Lifestyle

Religions With The Highest Population

Published

2 years ago

2023/02/26

By Balogun Kamilu Lekan

Religion has been a significant aspect of human society since ancient times, crucial in shaping culture, traditions, and values. Approximately 85% of the world’s population identifies with a particular religion.

Below is a list of the religion with the highest population

1. Christianity

Christianity is the largest religion globally, with around 2.4 billion followers worldwide. The United States, Brazil, and Mexico have the most practicing Christians. While Christianity has spread worldwide, it has become less concentrated in Europe, and its distribution is more even across the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

2. Islam

Islam is the predominant religion in the Middle East and Northern Africa, but countries in Asia have the highest percentage of practicing Muslims globally. With a median age of 24, Muslims are poised for significant population growth. Islam is projected to be the fastest-growing major religion in the world, with the number of adherents expected to increase by 70%, from 1.8 billion in 2015 to almost 3 billion in 2060.

3. Hinduism

Hinduism is the third-largest religion worldwide, with approximately 1.2 billion population (15-16% of the world’s population). Despite this vast population, it is only dominant in three countries: India with 79%, Nepal with 80%, and Mauritius with 48%. Nevertheless, Hinduism has a notable global presence, with significant populations in regions such as the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, North America, and South America.

4. Unaffiliated

The faiths that fall under this category include atheists, agnostics, and people who do not identify with any religion.

By 2050, the unaffiliated population is expected to exceed 1.2 billion. But, as a share of all the people in the world, those with no religion

The religiously unaffiliated number is 1.1 billion, accounting for about one-in-six (16%) people worldwide.

5. Jew

Although Jews have historically been found worldwide, the Jewish population is now highly concentrated geographically. More than 80% of all Jews reside in the United States and Israel. Their population is estimated at 15 million all over the world.

Israel is the only country where Jews constitute a majority, with 76% of the population practicing Judaism.

6. Buddhism

There are about 488 million Buddhists worldwide. Estimates suggest that China is home to around half of the world’s Buddhist population, but they account for only 18% of the country’s populace. Most of the remaining Buddhists live in East and South Asia, with 13% residing in Thailand, where Buddhism is the religion of 93% of the population.

7. Folk Religion

Traditional folk religions, also referred to as traditional religions, folk religions, or indigenous religions, have a following of over 400 million people across the globe, approximately about 6% of the world’s total population.

Their beliefs are typically linked to a specific community, culture, or ethnic group and may not follow established doctrines or written scriptures.