List of religious populations
![]() | This article possibly contains original research. (September 2007) |
![]() | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (April 2010) |
These are lists of religious demographics and religions by country.
Four largest religions
Four largest religions | Adherents | % of World Population | Wikipage |
---|---|---|---|
World Population | 6.8 billion [11] | Figure used by individual articles | |
Christianity | 1.9 billion - 2.1 billion [12] | 29% - 32% | Christianity by country |
Islam | 1.3 billion - 1.57 billion [13] | 19% - 21% | Islam by country |
Buddhism | 500 million - 1.5 billion [14] | 7% - 21% | Buddhism by country |
Hinduism | 950 million - 1 billion [15] | 14% - 20% | Hinduism by country |
Total | 4.65 billion - 6.17 billion | 68.38% - 90.73% |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Muslim_distribution.png/400px-Muslim_distribution.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Buddhist_distribution.png/400px-Buddhist_distribution.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Hindu_distribution.png/400px-Hindu_distribution.png)
The table above is compiled from the relevant Wikipedia pages listing Religions by Country. Please note that although figures are an approximation there are many sources. Please see individual pages (Linked in Table) for details.
The numbers of adherents to organised religions in the world is difficult to accurately ascertain. Therefore figures and estimates are included from multiple sources to show the reader the problem in compiling such statistics.
Adherents.com estimates
Adherents.com says "Sizes shown are approximate estimates, and are here mainly for the purpose of ordering the groups, not providing a definitive number."
Religion | Adherents |
---|---|
Christianity | 2.1 billion |
Islam | 1.5 billion |
Irreligious/agnostic/atheism | 1.1 billion |
Hinduism | 900 million |
Chinese traditional religion | 394 million |
Buddhism | 376 million |
Animist religions | 300 million |
African traditional/diasporic religions | 100 million |
Sikhism | 23 million |
Juche | 19 million |
Spiritism | 15 million |
Judaism | 14 million |
Baha'i | 7 million |
Jainism | 4.2 million |
Shinto | 4 million |
Cao Dai | 4 million |
Zoroastrianism | 2.6 million |
Tenrikyo | 2 million |
Neo-Paganism | 1 million |
Unitarian Universalism | 800,000 |
Rastafari Movement | 600,000 |
Notes
- These figures may incorporate populations of secular/nominal adherents as well as syncretist worshipers, although the concept of syncretism is disputed by some.
- For Eastern religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto or animism etc., people often have religions which are a mix of belief systems. This leads to the unusually large uncertainty in the calculations for Buddhism. The lower number of approximately 400 million represents traditional Buddhists (have taken refuge in the Three Jewels, those following all of the precepts of Buddhisim laid down by the Buddha,) whereas the larger number of 1.5 billion includes "natural Buddhists" (as well as secular/nominal Buddhists), lacking specific ceremony, as long as they do not profess belief in another religion. Main article: Buddhism by country.[1][2]
- It is hard to accurately report the actual number of adherents of Judaism as there are Jews that do not practice the religion that may be under the secular/irreligious category even though they are fully Jewish.
- Over 20 percent of the world's population does not claim any allegiance to a religion, consisting of atheists, humanists and agnostics. According to Adherents.com[3], nonbelievers in god as a group, come in fourth place after Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism in terms of global ranking of commonly-held belief systems[4]
- Chinese traditional religion is described as "the common religion of the majority Chinese culture: a combination of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, as well as the traditional non-scriptural/local practices and beliefs."
World Christian Encyclopedia
Religions or beliefs with over 5 million adherents.[5]
Religion | Population | Religious text | Type | Holy city | Founded | Afterlife |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christianity | 2.1 billion | Bible | Abrahamic | Vatican City | Israel , 1st century | Eternal hell, heaven and temporal purgatory |
Islam | 1.4 billion | Quran | Abrahamic | Mecca. | Saudi Arabia , around 610 | Eternal hell and heaven |
Irreligious/atheism | 1 billion | none | N/A | none | N/A | none |
Hinduism | 900 million | Vedas | Dharmic | Varanasi | Around 1700–1100 BCE, North India | Reincarnation until enlightenment |
Buddhism | 600 million | Tripiṭaka | Dharmic | Bodh Gaya | 5th century BCE, Nepal | Reincarnation without a soul |
Traditional religion/Animism | 300 million | |||||
Chinese folk religion | 300 million | Taoic | ||||
Deism | 200 million | none | n/a | none | n/a | none |
Sikhism | 25 million | Guru Granth Sahib | Dharmic | Amritsar | Around 1490, Punjab | Reincarnation until karma |
Spiritism | 18 million | |||||
Judaism | 17 million | Torah, | Abrahamic | Jerusalem | Around 1500 BCE | Symbolic heaven and hell |
Bahá'í | 9 million | Aqdas | Abrahamic | Acre | Iran , in 1844 | Symbolic heaven and hell |
Shinto | 8 million | Taoic | Japan | |||
Wicca or Neopaganism | unknown |
- Chinese Folk Religion consists of Taoism and Confucianism.
