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.

Priest Map Series {title at top of page}Data Developers: Burhans, Molly A., Cheney, David M., Emege, Thomas, Gerlt, R.. . “Priest Map Series {title at top of page}”. Scale not given. Version 1.0. MO and CT, USA: GoodLands Inc., Catholic Hierarchy, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 2019.Web map developer: Molly Burhans, October 2019Web app developer: Molly Burhans, October 2019GoodLands’ polygon data layers, version 2.0 for global ecclesiastical boundaries of the Roman Catholic Church:Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided, due to this being the first developed dataset of global ecclesiastical boundaries curated from many sources it may have a higher margin of error than established geopolitical administrative boundary maps. Boundaries need to be verified with appropriate Ecclesiastical Leadership. The current information is subject to change without notice. No parties involved with the creation of this data are liable for indirect, special or incidental damage resulting from, arising out of or in connection with the use of the information. We referenced 1960 sources to build our global datasets of ecclesiastical jurisdictions. Often, they were isolated images of dioceses, historical documents and information about parishes that were cross checked. These sources can be viewed here:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11ANlH1S_aYJOyz4TtG0HHgz0OLxnOvXLHMt4FVOS85Q/edit#gid=0To learn more or contact us please visit: https://good-lands.org/The Catholic Leadership global maps information is derived from the Annuario Pontificio, which is curated and published by the Vatican Statistics Office annually, and digitized by David Cheney at Catholic-Hierarchy.org -- updated are supplemented with diocesan and news announcements. GoodLands maps this into global ecclesiastical boundaries. Admin 3 Ecclesiastical Territories:Burhans, Molly A., Cheney, David M., Gerlt, R.. . “Admin 3 Ecclesiastical Territories For Web”. Scale not given. Version 1.2. MO and CT, USA: GoodLands Inc., Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 2019.Derived from:Global Diocesan Boundaries:Burhans, M., Bell, J., Burhans, D., Carmichael, R., Cheney, D., Deaton, M., Emge, T. Gerlt, B., Grayson, J., Herries, J., Keegan, H., Skinner, A., Smith, M., Sousa, C., Trubetskoy, S. “Diocesean Boundaries of the Catholic Church” [Feature Layer]. Scale not given. Version 1.2. Redlands, CA, USA: GoodLands Inc., Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 2016.Using: ArcGIS. 10.4. Version 10.0. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., 2016.Boundary ProvenanceStatistics and Leadership DataCheney, D.M. “Catholic Hierarchy of the World” [Database]. Date Updated: August 2019. Catholic Hierarchy. Using: Paradox. Retrieved from Original Source.Catholic HierarchyAnnuario Pontificio per l’Anno .. Città del Vaticano :Tipografia Poliglotta Vaticana, Multiple Years.The data for these maps was extracted from the gold standard of Church data, the Annuario Pontificio, published yearly by the Vatican. The collection and data development of the Vatican Statistics Office are unknown. GoodLands is not responsible for errors within this data. We encourage people to document and report errant information to us at data@good-lands.org or directly to the Vatican.Additional information about regular changes in bishops and sees comes from a variety of public diocesan and news announcements.

Spain has a long history of Islamic tradition under its belt. From cuisine to architecture, the southern European country has been linked to the North of Africa through many common elements. At the end of 2023, there were approximately 2.41 million Muslims in Spain, most of them of Spanish and Moroccan nationality, with upwards of eight hundred thousand believers in both cases. With a Muslim population of more than 660,000 people, Catalonia was home to the largest Muslim community in Spain as of the same date.

The not so Catholic Spain

Believers of a religion other than Catholicism accounted for approximately 3 percent of the Spanish population, according to the most recent data. Although traditionally a Catholic country, Spain saw a decline in the number of believers over the past years. Compared to previous years, when the share of believers accounted for slightly over 70 percent of the Spanish population, the Catholic community lost ground, while still being the major religion for the foreseable future.

A Catholic majority, a practicing minority

Going to mass is no longer a thing in Spain, or so it would seem when looking at the latest statistics about the matter: 50 percent of those who consider themselves Catholics almost never attend any religious service in 2024. The numbers increased until 2019, from 55.5 percent of the population never attending religious services in 2011 to 63.1 percent in 2019. The share of population that stated to be practicing believers and go to mass every Sunday and on the most important holidays accounted for only 15.5 percent.

