In 2022, around 31.6 percent of the global population were identify as Christian. Around 25.8 percent of the global population identify as Muslims, followed by 15.1 percent of global populations as Hindu.

The World Religion Project (WRP) aims to provide detailed information about religious adherence worldwide since 1945. It contains data about the number of adherents by religion in each of the states in the international system. These numbers are given for every half-decade period (1945, 1950, etc., through 2010). Percentages of the states' populations that practice a given religion are also provided. (Note: These percentages are expressed as decimals, ranging from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates that 0 percent of the population practices a given religion and 1 indicates that 100 percent of the population practices that religion.) Some of the religions (as detailed below) are divided into religious families. To the extent data are available, the breakdown of adherents within a given religion into religious families is also provided.

The project was developed in three stages. The first stage consisted of the formation of a religion tree. A religion tree is a systematic classification of major religions and of religious families within those major religions. To develop the religion tree we prepared a comprehensive literature review, the aim of which was (i) to define a religion, (ii) to find tangible indicators of a given religion of religious families within a major religion, and (iii) to identify existing efforts at classifying world religions. (Please see the original survey instrument to view the structure of the religion tree.) The second stage consisted of the identification of major data sources of religious adherence and the collection of data from these sources according to the religion tree classification. This created a dataset that included multiple records for some states for a given point in time. It also contained multiple missing data for specific states, specific time periods and specific religions. The third stage consisted of cleaning the data, reconciling discrepancies of information from different sources and imputing data for the missing cases.

The Global Religion Dataset: This dataset uses a religion-by-five-year unit. It aggregates the number of adherents of a given religion and religious group globally by five-year periods.

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.

From 2022 to 2060, the worldwide population of Muslims is expected to increase by 45.7 percent. For the same period, the global population of Buddhists is expected to decrease by 12.2 percent.

World Religions Across Regions

Analyzing Adherence Across Regions, States and the Global System

By Correlates of War Project [source]

About this dataset

The World Religion Project (WRP) is an ambitious endeavor to conduct a comprehensive analysis of religious adherence throughout the world from 1945 to 2010. This cutting-edge project offers unparalleled insight into the religious behavior of people in different countries, regions, and continents during this time period. Its datasets provide important information about the numbers and percentages of adherents across a multitude of different religions, religion families, and non-religious affiliations.

The WRP consists of three distinct datasets: the national religion dataset, regional religion dataset, and global religion dataset. Each is focused on understanding individually specific realms for varied analysis approaches - from individual states to global systems. The national dataset provides data on number of adherents by state as well as percentage population practicing a given faith group in five-year increments; focusing attention to how this number evolves from nation to nation over time. Similarly, regional data is provided at five year intervals highlighting individual region designations with one modification – Pacific Ocean states have been reclassified into their own Oceania category according to Country Code Number 900 or above). Finally at a global level – all states are aggregated in order that we may understand a snapshot view at any five-year interval between 1945‐2010 regarding relationships between religions or religio‐families within one location or transnationally.

This project was developed in three stages: firstly forming a religions tree (a systematic classification), secondly collecting data such as this provided by WRP according to that classification structure – lastly cleaning the data so discrepancies may be reconciled and imported where needed with gaps selected when unknown values were encountered during collection process . We would encourage anyone wishing details undergoing more detailed reading/analysis relating various use applications for these rich datasets - please contact Zeev Maoz (University California Davis) & Errol A Henderson _(Pennsylvania State University)

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How to use the dataset

The World Religions Project (WRP) dataset offers a comprehensive look at religious adherence around the world within a single dataset. With this dataset, you can track global religious trends over a period of 65 years and explore how they’ve changed during that time. By exploring the WRP data set, you’ll gain insight into cross-regional and cross-time patterns in religious affiliation around the world.

Research Ideas

• Analyzing historical patterns of religious growth and decline across different regions
• Creating visualizations to compare religious adherence in various states, countries, or globally
• Studying the impact of governmental policies on religious participation over time

Acknowledgements

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

License

License: Dataset copyright by authors - You are free to: - Share - copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially. - Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. - You must: - Give appropriate credit - Provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. - ShareAlike - You must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. - Keep intact - all notices that refer to this license, including copyright notices.

Columns

File: WRP regional data.csv | Column name | Description | |:-----------------|:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Year | Reference year for data collection. (Integer) | | Region | World region according to Correlates Of War (COW) Regional Systemizations with one modification (Oceania category for COW country code ...

In 2022, 99 percent of Hindus and Buddhists worldwide lived in Asia-Pacific. In comparison, 43 percent of Jews lived in North America, and 45.4 percent lived in the Middle East and North Africa. Christians were more evenly divided around the continents.

World religion data in this dataset is from the World Religion Database.The map shows the percentage of the majority religion by provinces/states and also included in the database is Christian percentage by provinces/states. Boundaries are based on Natural Earth, August, 2011 modified to match provinces in the World Religion Database.*Originally titled

This dataset describes the world’s religious makeup in 2020 and 2010. We focus on seven categories: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, people who belong to other religions, and those who are religiously unaffiliated. This analysis is based on more than 2,700 sources of data, including national censuses, large-scale demographic surveys, general population surveys and population registers. For more information about this data, see the associated Pew Research Center report "How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020."

Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Tripura: Male data was reported at 81,480.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 52,815.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Tripura: Male data is updated decadal, averaging 67,147.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81,480.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 52,815.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Tripura: Male 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.GAE004: Census: Population: by Religion: Christian.