- The Irreligious section includes Humanism, Agnosticism, freethinkers, brights and others who hold a naturalistic worldview.
- Christianity includes Orthodox Christianity, Catholic Church and Protestantism
- Islam includes Shia Islam, Sufism and Sunni Islam
- Buddhism includes Theravada, Mahayana
- Hinduism includes Vaishnavites and Shaivites
Other estimates
Religions or beliefs with at least 0.5 million adherents. The counts presented in the list below are current estimates of the number of people who have at least a minimal level of self-identification as adherents of the religion. Levels of participation vary within all groups. These numbers tend toward the high end of reasonable worldwide estimates.
Religion | Population |
---|---|
Christianity | 2.1 billion[6] |
Islam | 1.57 billion[7] |
Buddhism | 1500 million[8] |
Hinduism | 1 billion[9] |
Irreligious/deism/atheism | 0.9 billion[10] |
Traditional religion/Animism/Shamanism/Ethnoreligion | 457 million[11] |
Chinese folk religion | 400 million[12] |
Sikhism | 25 million |
Juche | 23 million (all of the population of North Korea as well as a minority in India) |
Spiritism | 18 million |
Judaism | 13.1 million[13] |
Bahá'í | 7 million[14][15] |
Cao Dai | 7-8 million[16] |
Jainism | 4.2 million[17] |
Shinto | 2.7 million[18] |
Tenrikyo | 2.35 million[19] |
Zoroastrianism | |
Hoa Hao | 2 million[20] |
Wicca or Neopaganism | |
Unitarian Universalism | 1 million |
Sekai Kyuseikyo | 1 million[21] |
Rastafari movement | 0.8 million[22] |
Scientology | 0.5 million[citation needed] |
By proportion
Christians
Countries with the greatest proportion of Christians from Christianity by country (as of 2008):
Vatican City 100% (100% Roman Catholic)
Guatemala ~ 100%[23][24] (55% Roman Catholic and 33% Protestants)
Micronesia ~100%[25]
Samoa ~100%[26]
Panama ~ 100%[27]
Romania 99%[28]
East Timor 99%[29][30] (90% Roman Catholic)
Bolivia 98.1%[31][32] (95% Roman Catholic)
Venezuela 98%[33] (mostly Roman Catholic)
Marshall Islands 97.2%[34]
Peru 97.1%[35]
Paraguay 96.9%[36] (mostly Roman Catholic)
Papua New Guinea 96.4%[37]
Kiribati 96%[38]
Angola +95%[39]
Barbados +95%[40]
Cyprus 95%[41](mostly Greek Orthodox)
Mexico 95%[42] (mostly Roman Catholic)
Malta 95%[43]
Muslims
Countries with the greatest proportion of Muslims from Islam by country (as of 2008):
Yemen 99.9% (65-70% Sunni, 30-35% Shi'a)
Mauritania 99.9% (mostly Sunni)
Somalia 99.9% (mostly Sunni)
Western Sahara 99.8% (mostly Sunni)
Maldives 99.33% (mostly Sunni)
Oman 99% (mostly Ibadhi)[44]
Djibouti +99% (mostly Sunni)[45]
Comoros 99% (mostly Sunni)
Afghanistan 99% (80% Sunni, 19% Shi'a)
Tunisia 99% (mostly Sunni)
Algeria 99% (mostly Sunni)
Turkey 99% (85% Sunni, 15% Alevis)
Morocco 98.7% (mostly Sunni)
Niger +98% (95% Sunni)[46]
Iran 98% (mostly Shi'a)
Pakistan 97%[47] (75-80% Sunni, 20-25% Shi'a)[48]
Iraq 97% (60-65% Shi'a, 32-37% Sunni)
Libya 97%
Tajikistan 97%[49]
Remarks: Although Islam is the state religion of most Middle Eastern countries,this list excludes Saudi Arabia where 100% of national citizens are Muslims[50], because there is a substantial number of non-Muslim residents there (mostly Hindu and Christian; as well as Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish minorities). So the total Muslim population in Saudi Arabia is around 25 million (20 million native Saudi citizens with 1.5 million Bangladeshis, 1 million Pakistanis, 1 million Egyptians, 600,000 Indonesians, 250,000 Palestinians, and significant Muslim numbers among 1.6 million Indians, 150,000 Lebanese, as well as 100,000 Eritreans) or only about 90% of the total population[51]. Some other Persian Gulf countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab Emirates are also excluded due to their large number of non-Muslim foreign immigrants.
