Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Newsletters Press Donate My Account Contacted By Us?
Pew Research Center Logo

Read our research on: Gun Policy | International Conflict | Election 2024

Pew Research Center Logo
Research Topics
All PublicationsMethodsShort ReadsTools & ResourcesExpertsAbout
Topics
Politics & PolicyInternational AffairsImmigration & MigrationRace & EthnicityReligionAge & GenerationsGender & LGBTQ
Family & RelationshipsEconomy & WorkScienceInternet & TechnologyNews Habits & MediaMethodological ResearchFull topic list
Regions & Countries
Asia & the PacificEurope & RussiaLatin AmericaMiddle East & North AfricaNorth AmericaSub-Saharan AfricaMultiple Regions / Worldwide
Formats
FeaturesFact SheetsVideosData Essays
Research Topics
Topics
Politics & PolicyInternational AffairsImmigration & MigrationRace & EthnicityReligionAge & GenerationsGender & LGBTQFamily & RelationshipsEconomy & WorkScienceInternet & TechnologyNews Habits & MediaMethodological ResearchFull topic list
Regions & Countries
Asia & the PacificEurope & RussiaLatin AmericaMiddle East & North AfricaNorth AmericaSub-Saharan AfricaMultiple Regions / Worldwide
Formats
FeaturesFact SheetsVideosData Essays
All PublicationsMethodsShort ReadsTools & ResourcesExpertsAboutNewslettersPressMy AccountContacted By Us?
DONATE

Read our research on: Gun Policy | International Conflict | Election 2024

Home Research Topics Religion Religious Demographics Size & Demographic Characteristics of Religious Groups
Pew Research CenterMarch 31, 2017
The Changing Global Religious Landscape

Christians are the largest religious group in 2015

← Prev Page
Page1Page2Page3Page4Page5Page6You are reading page7Page8Page9Page10
Next Page →
Christians are the largest religious group in 2015

Post Infographics

The Changing Global Religious Landscape
Estimated shares of births and deaths
Muslims projected to be fastest-growing major religious group
Only Muslims and Christians are expected to have increasing number of births; all groups expected to have rising number of deaths due to population aging
Estimated shares of births and deaths
Projected change in global population, 2015-2060
Muslims and Christians have more children per woman than other religious groups
Christians are the largest religious group in 2015
The majority of the global unaffiliated population lives in Asia and the Pacific
Muslims and Hindus are the youngest religious populations
Babies born to Muslims will begin to outnumber Christian births by 2035
With wide gulf between births and deaths, Muslims saw more growth than any other religious group due to natural population increase between 2010-2015
Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where births expected to increasingly outnumber deaths among Christians
Muslims population growth is expected to slow down in Asia-Pacific and speed up in sub-Saharan Africa
By 2030, more deaths than births among the unaffiliated in the Asia-Pacific, where majority reside
Ranks of unaffiliated are expected to grow due to religious switching
Religiously affiliated women are younger and have more children than religiously unaffiliated women
Unaffiliated population shares and projected natural increase by region, 2010-2060
Muslim population shares and projected natural increase by region, 2010-2060
Christian population shares and projected natural increase by region, 2010-2060
Natural increase by religion, 2010-2015
Young adults and the religiously unaffiliated among most likely to think people with no religion will be the largest group in 2050
Most predict global growth of religious ‘nones’ in coming decades
About half of Americans know that Christians are largest global religious group
Size and projected growth of major religious groups, 2015-2060
Most religious population change between 2010 and 2015 came from natural increase (births minus deaths)
Growing shares of Christians and Muslims expected to live in sub-Saharan Africa
Among Christians, deaths exceeded births in 24 of 42 countries, 2010-2015
In many European countries, unaffiliated births exceeded deaths 2010-2015
Young adults and the religiously unaffiliated among most likely to think people with no religion will be the largest group in 2050

Pew Research Center
1615 L St. NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
USA
(+1) 202-419-4300 | Main
(+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax
(+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries

Research Topics
Politics & PolicyInternational AffairsImmigration & MigrationRace & EthnicityReligionAge & GenerationsGender & LGBTQ
Family & RelationshipsEconomy & WorkScienceInternet & TechnologyNews Habits & MediaMethodological ResearchFull topic list
Follow Us
Email Newsletters Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube RSS

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center About Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Cookie Settings Reprints, Permissions & Use Policy Feedback Careers