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List of countries by irreligion

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Nonreligious population by country, 2010.[1]

Irreligion, which may include deism, agnosticism, ignosticism, anti-religion, atheism, skepticism, ietsism, spiritual but not religious, freethought, anti-theism, apatheism, non-belief, pandeism, secular humanism, non-religious theism, pantheism, panentheism, and New Age, varies in the countries around the world. According to reports from the Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International Association's (WIN/GIA) four global polls: in 2005, 77% were a religious person and 4% were "convinced atheists"; in 2012, 23% were not a religious person and 13% were "convinced atheists";[2] in 2015, 22% were not a religious person and 11% were "convinced atheists";[3] and in 2017, 25% were not a religious person and 9% were "convinced atheists".[4] According to the Pew Research Centre in 2012, 16% of the world is "religiously unaffiliated", which "include atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion in surveys"; of that overall category, many may still hold some religious beliefs and some engage in religious practices as well.[5]

According to sociologist Phil Zuckerman, broad estimates of those who have an absence of belief in a god range from 500 to 750 million people worldwide.[6] According to sociologists Ariela Keysar and Juhem Navarro-Rivera's review of numerous global studies on atheism, there are 450 to 500 million positive atheists and agnostics worldwide (7% of the world's population) with China alone accounting for 200 million of that demographic.[7] Relative to its own populations, Zuckerman ranks the top 5 countries with the highest possible ranges of agnostics and atheists: Sweden (46–85%), Vietnam (81%), Denmark (43–80%), Norway (31–72%), and Japan (64–65%).[8][9] A 2023 Gallup International survey found that Sweden was the country with the highest percentage of citizens that stated they do not believe in a god.[10]

Differences in questions asked in polls[edit]

Each poll uses different questions and methods:-

The numbers come from different years, and might not be accurate for countries with governments that require or urge religion or secularism.

Countries and regions[edit]

The Pew Research Centre data in the table below reflects "religiously unaffiliated" which "include atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion in surveys".

The WIN-Gallup International Association (WIN/GIA) poll results below are the totals for "not a religious person" (regardless of whether they had some religious affiliation) and "a convinced atheist" combined.

  • Keysar et al. have advised caution with WIN/Gallup International figures since more extensive surveys which have used the same wording for decades and have bigger sample sizes, have consistently reached lower figures than the numbers in the table below. For example, the WIN/GIA numbers from China were overestimated which in turn inflated global totals.[7]

The Zuckerman data on the table below only reflect the number of people who have an absence of belief in a deity only (atheists, agnostics). Does not include the broader number of people who do not identify with a religion such as deists, spiritual but not religious, pantheists, New Age spiritualism, etc.