Buddhists
Countries with the greatest proportion of Buddhists (included other folk religions) from Buddhism by country (as of 2008):
Laos 98% (67% practicing)[52][53] (67% Theravada with 31% traditional animist.)
Cambodia 96%[54] (Theravada, Muslim 3%, Christian and other 2%)
Mongolia 96% (50% practicing)[55] (Tibetan Buddhism, Muslim 3%, Christian and other 1%)
Thailand 94.6%[56] (Theravada, Muslim 4%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.3%)
Japan 93.8%[57](Shinto with Mahayana)(20% to 45% believe in Buddha[58])
Taiwan 93% (35% practicing)[59] ("Triple religion", Christian 4%, other 2%)
Hong Kong 90% (10% practicing)[60] ("Triple religion", Christian and others 7%)
Burma 89% (Theravada, Christian 4%, Muslim 4%, Animism or other 2%) [61]
Vietnam 85% (15% practicing)("Triple religion", Christian 7%, Cao Dai 3%, other 3%)
Macau 85% (17%[62] practicing) ("Triple religion", Christian 6%, Atheist or other 3%)
China 80% (8% practicing) (Triple religion, Atheist 10.5%, Christian 4%, Muslim 1.5%)
Bhutan 75%[63] (Lamaistic, Hindu 25%)
Christmas Island 75% (Triple religion, Christian 12%, Muslim 10%, other 3%)
Sri Lanka 70%[64] (Theravada, Hindu 15%, Christian 7%, Muslim 7%)
North Korea 67% (5% practicing) (Mahayana with Confucianist, over 90% influenced by Juche[65])
Singapore 51%[66] (40% practicing) ("Triple religion", Muslim 14.9%, Christian 14.6%, Hindu 4%, other)
Malaysia 23% (Muslim 60.3%, "Triple religion", Christian 9%, Hindu 6%, other 1.7%)
South Korea 22.8%[67][68](Mahayana with Confucianist, Christian 29%, other)
Brunei 15% (Muslim 67%, "Triple religion", Christian 10%, other 8%)
Nepal 11.4% (Hindu 80.6%, Tibetian Buddhist, Muslim 4%, other 4%)
Remarks: "Triple religion" (or "Chinese-Mahayana Buddhism" or "Far East Asian Buddhism") is the mixture of Mahayana Buddhism, with Taoism and Confucianism. Because officially Communist governments that often forcibly suppressed religious expressions still rule a number of traditionally Buddhist countries, and because Buddhists often practice other traditional East Asian religions, the figures could be much higher in these regions. Mahayana Buddhism in Far East Asian countries has a very wide meaning. That is why in such countries as China, Japan, Vietnam, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, the three religions of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are often all considered at once. This is referred to as a "Triple religion", with Gautama Buddha in the center, Laozi in the left, and Confucius in the right. In some regions, such as Japan, belief systems vary with differing emphasis on Shintoism, as well as Ancestor Worship. As such, the Buddhist population is difficult to gauge exactly, but is often nominal. The lesser percentage given is a number of Buddhists who have taken the formal step of going for refuge. And the wider percentage given are informal/nominal adherents of combined Buddhism with its related religions.
In India the scheduled caste and scheduled Tribes(SC/ST) people are mostly accepted Buddhist religion,but due to some reason they are still counting as Hindu by authorities.this people are around 24 cores.so the Buddhist population in India rises.[69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76]. See Buddhism by country and Irreligion.
