majority Protestant population.

The average for 2013 based on 84 countries was 43.2 percent. The highest value was in Poland: 95.2 percent and the lowest value was in Ethiopia: 0.6 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2013. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2022, there were around 1.39 billion Catholics worldwide, compared to 1.38 billion in 2021. In more than 20 years, the global Catholic population grew by approximately 194 million people. The Catholic population is growing fast in Africa and in the Americas, while it is declining in Europe.

Except for Uruguay, over ** percent of the population in all the selected Latin American countries defined themselves as Catholics in 2000. However, by 2023, that was the case in only three countries: Mexico, Peru and Colombia. Over this 20-year period, Panama experienced the largest decrease in the share of Catholic believers, plummeting from **** to **** percent.

In 2022, there were around 1.39 billion Catholics worldwide, approximately 17.7 percent of the total global population. Even though the Catholic population has increased in absolute numbers, the share of Catholics has always fluctuated around 17 percent since 2010.

aCatholic populations by country from http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/sc1.html[4].bOnly the top 31 Catholic countries with more than 5 million Catholics and countries in which at least 50% of the population is Catholic are included (as well as Canada and Uganda, each with more than 40% Catholic population), which excludes India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Vietnam.cFrom [6], [7].dFrom [8], [9].eFrom [10], [11].fChagas disease is found in every South American and Central American country listed [5].gFrom [31].

The average for 2013 based on 4 countries was 23.3 percent. The highest value was in the Philippines: 81 percent and the lowest value was in India: 1.4 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2013. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2022, there were 1.39 billion Catholics worldwide, compared to 1.38 billion in 2021. The largest population growth was recorded in Africa, where there were 7.27 million new Catholics in 2022, ahead of the Americas, where the Catholic population grew by six million people. The population declined only in Europe, where there were 474,000 fewer Catholics compared to 2021.

The average for 2013 based on 20 countries was 31 percent. The highest value was in Cape Verde: 87.8 percent and the lowest value was in Ethiopia: 0.6 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2013. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Philippines Population: RA: Roman Catholic data was reported at 80,304,061.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 92,097,978.000 Person for 2010. Philippines Population: RA: Roman Catholic data is updated yearly, averaging 80,304,061.000 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92,097,978.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 61,862,898.000 Person in 2000. Philippines Population: RA: Roman Catholic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Philippine Statistics Authority. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.G003: Population: Religious: Affiliation.

This table provides Census 2021 estimates that classify people by Country of birth (12 categories) by Religion or religion brought up in for Northern Ireland. The table contains 48 counts.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

notes

1. 'EU' is the European Union and is as defined on census day (21 March 2021).
2. People who gave 'Cyprus' as their country of birth are included within the 'Europe: Other EU countries' category.
3. 'Europe: Other Non-EU countries' includes United Kingdom (part not specified) and Ireland (part not specified).
4. 'Religion' indicates religion, religious denomination or body.
5. 'Catholic' includes those who gave their current religion as Catholic or Roman Catholic.

Quality assurance report can be found here

Kenya had a Catholic population of roughly 9.7 million people, according to the last country census conducted in 2019. Around one million Catholics lived in the capital Nairobi, the largest amount among all Kenyan counties. Nearly 590,000 people living in Kiambu adhered to Catholicism, while half-million dwelled in Machakos.

Philippines Population: RA: Philippine Independent Catholic Church data was reported at 66,959.000 Person in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 154,686.000 Person for 2010. Philippines Population: RA: Philippine Independent Catholic Church data is updated yearly, averaging 110,822.500 Person from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2015, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 154,686.000 Person in 2010 and a record low of 66,959.000 Person in 2015. Philippines Population: RA: Philippine Independent Catholic Church data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Philippine Statistics Authority. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Philippines – Table PH.G003: Population: Religious: Affiliation.

