Multiple Regions / Worldwide

The most common kinds of government restrictions on religion in 2021 included harassment of religious groups and interference in worship.

In 2021, government restrictions on religion – laws, policies and actions by state officials that limit religious beliefs and practices – reached a new peak globally. Harassment of religious groups and interference in worship were two of the most common forms of government restrictions worldwide that year.

For more than a decade, Pew Research Center has been tracking global patterns in restrictions on religion – both those imposed by governments and hostilities committed by individuals and social groups.

The share of the public that supports authoritarian systems ranges from 85% in India to 8% in Sweden.

A 24-country survey finds a median of 59% are dissatisfied with how their democracy is functioning, and 74% think elected officials don’t care what people like them think.

Across 27 countries surveyed, people generally see social media as more of a good thing than a bad thing for democracy.

Around eight-in-ten adults in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam say both men and women should be primarily responsible for earning money.

74% of Americans view the war between Russia and Ukraine as important to U.S. national interests – with 43% describing it as very important.

The U.S. Border Patrol had nearly 250,000 encounters with migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico in December 2023.

In most countries surveyed, around nine-in-ten or more adults are online. In South Korea, 99% of adults use the internet.