Hindus
Countries with the greatest proportion of Hindus from Hinduism by country (as of 2008):
Nepal 80.6%[77]
India 80.5%
Mauritius 54%[78]
Guyana 28%[79]
Fiji 27.9%[80]
Bhutan 25%[81]
Trinidad and Tobago 22.5%
Suriname 20%[82]
Bangladesh 9%[83]
Qatar 7.2%
Sri Lanka 7%
Réunion 6.7%
Malaysia 6.3%[84]
Bahrain 6.25%
Kuwait 6%
United Arab Emirates 5%
Singapore 4%
Oman 3%
Belize 2.3%
Seychelles 2.1%[85]
Jews
Countries with the greatest proportion of Jews (as of 2007):
Israel 76.2%
Palestinian territories 11.09%
Monaco 3%
United States 2.5%
Gibraltar 2.1%
Cayman Islands 1.71%
Netherlands Antilles 1.3%
Canada 1.1%
France 1%
Belarus 1%
Argentina 0.8%
Hungary 0.8%
Uruguay 0.75%
Russia 0.5%
United Kingdom 0.5%
Australia 0.45%
Netherlands 0.3%
Germany 0.25%
Georgia 0.22%
Bahá'ís
Countries with the greatest proportion of Bahá'ís (as of 2000):
Nauru 9.22%
Tonga 6.09%
Tuvalu 5.86%
Kiribati 4.70%
Tokelau 4.33%
Cocos (Keeling) Islands 3.72%
Bolivia 3.25%
Falkland Islands 2.98%
Vanuatu 2.78%
Belize 2.73%
Samoa 2.37%
Guyana 2.09%
United Arab Emirates 1.95%
São Tomé and Príncipe 1.88%
Mauritius 1.84%
Zambia 1.70%
Dominica 1.61%
Micronesia 1.61%
Niue 1.53%
Marshall Islands 1.50%
Sources: Year 2000 Estimated Baha'i statistics from: David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, 2000; Total population statistics, mid-2000 from Population Reference Bureau [16] and The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2004.
Irreligious & Atheist
Countries with the greatest proportion of people without religion (including Agnostics and Atheists) (as of 2007):
Sweden 46-85% (65.5%)
Japan 64–80%[86] (72%)
Denmark 43-80% (61.5%)
Estonia 49-76% (62.5%)
Norway 31–72% (51.5%)
Czech Republic 54–61% (57.5%)
Macau 60.9%[87]
Finland 28–60%
Hong Kong 57%[88]
Netherlands 39-55% (47%)
Germany 55%[89][90]
France 43-54% (48.5%)
South Korea 30-52% (41%)
Russia [91] 13–48%% (30.5%)
Hungary 32-46% (39%)
United Kingdom 31–44% (37.5%)
Belgium 35-43% (38.75%)
Bulgaria 30-40% (33.5%)
Slovenia 30-38% (33.25%)
New Zealand 34.7%[92]
Note: The estimates of the number of atheists in North Korea, China, Vietnam and other Communist countries may be unreliable. The people in these three nations live under Communist governments which have traditionally suppressed religious freedom and officially (often forcibly) endorsed atheism. Communist countries may or may not make it to the Top 20 most Irreligious countries
By population
Christians
Largest Christian populations (as of 2007):
United States 234,889,159
Brazil 169,109,476
China 104,505,105
Mexico 103,265,846
Russia 100,964,426
Philippines 84,246,490
Nigeria 62,068,098
Congo DR 59,176,360
Germany 56,032,677
Italy 55,216,284
Ethiopia 47,131,322
United Kingdom 43,515,786
Ukraine 42,572,167
Colombia 41,938,720
Spain 38,021,300
Argentina 37,883,811
Poland 36,977,511
South Africa 35,066,269
France 32,496,275
Kenya 28,792,702
Muslims
Largest Muslim populations (as of 2007):
Indonesia 207,000,105
Pakistan 159,799,666
India 151,402,065
Bangladesh 132,446,365
Egypt 72,301,532
Turkey 70,047,060
Nigeria 67,515,582
Iran 64,089,571
Morocco 33,723,418
Algeria 32,999,884
Afghanistan 31,571,023
Sudan 27,565,551
Iraq 26,674,649
Ethiopia 25,095,899
Saudi Arabia 24,564,924
Uzbekistan 24,446,452
Yemen 22,008,225
China 19,827,778
Russia 19,792,885
Syria 17,383,272
Buddhists
Largest Buddhist populations (as of 2007):
China 105,748,151 - 1,057,481,510
Japan 25,486,699 - 57,336,154
Vietnam 13,641,977 - 72,473,003
Thailand 61,814,742
Myanmar 42,636,562
