Demography of Faith

Understanding The Global Religious Realignment

- 

The global religious landscape has been changing repeatedly over time.

There has been a consistent demographic shift affecting all religions across continents. However, the most striking fact, much to my amusement, is the steady rise in the number of religiously unaffiliated people. Across the world, this segment of the population has increased remarkably, while other major religions have experienced growth or decline in varying degrees. The significant upward momentum of the religiously unaffiliated population sends a stark reminder to major global religions. A Pew Research Survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre highlights these changes, showing how the decade between 2010 and 2020 witnessed a drastic shift in religious demography. Islam has emerged as the fastest-growing religion, while Christianity and other major religions have also experienced upward movement.

During this period, Muslims increased by 347 million. Christians also grew by 122 million believers worldwide, but their growth did not match the rapid pace of the Muslims. Christians remain the largest religious group, accounting for 28.8 percent of the global population, while Muslims represent 25.6 percent.

The survey reports that Buddhists have experienced a notable decline, dropping to 4.1 percent of the global population, a decrease of 0.8 percent from a decade earlier. The religiously unaffiliated have become the third-largest group, holding 24.2 percent of the global population. Hindus have maintained relative stability, recording a modest increase and contributing 14.9 percent of the global population. Largely concentrated in India, Hindus have remained resilient despite social and global challenges.