TABLE OF STATISTICS ON
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION IN THE AMERICAS
AND THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
Created by Clifton L. Holland, Director
of PROLADES
Last revised on August 6, 2008
SOURCE: DATA TAKEN FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES (SEE MEMO FIELD)
| REGION
/ COUNTRY (alfabetical order by country) |
DATE |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
|
| NORTH AMERICA | ||||||||
| CANADA | 2001 |
43.2 |
29.2 |
11.4 |
16.2 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2001 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION |
| MEXICO | 2000 |
88.2 |
5.8 |
2.5 |
3.5 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2000 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION, INEGI |
| USA - TOTAL POP. | 2005 |
25.0 |
50.0 |
17.0 |
8.0 |
100% |
POLL | 2005 GALLUP POLL AVERAGE |
| USA HISPANICS | 2006 | 67.6 | 19.6 | 3.6 | 8.9 | 100% | POLL | PEW 2006 U.S. RELIGION SURVEY |
| CENTRAL AMERICA | ||||||||
| BELIZE | 2000 |
49.6 |
27.0 |
14.0 |
9.4 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2000 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION |
| COSTA RICA | 2003 |
69.0 |
18.0 |
1.0 |
12.9 |
100% |
POLL | CID-GALLUP, SEPT 2003 |
| EL SALVADOR | 2006 |
54.7 |
26.8 |
1.2 |
17.3 |
100% |
POLL | IUDOP-UCA, NOV 2006 |
| GUATEMALA | 2006 |
56.9 |
30.7 |
-- |
12.4 |
100% |
POLL | LATINOBAROMETRO 2006 (OTHER / NONE = 12.4%) |
| HONDURAS | 2007 |
47.0 |
36.0 |
-- |
17.0 |
100% |
POLL | CID-GALLUP POLL, MAY 2007 (OTHER / NONE = 17.0%) |
| NICARAGUA | 2005 |
58.5 |
23.2 |
2.5 |
15.7 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2005 NATIONAL CENSUS, INEC |
| PANAMA | 2003 |
66.7 |
24.0 |
4.3 |
5.0 |
100% |
POLL | CID-GALLUP POLL, SEPT 2003 |
| SOUTH AMERICA | ||||||||
| ARGENTINA | 2001 |
70.0 |
11.0 |
3.0 |
16.0 |
100% |
POLL | GALLUP-ARGENTINA POLL, APRIL 2001 |
| BOLIVIA | 2001 |
78.0 |
16.2 |
3.4 |
2.4 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2001 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION, INE |
| BRAZIL | 2000 |
73.8 |
15.4 |
3.5 |
7.3 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2000 NATIONAL CENSUS, IBGE |
| CHILE | 2002 |
70.0 |
15.1 |
6.6 |
8.3 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2002 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING: 70% of the population over age 14 identify themselves as Roman Catholic and 15.1% as evangelicals. In the census, the term "evangelical" referred to all non-Catholic Christian churches with the exception of the Orthodox Church (Greek, Persian, Serbian, Ukrainian and Armenian), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses. Approximately 90% of evangelicals are Pentecostal. Wesleyan, Lutheran, Reformed Evangelical, Presbyterian, Anglican and Methodist churches are also present. Other affiliations are Jehovah's Witnesses (119,455 persons), Mormons (103,735), Jews (14,976), Orthodox Christians (6,959) and Muslims (2,894). Of those surveyed, all other religions total 493,147 persons, or 4.4%, and atheists and those "indifferent" regarding religion constitute approximately 8.3% (931,990). The Baha'i were not mentioned in the census, but adherents estimate the number of practitioners at 6,000. There is also a small Buddhist population as well as a very small number of Unification Church (Rev. Moon) members. |
| COLOMBIA | 2006 |
80.0 |
12.5 |
5.5 |
2.0 |
100% |
POLL | ESTIMATE: A March 22, 2007, article in the daily newspaper El Tiempo said that 80% of the population was Roman Catholic; 13.5% belonged to non-Catholic forms of Christianity; 2% were agnostic, and the remaining 4.5% belonged to other religious groups, such as Islam and Judaism. |
| ECUADOR | 2000 |
85.0 |
12.0 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
100% |
PROLADES | WFB 2007: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% (includes Protestant) -- no recent public opinion polls include religious affiliation. |