South Korea 11,427,436 - 24,522,395
Taiwan 8,000,605 - 21,258,751
India 16,947,992
North Korea 466,035 - 15,029,613
Sri Lanka 14,648,421
Cambodia 13,296,109
Laos 4,369,739 - 6,391,558
Hong Kong 705,022 - 6,282,371
United States 2,107,980 - 6,022,799
Malaysia 5,460,683
Nepal 3,179,197
Singapore 1,935,029 - 2,781,888
Mongolia 1,475,893 - 2,774,679
Indonesia 2,346,940
Philippines 2,276,932
Hindus
Largest Hindu populations (as of 2007):
India 930,542,254
Nepal 25,010,450
Bangladesh 15,797,076
Indonesia 4,693,880
Pakistan 3,327,787
Sri Lanka 3,138,947
Malaysia 1,563,741
United States 1,204,560
United Arab Emirates 944,352
Mauritius 625,441
United Kingdom 607,762
South Africa 549,973
Kenya 369,137
Tanzania 354,458
Canada 333,901
Fiji 303,163
Kuwait 300,667
Guyana 253,801
Trinidad and Tobago 237,737
Singapore 262,120
Jews
Largest Jewish populations (as of 2007):
United States 6,214,247
Israel 5,278,274
Russia 753,382
France 636,303
Canada 414,283
United Kingdom 306,876
Germany 210,977
Argentina 202,538
Ukraine 149,602
Australia 94,978
Brazil 93,290
South Africa 88,994
Belarus 67,823
Hungary 60,180
Mexico 54,350
Spain 54,073
Belgium 52,285
Netherlands 32,780
Italy 30,728
Uruguay 30,060
Bahá'ís
Largest Bahá'í populations (as of 2005):[93]
India 1,823,631
United States 456,767
Vietnam 376,328
Kenya 368,095
Congo DR 252,159
Philippines 247,499
Zambia 224,763
South Africa 213,651
Iran 212,272
Bolivia 206,029
Tanzania 163,772
Venezuela 155,907
Chad 84,276
Pakistan 79,461
Myanmar 78,967
Uganda 78,541
Malaysia 71,203
Colombia 68,441
Thailand 58,208
UAE 51,744
"Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
Lists by country
- Religions by country
- Bahá'í Faith by country
- Buddhism by country
- Christianity by country
- Hinduism by country
- Islam by country
- Judaism by country
See also
- World population
- Religion
- Irreligion
- Jewish population
- List of founders of religious traditions
- Bahá'í statistics
Notes
- ^ Vipassana Foundation - Buddhists around the world
- ^ "Counting the Buddhist World Fairly," by Dr. Alex Smith
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html#Nonreligious
- ^ www.worldchristiandatabase.org
- ^ The 2001 edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia stated there were 2.1 billion Christians in the world
- ^ http://pewforum.org/Mapping-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/forum/story/2008/03/080323_tibet_analysis.shtml
- ^ http://submit.thinkquest.org/TQ0013320/hfund.html
- ^ For the year 2000, David B. Barrett (Encyclopedia Britannica and World Christian Encyclopedia, 2001) classified 150,089,508 (2.5% of world's population) as atheists, and 768,158,954 people as "Nonreligious" (12.7% of the world) for a total of 918,248,462 (15.2% of the world).
- ^ 457 million is the combined total for "Ethnoreligionists," "Animists," and "Shamanists" from Barrett's 2001 world religion calculations
- ^ http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=468&Itemid=206
- ^ The American Jewish Year Book published in 2000 by the American Jewish Committee, reports there are currently 5.7 million Jews in the United States, 362,000 in Canada, and 13,191,500 worldwide
- ^ Barrett, David B. World Christian Encyclopedia (2001)
- ^ http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_63.html
- ^ http://www.religioustolerance.org/caodaism.htm
- ^ Indian Census
- ^ World Almanac and Book of Facts 2000. Mahwah, NJ: PRIMEDIA Reference Inc. (1999). [Source: 1999 Encyc. Britannica Book of the Year]; pg. 695.
