With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. According to the Indian census of 2011, Hindus made up for the highest share of population in the country.

According to a survey conducted by India's fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) in 2021 stated that about 36 percent of Christian men consumed alcohol in India. In contrast, over six percent of Muslim men consumed alcohol.

According to a survey on app usage around Diwali in 2022, the amount of time people in India spent using shopping apps increased significantly in the four weeks after Diwali. Weekdays during that period recorded a 60 percent growth in shopping app sessions, while weekends saw a session growth of 25 percent.

Global Religious Demographics

Global religious demographics over time

By Throwback Thursday [source]

About this dataset

The dataset contains information on a wide range of religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Baha'i Faith, Taoism, Confucianism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Syncretic Religions (religious practices that blend elements from multiple faiths), Animism (belief in spiritual beings in nature), Non-Religious individuals or those without any religious affiliation.

For each religion and region/country combination recorded in the dataset we have the following information:

• Total population: The total population of the region or country.
• Religious affiliation percentages: The percentages of the population that identify with specific religious affiliations.
• Subgroup populations/percentages: The populations or percentages within specific denominations or sects of each religion.

The dataset also provides additional variables like Year and State Name (for regional data) for further analysis.

How to use the dataset

• Understanding the Columns

  The dataset contains several columns with different categories of information. Here's a brief explanation of some important columns:

  • Year: The year in which the data was recorded.
  • Total Population: The total population of a country or region.
  • State Name (StateNme): The name of the state or region.

  Each religion has specific columns associated with it, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Shintoism etc., representing its percentage and population for each category/denomination within that religion.

• Selecting Specific Data

  If you are interested in exploring data related to a particular religion or geographic location:

  • To filter data by Religion: Identify relevant columns associated with that religion such as 'Christianity', 'Buddhism', 'Islam', etc., and extract their respective percentage and population values for analysis.

    Example: If you want to analyze Christianity specifically, extract columns related to Christianity like 'Christianity (Percent)', 'Christianity (Population)', etc.

    Note: There might be multiple columns related to a specific religion indicating different categories or denominations within that religion.

  • To filter data by Geographic Location: Utilize the 'State Name' column ('StateNme') to segregate data corresponding to different states/regions.

    Example: If you want to analyze religious demographics for a particular state/region like California or India:

    i) Filter out rows where State Name is equal to California or India.

    ii) Extract relevant columns associated with your selected religion as mentioned above.

• Finding Trends and Insights

  Once you have selected the specific data you are interested in, examine patterns and trends over time or across different regions.

  • Plotting data using visualizations: Use graphical tools such as line charts, bar charts, or pie charts to visualize how religious demographics have changed over the years or vary across different regions.

  • Analyzing population proportions: By comparing the percentage values of different religions for a given region or over time, you can gather insights into changes in religious diversity.

• Comparing Religions

  If you wish to compare multiple religions:

Research Ideas

• Comparing religious affiliations across different countries or regions: With data on various religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, etc., researchers can compare the religious affiliations of different countries or regions. This can help in understanding the cultural and religious diversity within different parts of the world.
• Exploring the growth or decline of specific religions: By examining population numbers for specific religions such as Jainism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, etc., this dataset can be used to investigate the growth or decline of these religious groups over time. Researchers can analyze factors contributing to their popularity or decline in particular regions or countries

Acknowledgements

If you use this dataset in your research, please credit the original authors. Data Source

License

See the dataset description for more information.

Columns

File: ThrowbackDataThursday 201912 - Religion.csv | Column name...

India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data was reported at 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 49,393,496.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 59,066,957.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 49,393,496.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE001: Census: Population: by Religion.

As of 2010, Christianity was the religion with the most followers worldwide, followed by Islam (Muslims) and Hinduism. In the forty years between 2010 and 2050, it is projected that the landscape of world religions will undergo some noticeable changes, with the number of Muslims almost catching up to Christians. The changes in population sizes of each religious group is largely dependent on demographic development, for example, the rise in the world's Christian population will largely be driven by population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, while Muslim populations will rise across various regions of Africa and South Asia. As India's population is set to grow while China's goes into decline, this will be reflected in the fact that Hindus will outnumber the unaffiliated by 2050. In fact, India may be home to both the largest Hindu and Muslim populations in the world by the middle of this century.

India Census: Population: by Religion: Hindu: Male data was reported at 498,306,968.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 428,678,554.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Hindu: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 463,492,761.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 498,306,968.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 428,678,554.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Hindu: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE001: Census: Population: by Religion.

A survey conducted across India in 2024 found that over 57 percent of the respondents agreed that the scope of reservations should be expanded to both Hindus and Muslims in the Scheduled caste (SC) category in government jobs. 19 percent believed that only Hindus should be given reservations in the category.

This dataset provides the unemployment rates for major religious groups in India, based on usual status (ps+ss). For years before 2017-18, the data was obtained in different quinquennial rounds of NSSO conducted from 2004-05 (NSS 61st) to 2011-12 (NSS 68th round). From 2017-18 the data is sourced from the annual report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The data highlights unemployment trends within different religious communities.

List of Top Schools of Encyclopedia of Indian Religions sorted by citations.

With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Hinduism made up for the highest share of faith followed by people in the country. According to the Indian census of 2011, Himachal Pradesh had the highest share of Hindu population in the country.