In 2020, Mexico had a catholic population of ********** people, by far the most followed religion in the country. Almost ** percent of that population was 60 years of age or older. The second age group with the most catholic followers was between 10 and 14 years of age, with *** percent.

Based on the 2020 census, Region 5 or the Bicol Region registered the highest share of households who reported Roman Catholic as their religious affiliation at 93.5 percent. This was followed by Region 8 or Eastern Visayas with a share of 92.3 percent. In contrast, only five percent of households in BARMM were Roman Catholics. The Philippines is one of the countries in the world with the highest population professing the Catholic faith, after Brazil and Mexico.

Singapore Population: Religion: Christianity: Catholic data was reported at 220.900 Person th in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 219.133 Person th for 2010. Singapore Population: Religion: Christianity: Catholic data is updated yearly, averaging 219.133 Person th from Jun 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 220.900 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 118.980 Person th in 2000. Singapore Population: Religion: Christianity: Catholic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G002: Population by Religion .

Singapore Population: Religion: Male: Christianity: Catholic data was reported at 98.100 Person th in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 100.083 Person th for 2010. Singapore Population: Religion: Male: Christianity: Catholic data is updated yearly, averaging 98.100 Person th from Jun 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.083 Person th in 2010 and a record low of 52.901 Person th in 2000. Singapore Population: Religion: Male: Christianity: Catholic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G002: Population by Religion .

This table provides Census 2021 estimates that classify people by Country of birth (12 categories) by Religion (8 categories) for Northern Ireland. The table contains 96 counts.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

Notes

1. 'EU' is the European Union and is as defined on census day (21 March 2021).
2. People who gave 'Cyprus' as their country of birth are included within the 'Europe: Other EU countries' category.
3. 'Europe: Other Non-EU countries' includes United Kingdom (part not specified) and Ireland (part not specified).
4. 'Religion' indicates religion, religious denomination or body.
5. 'Catholic' includes those who gave their current religion as Catholic or Roman Catholic.

Quality assurance report can be found here

Historically, Portugal has been a country of Catholics. The 2021 census demonstrated that this trend has not been inverted, as over 80 percent of the population in Portugal identified as Catholic. Protestant or Evangelic believers accounted for more than two percent of the population, while Jehovah's Witnesses constituted one percent of residents. Among non-Christian faiths, Muslims were the most representative group, making up 0.42 percent of the population.

Religious but generally not practicing the faith

In the same year, Catholics numbered more than seven million people spread throughout the country, conquering the religious majority in the mainland and in the two autonomous regions. Citizens without religion totaled more than 1.2 million, which made of them the second most numerous religious group in Portugal. Young people presented the same religious trend, with young Catholics being the most representative group, followed by non-religious. Among youngsters, the attendance of religious events was mostly conducted occasionally, while a quarter did not participate in such proceedings at all.

The contribute of immigration to the growth of Evangelical Christianity

Despite being the minority, non-Catholic Christian and non-Christian faiths have been growing in Portugal. In 2011, Evangelical believers totaled 75.6 thousand, more than doubling ten years after. Such growth was partially motivated by the increase in Brazilian immigration, as more than 61 percent of new members of Evangelical churches in 2023 were of Brazilian origin. In fact, Brazil was the place of origin of almost 82 percent of all the immigrant Evangelical Christians residing in Portugal. However, more than a quarter of new Evangelical Christians were Portuguese, which shows that other religions, namely Christian Catholicism, have been losing members to Evangelical Catholicism.

The share for Catholic and Evangelic believers in Brazil show opposite trends. While in 1994 Catholics gathered 75 percent of the Brazilian population, it is estimated that in 2032 this figure will drop to 39.8 percent. Meanwhile Evangelicals, which at the beginning of the indicated period were only 14 percent of the population, are estimated to reach 38.6 percent by 2032, a growth of 24.6 percentage points. Nevertheless, in 2019, Brazilian catholic believers were still the largest group, with 51 percent.