Christianity was the largest religion in a high number of the countries included in the survey. Of the countries, Peru, South Africa, and Poland had the highest share of Christians at around 75 percent. Moreover, around 90 percent in India and Thailand stated that they believed in another religion, with Hinduism and Buddhism being the major religion in the two countries respectively. Sweden and South Korea were the only two countries where 50 percent or more of the respondents stated that they did not have any religious beliefs.

As of 2020, Christianity was the largest religion in the world, with around 2.5 billion believers. In the second place was Islam, with around 1.9 billion adherents.

Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Jammu and Kashmir: Male data was reported at 21,523.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 12,733.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Jammu and Kashmir: Male data is updated decadal, averaging 17,128.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,523.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 12,733.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Jammu and Kashmir: Male 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.GAE004: Census: Population: by Religion: Christian.

Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram data was reported at 956,331.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 772,809.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram data is updated decadal, averaging 864,570.000 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 956,331.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 772,809.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram 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.GAE004: Census: Population: by Religion: Christian.

Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Puducherry: Male data was reported at 37,157.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 32,214.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Puducherry: Male data is updated decadal, averaging 34,685.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37,157.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 32,214.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Puducherry: Male 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.GAE004: Census: Population: by Religion: Christian.

Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram: Male data was reported at 476,464.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 389,155.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram: Male data is updated decadal, averaging 432,809.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 476,464.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 389,155.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Christian: Mizoram: Male 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.GAE004: Census: Population: by Religion: Christian.

Among the people surveyed in 26 countries around the world, a slight majority of the baby boomer generation were Christians. By comparison, only 42 percent of Generation Z stated that they were Christians. Millennials was the generation with the highest share of people stating that they had a religious belief other than Islam and Christianity.

Population: Religion: Female: Christianity: Others data was reported at 220.500 Person th in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 196.860 Person th for 2010. Population: Religion: Female: Christianity: Others data is updated yearly, averaging 196.860 Person th from Jun 2000 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 220.500 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 138.873 Person th in 2000. Population: Religion: Female: Christianity: Others 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 .

Christianity is the major religion in numerous African countries. As of 2024, around 96 percent of the population of Zambia was Christian, representing the highest percentage on the continent. Seychelles and Rwanda followed with roughly 95 percent and 94 percent of the population being Christian, respectively. While these countries present the highest percentages, Christianity was also prevalent in many other African nations. For instance, in South Africa, Christianity was the religion of nearly 85 percent of the people, while the share corresponded to 71 percent in Ghana. Religious variations across Africa Christianity and Islam are the most practiced religions in Africa. Christian adherents are prevalent below the Sahara, while North Africa is predominantly Muslim. In 2020, Christians accounted for around 60 percent of the Sub-Saharan African population, followed by Muslims with a share of roughly 30 percent. In absolute terms, there were approximately 650 million Christians in the region, a number forecast to increase to over one billion by 2050. In contrast, Islam is most prevalent in North Africa, being the religion of over 90 percent of the population in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. Christianity in the world As opposed to other religions, Christianity is widely spread across continents worldwide. In fact, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe each account for around 25 percent of the global Christian population. By comparison, Asia-Pacific and North America make up 13 percent and 12 percent of Christians worldwide, respectively. In several regions, Christians also suffer persecution on religious grounds. Somalia and Libya presented the most critical situation in Africa in 2021, reporting the strongest suppression of Christians worldwide just after North Korea and Afghanistan.

This map service shows the breakdown of religious groups by population and percentage for each country. The total population (July 2013 estimate) by country is also included. Map Service published and hosted by Esri Canada © 2013. Content Source(s): Countries, ArcGIS Online World Religions, CIA, The World Factbook 2012 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html#195 & http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/#wrapper)World Religions, United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Excel-Data/population.htm), Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/), Web Archive (http://archive.org/web/web.php), Cultural Crossing (http://www.culturecrossing.net/) and the Association of Religion Data Archives (http://www.thearda.com/). Coordinate System: Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere (WKID 102100) Update Frequency: As Required Publication Date: June 2013 Islam includes Sunni, Shia and DruzeChristianity includes Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Mormon and Jehovah’s WitnessTraditional includes Indigenous beliefs, Shamanism, Spiritualist and AnimistJudaism includes Jewish and ZionistBuddhism includes Buddhist, Shinto, Taoist and Folk religionsSyncretic includes Chondogyo, Cao Dai, Bantu, Voodoo, Modekngei, Kimbanguist and RastafarianNon-religious includes Atheist, Agnostic and IrreligionUnaffiliated includes none, unspecified and unknownOther includes Yezidi and Ethnoreligionist

The RCS-Dem dataset reports estimates of religious demographics, both country by country and region by region. RCS was created to fulfill the unmet need for a dataset on the religious dimensions of countries of the world, with the state-year as the unit of observation. It covers 220 independent states, 26 selected substate entities, and 41 geographically separated dependencies, for every year from 2015 back to 1900 and often 1800 (more than 42,000 state-years). It estimates populations and percentages of adherents of 100 religious denominations including second level subdivisions within Christianity and Islam, along with several complex categories such as 'Western Christianity.' RCS is designed for easy merger with datasets of the Correlates of War and Polity projects, datasets by the United Nations, the Religion And State datasets by Jonathan Fox, and the ARDA national profiles.