A new global survey by the Pew Research Center has revealed a significant demographic shift in religious affiliation across the world, with the number of Christian-majority countries declining over the past decade. The report attributes this shift primarily to people leaving the Christian faith, often without converting to another religion.
According to the survey, the number of countries and territories where Christians form a majority has dropped from 124 in 2010 to 120 in 2020. Despite the decline, Christianity remains the most widespread religion globally, maintaining majority status in approximately 60% of the world’s 201 nations.
However, several prominent Western countries have seen a reversal in religious demographics. Britain, France, and Australia no longer have a Christian majority, with the proportion of those identifying as atheists or religiously unaffiliated rising sharply. In these countries, no religious group now forms a clear majority.
The most notable shift in the Americas has been in Uruguay, which has become the region’s only non-Christian-majority country. The Christian population in Uruguay has dropped to 44%, while 52% of its citizens now identify with no religion. Globally, the number of countries where non-religious individuals form the largest group rose from seven in 2010 to ten in 2020.
The report also highlights the stability in Muslim-majority nations. The number of countries where Muslims form the majority has remained constant at 53 over the last decade.
In contrast, Hindu-majority countries remain limited to just two: India and Nepal. India alone is home to nearly 95% of the world’s Hindus, who represent about 15% of the global population. While Hindus form the largest religious group in Mauritius, they do not constitute a majority there.
The Pew report further noted that the number of Buddhist-majority countries stands at seven, while Israel remains the world’s only Jewish-majority nation.
The survey points to increasing secularisation, demographic transitions, and religious switching as key factors behind the shifts in religious composition across multiple regions.
(With inputs from India.com)