Comprehensive ranking dataset of the top 100 YouTube channels in the Religion category. This dataset features 100 channels with detailed statistics including subscriber counts, total video views, video count, and global rankings. The leading channel has 80,900,000 subscribers and 44,224,167,508 total views. Each entry includes comprehensive metrics to analyze channel performance, growth trends, and competitive positioning. This dataset is regularly updated to reflect the latest YouTube channel statistics and ranking changes, providing valuable insights for content creators, marketers, and researchers analyzing YouTube ecosystem trends and channel performance benchmarks.

Census: Population: by Religion: Sikh: Madhya Pradesh data was reported at 151,412.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 150,772.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Sikh: Madhya Pradesh data is updated decadal, averaging 151,092.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 151,412.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 150,772.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Sikh: Madhya Pradesh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE005: Census: Population: by Religion: Sikh.

According to India's last census details, Hindus made up the majority of the population in the country, followed by Muslims. At the same time, almost ***** million people did not state their religion for the census. India has historically been a religiously pluralistic and multiethnic democracy, with a substantial proportion of all major religions of the world along with several minority and tribal religions.

Replication code for Caste, Religion and the Labor Force Participation of Women: Evidence from India. The data used in this paper- National Sample Survey on employment and Unemployment and Periodic Labour force Survey- is owned by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), India. Available on payment of fees to MOSPI. The code below replicates the tables in the main paper and the appendix. Please email the author for any additional clarifications.

Census: Population: by Religion: Buddhist: Jammu and Kashmir data was reported at 112,584.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records a decrease from the previous number of 113,787.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Buddhist: Jammu and Kashmir data is updated decadal, averaging 113,185.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 113,787.000 Person in 03-01-2001 and a record low of 112,584.000 Person in 03-01-2011. Census: Population: by Religion: Buddhist: Jammu and Kashmir data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE006: Census: Population: by Religion: Buddhist.

Due to religious heritages, increasing domestic and international pilgrimages, and government efforts to promote religious tourism; India religious tourism sector can be expected to witness substantial growth between 2025 and 2035. India has temples, Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries, Sikh gurdwaras and Islamic mosques, which means the country is one of the best places for travellers for the road for faith.

Metric	Value
Market Size in 2025	USD 13.7 Billion
Projected Market Size in 2035	USD 58.6 Billion
CAGR (2025-2035)	15.6%

Region	CAGR (2025-2035)
Northern India	16.2%

Region	CAGR (2025-2035)
Western India	15.8%

Region	CAGR (2025-2035)
Southern India	16.0%

Region	CAGR (2025-2035)
Eastern and North-eastern India	15.7%

Company/Organization Name	Estimated Market Share (%)
IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation) Pilgrim Packages	20-25%
Yatra.com (Religious Tour Packages & Pilgrimage Booking)	12-16%
Thomas Cook India (Faith-Based Travel Division)	10-14%
SOTC Travel (India Religious Tourism Packages)	8-12%
State Tourism Boards (UP, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh)	5-9%
Other Travel Operators & Religious Trusts (combined)	30-40%

Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Kerala: Female data was reported at 2,449,452.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,031,549.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Kerala: Female data is updated decadal, averaging 1,740,500.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,449,452.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 1,031,549.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Kerala: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE003: Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim.

The study seeks to explore the relationship between the level of education of women and its influence on the fertility in Empowered Action Group (EAG) states of India. In addition, the interplay of education and fertility is further affected by religion, which acts as the determinants of fertility. The birth intervals, age at first birth, desire for another child are major determinants of fertility which are taken into consideration for the study. It is pertinent to understand how the level of education and religion of an individual affects the fertility and to what extent. The broader objective of the study is to determine the association between education, religion, and fertility and to further examine the proximate factors that influence the fertility of a woman. The study utilizes the Demographic and Health Surveys, that includes basic information about the household and women in the childbearing ages. This study focuses on the survey of women in reproductive age which would provide active information about fertility. The population defined in the study are the north Indian states that are categorized as EAG (Empowered Action Group) states. Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the variation in the relationship between fertility and individual and state-level characteristics.

Critical studies found NLP systems to bias based on gender and racial identities. However, few studies focused on identities defined by cultural factors like religion and nationality. Compared to English, such research efforts are even further limited in major languages like Bengali due to the unavailability of labeled datasets. Our paper (see the reference) describes a process for developing a bias evaluation dataset highlighting cultural influences on identity. We also provide this Bengali dataset as an artifact outcome that can contribute to future critical research.

If you find this dataset useful, please cite the associated paper:

Das, D., Guha, S., & Semaan, B. (2023, May). Toward Cultural Bias Evaluation Datasets: The Case of Bengali Gender, Religious, and National Identity. In Proceedings of the First Workshop on Cross-Cultural Considerations in NLP (C3NLP) (pp. 68-83).

BibTeX:

@inproceedings{das-etal-2023-toward,
  title = "Toward Cultural Bias Evaluation Datasets: The Case of {B}engali Gender, Religious, and National Identity",
  author = "Das, Dipto and
   Guha, Shion and
   Semaan, Bryan",
  booktitle = "Proceedings of the First Workshop on Cross-Cultural Considerations in NLP (C3NLP)",
  month = may,
  year = "2023",
  address = "Dubrovnik, Croatia",
  publisher = "Association for Computational Linguistics",
  url = "https://aclanthology.org/2023.c3nlp-1.8",
  pages = "68--83",
}