Pew WIN/GIA Dentsu Zuckerman
Country or region (2012)[11] (2017)[12] (2015)[3] (2012)[13][14] (2006)[15] (2004)[6]
 Afghanistan (details) < 0.1% 9% 15%
 Albanien (details) 1.4% 39% 8%
 Argentinien 12.2% 34% 20% 26% 13% 4–8%
 Armenien 1.3% 6% 5% 5% 34%
 Australien (details) 24.2% 63% 58% 58% 24–25%
 Österreich 13.5% 53% 54% 53% 12% 18–26%
 Aserbaidschan (details) < 0.1% 64% 54% 51%
 Bangladesch (details) < 0.1% 19% 5%
 Weißrussland 28.6% 48% 17%
 Belgien (details) 29% 64% 48% 34% 35% 42–43%
 Bosnien und Herzegowina 2.5% 22% 32% 29%
 Brasilien (details) 7.9% 17% 18% 14%
 Bulgarien (details) 4.2% 39% 39% 30% 30% 34–40%
 Kamerun 5.3% 17%
 Kanada (details) 23.7% 57% 53% 49% 26% 19–30%
 Chile 8.6% 34%
 China (details) 52.2% 90% 90% 77% 93% 8–14%
 Kolumbien 6.6% 14% 17% 15%
 DR Congo 1.8% 17%
 Kroatien (details) 5.1% 13% 7%
 Cuba 23% 7%
 Tschechische Republik (details) 76.4% 72% 75% 78% 64% 54–61%
 Dänemark (details) 11.8% 61% 52% 10% 43–80%
 Dominikanische Republik 10.9% 7%
 Ecuador 5.5% 18% 28% 29%
 Estland (details) 59.6% 60% 76% 49%
 Fidschi 0.8% 8% 7% 6%
 Finnland (details) 17.6% 55% 42% 44% 12% 28–60%
 Frankreich (details) 28% 50% 53% 63% 43% 43–54%
 Georgien (details) 0.7% 7% 13%
 Deutschland (details) 24.7% 60% 59% 48% 25% 41–49%
 Ghana (details) 4.2% 1% 2%
 Griechenland 6.1% 22% 21% 4% 16%
 Ungarn (details) 18.6% 43% 32–46%
 Island (details) 3.5% 49% 44% 41% 4% 16–23%
 Indien (details) < 0.1% 5% 23% 16% 7% 9.11%
 Indonesien (details) < 0.1% 30% 15%
 Iran (details) 0.1% 20% 1%
 Iraq (details) 0.1% 34% 9%
 Irland (details) 6.2% 56% 51% 54% 7%
 Israel (details) 3.1% 58% 65% 15–37%
 Italien (details) 12.4% 26% 24% 23% 18% 6–15%
 Japan (details) 57% 60% 62% 62% 52% 64–65%
 Kasachstan (details) 4.2% 11–12%
 Kenia (details) 2.5% 9% 11%
 Kosovo 1.6% 3% 8%
 Kirgisistan 0.4% 7%
 Lettland 43.8% 52% 50% 41% 20–29%
 Libanon (details) 0.3% 28% 18% 35%
 Litauen 10% 40% 23% 19% 13%
 Luxemburg 26.8% 30%
 Malaysia 0.7% 23% 13%
 Malta 2.5% 1%
 Mexiko (details) 4.7% 36% 28%
 Moldawien 1.4% 10%
 Mongolei 35.9% 29% 9%
 Marokko (details) < 0.1% 5%
 Niederlande (details) 42.1% 66% 56% 55% 39–44%
 Neuseeland (details) 36.6% 20–22%
 Nigeria (details) 0.4% 2% 16% 5% 1%
 North Korea 71.3% 15%
 North Macedonia 11% 10% 9%
 Norwegen (details) 10.1% 62% 31–72%
 Pakistan (details) < 0.1% 6% 11% 10%
 Palestinian territories < 0.1% 35% 19% 33%
 Panama 4.8% 13%
 Papua-Neuguinea < 0.1% 5% 4%
 Peru (details) 3% 23% 13% 11% 5%
 Philippinen (details) 0.1% 9% 22% 11%
 Polen (details) 5.6% 10% 12% 14% 5%
 Portugal 4.4% 38% 37% 11% 4–9%
 Puerto Rico 1.9% 11%
 Rumänien (details) 0.1% 9% 17% 7% 2%
 Russland (details) 16.2% 30% 23% 32% 48% 24–48%
 Saudi-Arabien (details) 0.7% 24%
 Serbien 3.3% 21% 21% 19%
 Singapur (details) 16.4% 13%
 Slowakei 14.3% 23% 10–28%
 Slowenien 18% 53% 30% 35–38%
 Südafrika (details) 14.9% 32% 11%
 Südkorea (details) 46.4% 60% 55% 46% 37% 30–52%
 South Sudan 1% 16%
 Spanien (details) 19% 57% 55% 47% 16% 15–24%
 Schweden (details) 27% 73% 76% 58% 25% 46–85%
  Schweiz (details) 11.9% 58% 47% 17–27%
 Taiwan 12.7% 24%
 Tansania 1.4% 2%
 Thailand 0.3% 2% 2%
 Tunesien 0.2% 33%
 Türkei (details) 1.2% 12% 15% 75% 3%
 Uganda (details) 0.5% 1%
 Ukraine 14.7% 42% 24% 23% 42% 20%
 Vereinigtes Königreich (details) 21.3% 69% 66% 31–44%
 Vereinigte Staaten (details) 16.4% 39% 39% 35% 20% 3–9%
 Uruguay (details) 40.7% 12%
 Usbekistan 0.8% 18%
 Venezuela 10% 2% 27%
 Vietnam 29.6% 63% 54% 65% 46% 81%

the visualization shows data on the least religious countries. the selected are the countries that at least have more than 10 % unaffiliated people ( in 2020). the countries are ordered along the horizontal axis by unaffiliated population and along the vertical axis by unaffiliated percentage. sources: worldpopulationreview.com

By population[edit]

The Pew Research Centre in the table below reflects "religiously unaffiliated" which "include atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion in surveys".

The Zuckerman data on the table below only reflect the number of people who have an absence of belief in a deity only (atheists, agnostics). Does not include the broader number of people who do not identify with a religion such as deists, spiritual but not religious, pantheists, New Age spiritualism, etc.