| FALKLAND-MALVINAS ISLANDS | 1995 | 11.0 | 67.0 | 7.0 | 15.0 | 100% | AM2000 | WFB 2007: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist (no statistics). |
| FRENCH GUYANA | 1999 |
85.8 |
4.2 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
100% |
AM2000 | 1999 CENSUS: Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 75 - 80%; Protestant 4%. |
| BRITISH GUYANA | 2002 |
8.0 |
49.0 |
39.0 |
4.0 |
100% |
CENSUS | Data from a 2002 census indicates that approximately 57% of the population is Christian: 17% Pentecostal, 8% Roman Catholic, 7% Anglican, 5% Seventh-day Adventist, and 20% other Christian groups. Approximately 28% is Hindu, 7% is Muslim (mostly Sunni), and 2% practice other beliefs, including Rastafarianism and Baha'ism. An estimated 4% of the population does not profess any religion. |
| PARAGUAY | 2002 |
89.6 |
6.2 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2002 NATIONAL CENSUS OF POPULATION: 89.6% Roman Catholic, 6.2% evangelical Christian, 1.1% other Christian, 0.6% indigenous religions, 0.3% other (non-Christian) religions, 1.1% non-religious, and 1% unknown. Other religious groups include Jewish (Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) and Baha'i. The eastern Department of Alto Parana has a large Islamic community as the result of substantial immigration from the Middle East, particularly Lebanon. A large Mennonite community flourishes in the western Department of Boqueron. |
| PERU | 2007 |
81.3 |
12.5 |
3.3 |
2.9 |
100% |
CENSUS | 2007 National Census conducted by the Peruvian National Institute of Statistics and Information (INEI) |
| SURINAM | 2004 |
22.8 |
25.2 |
52.0 |
-- |
100% |
CENSUS | Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%. |
| URUGUAY | 2004 |
54.0 |
11.0 |
9.0 |
26.0 |
100% |
POLL | ESTIMATE: a 2004 survey published in the daily newspaper El Pais reported that 54% of those interviewed designated themselves as Roman Catholics, 6% as evangelicals, 5% as Protestants, 9% believers without a religious affiliation, and 26% as nonbelievers. |
| VENEZUELA | 1998 |
87.0 |
5.8 |
1.2 |
6.0 |
100% |
POLL | POLL SPONSORED BY STEIGENGA AND SMILDE AND CONDUCTED BY CONSULTORES 21, IN AUGUST 1998. |
| CARIBBEAN | ||||||||
| ANGUILLA | 2001 | 5.7 | 83.1 | 6.9 | 4.3 | 100% | CENSUS | 2001 NATIONAL CENSUS: Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3%. |
| ANTIGUA-BARBUDA | 2001 |
10.4 |
81.8 |
2.0 |
5.8 |
100% |
CENSUS | According to the 2001 census, 92.2% of the population is Christian (Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, and other Christian 5.4%); other religions 2%, none or unspecified 5.8%. The total number of non-Christians is small; they include an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 Rastafarians, more than 200 Muslims, nearly 200 Hindus, and approximately 50 members of the Baha'i Faith. There are more than 4,000 atheists or persons who do not follow a particular religion. |
| ARUBA | 1996 | 82.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | -- | 100% | WFB | Other / none (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish), 10%. |
| BAHAMAS, THE | 2000 |
13.5 |
72.6 |
11.0 |
2.9 |
100% |
CENSUS | Protestant denominations including Baptists (35.4%), Anglicans (15.1%), Pentecostals (8.1%), Church of God (4.8%), Seventh-day Adventists (5%) and Methodists (4.2) are in the majority, but there are also significant Roman Catholic (13.5%) and Greek Orthodox populations. Smaller Jewish, Baha'i, Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslim communities also are present. A small number of Bahamians and Haitians, particularly those living in the Family Islands, practice Obeah. A small but stable number of citizens identify themselves as Rastafarians, while some members of the small resident Guyanese and Indian populations practice Hinduism and other South Asian religions (WFB, IRFR, 2007). |