Attitude towards faith and the Catholic Church. Faith practice. Questions about World Youth Day. Media communication. Topics: 1. Attitude towards faith and the Catholic Church: self-assessment of religiosity; belief in a life after death; influence of religion and faith on everyday actions; religious practice: frequency of praying, reading the Bible and meditating; greater interest of young people in religion or the Catholic Church. Questions of faith more than it appears (religious spiral of silence); frequency of attending church services; lasting positive influence of e.g. family, friends, etc. on the personal relationship with the church; attitude towards the Roman Catholic Church as an institution; contact with the parish; function in the parish; type of function; activity in youth work; area of youth work (sport, politics, church (association, grouping), other). 2. Questions about the World Youth Day: Earlier participation in a World Youth Day; frequency of participation; visit of the World Youth Day alone or accompanied (friends, youth group of the parish, others); members of the group already known beforehand; image of the Pope (e.g. head of the Catholic Church, infallible, representative of God on earth, role model, etc.).); importance of the Pope´s participation in World Youth Day; participation in World Youth Day even without the Pope´s participation; importance of international meetings at World Youth Day; importance of various elements of the program (catechesis, welcome celebration with the Pope, sacrament of reconciliation, youth festival, Way of the Cross, pilgrimage, vigil, closing service with the Pope); previous experiences at the World Youth Day (part of a living faith community of Catholic Christians, most important religious community experience, extra-ordinary life, community feeling); personal motivation for participation in the World Youth Day (for examplee.g. traveling together with friends, experiencing many young Christians, making new friends, etc.). 3. Media communication: sources of information about World Youth Day; credibility of reporting; communication with third parties about World Youth Day reports in the media; interlocutors; mobile phone ownership at World Youth Day; purpose of mobile phone use; general mobile phone ownership; frequency of mobile phone use for: Telephoning, sending SMS, chatting, photographing and filming videos; frequency of use of different media; source of information about the Global Village; frequency of visits to the Global Village; membership in the Catholic Rural Youth Movement; knowledge of the Catholic Rural Youth Movement; activity in environmental protection; institution named; motivation for visiting the Global Village; visited offers of the Global Village (Energiebauernhof, climate expedition, MIJARC tent, others). Participants from Energiebauernhof, climate expedition and MIJARC tent were additionally asked: Positive food for thought on the topics preservation of the environment (Energiebauernhof), climate change (Klimaexpedition) and international solidarity (MIJARC Tent) through the visit; evaluation of the visit as a special experience; participation in one of the actions; actions mentioned. Demography: sex; age; current occupation; job title; highest school-leaving certificate or current type of school attended; denomination; marital status; federal state. Einstellung zum Glauben und zur katholischen Kirche. Glaubenspraxis. Fragen zum Weltjugendtag. Medienkommunikation. Themen: 1. Einstellung zum Glauben und zur katholischen Kirche: Selbsteinschätzung der Religiosität; Glaube an ein Leben nach dem Tod; Einfluss von Religion und Glauben auf das alltägliche Handeln; Religionspraxis: Häufigkeit von Beten, Lesen in der Bibel und Meditieren; stärkeres Interesse von Jugendlichen an Religion bzw. Glaubensfragen als es den Anschein hat (religiöse Schweigespirale); Häufigkeit des Gottesdienstbesuches; nachhaltige positive Beeinflussung des persönlichen Verhältnisses zur Kirche durch z.B. Familie, Freunde, etc.); Einstellung zur römisch-katholischen Kirche als Insitution; Kontakt zur Pfarrgemeinde; Funktion in der Pfarrgemeinde; Funktionsart; Tätigkeit in der Jugendarbeit; Bereich der Jugendarbeit (Sport, Politik, Kirche (Verband, Gruppierung), sonstiges). 2. Fragen zum Weltjugendtag: Frühere Teilnahme an einem Weltjugendtag; Teilnahmehäufigkeit; Besuch des Weltjugendtags allein oder in Begleitung (Freunde, Jugendgruppe der Pfarrgemeinde, Andere); Mitglieder der Gruppe schon vorher bekannt; Image des Papstes (z.B. Oberhaupt der katholischen Kirche, unfehlbar, Stellvertreter Gottes auf Erden, Vorbild, etc.); Wichtigkeit der Teilnahme des Papstes am Weltjugendtag; Teilnahme am Weltjugendtag auch ohne Beteiligung des Papstes; Wichtigkeit internationaler Begegnungen beim Weltjugendtag; Wichtigkeit verschiedener Elemente des Programms (Katechesen, Willkommensfeier mit dem Papst, Sakrament der Versöhnung, Jugendfestival, Kreuzweg, Pilgerweg, Vigil, Abschlussgottesdienst mit dem Papst); bisherige Erfahrungen auf dem Weltjugendtag (Teil einer lebendigen Glaubensgemeinschaft von katholischen Christen, wichigste religiöse Gemeinschaftserfahrung, Außeralltäglichkeit, Gemeinschaftsgefühl); persönliche Motivation für die Teilnahme am Weltjugendtag (z.B. mit Freunden zusammen verreisen, viele junge Christen erleben, neue Freunde gewinnen, etc.). 3. Medienkommunikation: Informationsquellen über den Weltjugendtag; Glaubwürdigkeit der Berichterstattung; Kommunikation mit Dritten über die Weltjugendtags-Berichte in den Medien; Gesprächspartner; Handybesitz auf dem Weltjugendtag; Verwendungszweck der Handynutzung; genereller Handybesitz; Nutzungshäufigkeit des Handys für: Telefonieren, SMS verschicken, Chatten, Fotografieren und Videos drehen; Nutzungshäufigkeit verschiedener Medien; Informationsquelle zum Global Village; Besuchshäufigkeit im Global Village; Mitgliedschaft in der Katholischen Landjugendbewegung; Kenntnis der Katholischen Landjugendbewegung; Aktivät im Umweltschutz; Einrichtung genannt; Motivation für den Besuch des Global Village; besuchte Angebote des Global Village (Energiebauernhof, Klimaexpedition, MIJARC Zelt, sonstige). Teilnehmer Energiebauernhof, Klimaexpedition und MIJARC Zelt wurden zusätzlich gefragt: Positive Denkanstöße zu den Themen Erhalt der Umwelt (Energiebauernhof), Klimawandel (Klimaexpedition) und internationale Solidarität (MIJARC Zelt) durch den Besuch; Bewertung des Besuchs als besonderes Erlebnis; Teilnahme an einer der Aktionen; Aktionen genannt. Demographie: Geschlecht; Alter; derzeitige Beschäftigung; Berufsbezeichnung; höchster Schulabschluss bzw. derzeit besuchte Schulform; Konfession; Familienstand; Bundesland.