Land Pew (2012)[16] Zuckerman (2004)[17][18]
 China 700,680,000 103,907,840 – 181,838,720
 Indien 102,870,000
 Japan 72,120,000 81,493,120 – 82,766,450
 Vietnam 26,040,000 66,978,900
 Russland 23,180,000 34,507,680 – 69,015,360
 Deutschland 20,350,000 33,794,250 – 40,388,250
 Frankreich 17,580,000 25,982,320 – 32,628,960
 Vereinigtes Königreich 18,684,010 – 26,519,240
 Südkorea 22,350,000 14,579,400 – 25,270,960
 Ukraine 9,546,400
 Vereinigte Staaten 50,980,000 8,790,840 – 26,822,520
 Niederlande 6,364,020 – 7,179,920
 Kanada 6,176,520 – 9,752,400
 Spanien 6,042,150 – 9,667,440
 Taiwan 5,460,000
 Hongkong 5,240,000
 Tschechische Republik 5,328,940 – 6,250,121
 Australien 4,779,120 – 4,978,250
 Belgien 4,346,160 – 4,449,640
 Schweden 4,133,560 – 7,638,100
 Italien 3,483,420 – 8,708,550
 North Korea 17,350,000 3,404,700
 Ungarn 3,210,240 – 4,614,720
 Bulgarien 2,556,120 – 3,007,200
 Dänemark 2,327,590 – 4,330,400
 Türkei 1,956,990 - 6,320,550
 Weißrussland 1,752,870
 Griechenland 1,703,680
 Kasachstan 1,665,840 – 1,817,280
 Argentinien 1,565,800 – 3,131,600
 Österreich 1,471,500 – 2,125,500
 Finnland 1,460,200 – 3,129,000
 Norwegen 1,418,250 – 3,294,000
  Schweiz 1,266,670 – 2,011,770
 Israel 929,850 – 2,293,630
 Neuseeland 798,800 – 878,680
 Cuba 791,630
 Slowenien 703,850 – 764,180
 Estland 657,580
 Dominikanische Republik 618,380
 Singapur 566,020
 Slowakei 542,400 – 1,518,720
 Litauen 469,040
 Lettland 461,200 – 668,740
 Portugal 420,960 – 947,160
 Armenien 118,740
 Uruguay 407,880
 Kirgisistan 355,670
 Kroatien 314,790
 Albanien 283,600
 Mongolei 247,590
 Island 47,040 – 67,620
 Brasilien 15,410,000

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Global Index of Religion and Atheism" (PDF). WIN/Gallup International. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Losing our Religion? Two-Thirds of People Still Claim to be Religious" (PDF). WIN/Gallup International. 13 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Religion prevails in the world" (PDF). Gallup International. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Religiously Unaffiliated". The Global Religious Landscape. Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life. 18 December 2012. The religiously unaffiliated include atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion in surveys. However, many of the religiously unaffiliated have some religious beliefs...Some of the unaffiliated also engage in certain kinds of religious practices.
  6. ^ a b Zuckerman, Phil (2006). "Atheism: Contemporary Numbers and Patterns". In Martin, Michael (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. Cambridge University Press. pp. 47–66. ISBN 9780521842709.
  7. ^ a b Keysar, Ariela; Navarro-Rivera, Juhem (2017). "36. A World of Atheism: Global Demographics". In Bullivant, Stephen; Ruse, Michael (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Atheism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199644650.
  8. ^ "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism - PDF Drive".
  9. ^ "81-F77-Aeb-A404-447-C-8-B95-Dd57-Adc11-E98".
  10. ^ Whether or not you belong to a religion, do you believe or not believe in the following? - God (Image).
  11. ^ "Global Religious Landscape" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 18 December 2012. pp. 45–50.
  12. ^ "Religion prevails in the world" (PDF). Gallup International. 14 November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  13. ^ "WIN-Gallup International 'Religiosity and Atheism Index' reveals atheists are a small minority in the early years of 21st century". WIN-Gallup International. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  14. ^ "GLOBAL INDEX OF RELIGIOSITY AND ATHEISM – 2012" (PDF). WIN-Gallup International. 27 July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  15. ^ Dentsu Communication Institute 電通総研・日本リサーチセンター編「世界60カ国価値観データブック (in Japanese)
  16. ^ "Religiously Unaffiliated". 18 December 2012.
  17. ^ "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism - PDF Drive".
  18. ^ "81-F77-Aeb-A404-447-C-8-B95-Dd57-Adc11-E98".

External links[edit]

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