- ^ http://www.letusreason.org/Cults6.htm
- ^ http://www.adherents.com/Na/Na_314.html#1887
- ^ Clarke, Peter B. (editor), The Religions of the World: Understanding the Living Faiths, Marshall Editions Limited: USA (1993); pg. 208. "Sekai Kyuseikyo has about one million members, a growing number of them in the west and the third world, especially Brazil and Thailand. "
- ^ Leonard E. Barrett, author of The Rastafarians, estimates there are 800,000 Rastas worldwide
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51641.htm
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gt.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127279.htm
- ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Samoa. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (September 14, 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127399.htm
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ro.html
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tt.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108426.htm
- ^ http://www.ine.gov.bo/pdf/boletin/NP_2002_65.pdf
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51628.htm
- ^ The World Factbook, (2007), Field Listing - Religions Accessed 30 June 2008.
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127278.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127401.htm
- ^ "US Department of State - Paraguay - International Religious Freedom Report 2005". Retrieved 2007-06-03.
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pp.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127273.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127216.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127378.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127305.htm
- ^ http://www.inegi.gob.mx/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/censos/poblacion/2000/definitivos/Nal/tabulados/00re01.pdf
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127324.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127355.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127229.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127248.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127370.htm
- ^ http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/pco/statistics/other_tables/pop_by_religion.pdf
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127372.htm
- ^ CIA - The World factbook -- Saudi Arabia
- ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2008 - Saudi Arabia
- ^ (67% Buddhist according to a 2005 census) taken in 2009 at September 9 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/la.html
- ^ Zickgraf, Ralph. Laos (series: Major World Nations). Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 9-10.
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71350.htm
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/th.html
- ^ The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs [2]
CIA - The World Factbook -- Japan: Religions
state.gov Of citizens who claimed a faith, 51 percent were Shinto, 44 percent were Buddhist and 1 percent was Christian. Shintoism and Buddhism are not mutually exclusive and most Shinto and Buddhist believers follow both faiths
What is Japan Buddhist Federation? [3]
Things Japanese - Zen Buddhism by the Yamasa Institute, Okazaki, Japan [4] - ^
Only one in five Japanese claim a belief in God [5]
"35.8% Buddhist [6]
polls show two-thirds profess no religion [7]
Basic Facts Christianity in Japan at a Glance (1998). 1996, 1997, 1998 Paul Tsuchido Shew
70 percent profess no religious membership [8]
According to Demerath (2001:138), 64% do not believe in God and 55% do not believe in Buddha, [9] - ^ [with more than 75% identifying themselves as Buddhists or Taoists]http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35855.htm
- ^ "CIA Factbook – Hong Kong". Cia.gov. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
- ^ "Burma—International Religious Freedom Report 2009". U.S. Department of State. 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
- ^ "Background Note: Macau Profile". U.S. State Department. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127364.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127371.htm
- ^ http://www.adherents.com/largecom/Juche.html
- ^ [10]
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127275.htm
- ^ state.gov, About Korea - Religion,Every Culture - South Koreans, Every Culture - Culture of SOUTH KOREA
- ^ National Geographic
- ^ Oproject
- ^ Maps of War- History of Religion
- ^ Thing Quest
- ^ Wads Worth
- ^ Worth - Religions in Asia
- ^ Britannica
- ^ The Range of Religious Freedom
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127369.htm
- ^ Dostert, Pierre Etienne. Africa 1997 (The World Today Series). Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: Stryker-Post Publications (1997), pg. 162.
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gy.html
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fj.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127364.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127405.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127363.htm
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/my.html
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/se.html
- ^ http://www.thomsontimes.com/Facts_About_Japan.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51509.htm
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127268.htm#hong_kong
- ^ "God is Dead " wrote German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche in the late 19th century. Today, for the first time in history, most Germans believe him. According to a poll by Der Spiegel magazine, only 45% believe in God, and just a quarter in Jesus Christ.
- ^ http://www.adherents.com/adhloc/Wh_112.html
- ^ http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2009/127333.htm
- ^ http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2006CensusHomePage/QuickStats/quickstats-about-a-subject/culture-and-identity/religious-affiliation.aspx
- ^ "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
References
- International Religious Freedom Report 2007 of U.S. Department of State
- Background Notes of U.S. Department of State
- The World Factbook of CIA
- Adherents.com
- Religious Freedom page
- Religious Intelligence
- World Statesmen
- BBC News - Muslims in Europe: Country guide
- Vipassana Foundation - Buddhists around the world
- Hierarchy - Statistics of Catholic population by country