| BARBADOS | 2000 | 4.0 | 91.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 100% | CENSUS | According to the 2000 census, more than 95% of the population is considered Christian, although persons may not be active in any particular denomination. There are 11,000 Roman Catholics; an estimated 20% are active. The Anglican Church constitutes the largest religious group, with 70,000 members; the Seventh-day Adventists, numbered 16,000 members; Pentecostals numbered 7,000; Methodists numbered 5,000; other Protestant denominations include Baptists and Moravians. There are 2,500 members of Jehovah's Witnesses; and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are present in small numbers. The number of non-Christians is small: there are about 4,000 Muslims; other minority religious groups include Rastafarians, Hindus, Buddhists, and members of the Baha'i Faith. |
| BERMUDA | 2000 | 15.0 | 52.0 | 19.0 | 14.0 | 100% | CENSUS | Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census). |
| CAYMAN ISLANDS | 1995 |
3.0 | 88.0 | 5.9 | 3.1 | 100% | AM2000 | United Church (Presbyterian, Congregational and Disciples of Christ), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, Churches of Christ, other Protestant churches and the Roman Catholic Church. |
| CUBA | 1980 |
39.6 |
3.3 |
2.0 |
55.1 |
100% |
AM2000 | IRFR2007: There is no independent authoritative source on the size or composition of religious institutions and their membership. According to the U.S.-based Puebla Institute, 40 to 45% of the population identify themselves, at least nominally, with the Roman Catholic Church. Some sources estimated that as much as 70% of the population practices Santeria, which has its roots in West African traditional religions. |
| DOMINICA | 2001 |
61.0 |
29.7 |
3.3 |
6.0 |
100% |
CENSUS | According to the 2001 census, approximately 61% adhered to the Roman Catholic faith. Followers of evangelical churches represented 18% of the population, Seventh-day Adventists 6%, and Methodists 3.7%. Minority religious groups and denominations, whose members ranged in number from 1.6% to 0.2% of the population, included Rastafarians, Jehovah's Witnesses, Anglicans, and Muslims. According to the census, 1.4% belonged to "other" religious groups, including Baptist, Nazarene, Church of Christ, Christian Brethren, and the Baha'i Faith; 6% of the population claimed no religious affiliation. |
| DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | 2006 |
68.9 |
18.2 |
2.3 |
10.6 |
100% |
POLL | According to the 2006 CID-Gallup Poll, the population is 39.8% Catholic (practicing) and 29.1% Catholic (nonpracticing); 18.2% is evangelical Protestant; 10.6% have no religion; other religions constitute 2.3% (Source: IRFR 2007) |
| GRENADA | 2001 |
44.0 |
49.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
100% |
CENSUS | According to the most recent census (2001), 44% of the population is Roman Catholic, 12% is Anglican, 11% is Pentecostal and 11% is Seventh-day Adventist. Religious groups with 2% or more adherents include Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of God, Baptist, and Evangelical. Religious groups with 1% or less of the total population include Jehovah's Witnesses, Brethren, Baha'i, Hindu, Moravian, Muslim, Presbyterian, Rastafarian and Salvation Army. In addition, there are small communities of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and Mennonites. Approximately 4% of the population count themselves as nonbelievers. |
| GUADALOUPE | 1997 |
92.0 |
-- |
1.8 |
4.5 |
98.3% |
AM2000 | PROTESTANTS ARE INCLUDED IN "OTHER." |
| HAITI | 2003 |
54.7 |
28.5 |
3.1 |
13.7 | 100% |
CENSUS | A U.N. Population Fund census released in May 2006 (based on 2003 data) revealed the following religious demographics: 54.7% is Roman Catholic, 15.4% Baptist, 7.9% Pentecostal, 3% Adventist, 2.1% Voodoo (Vodun), 1.5% Methodist, 0.7% Episcopalian, 0.5% Jehovah's Witnesses, 0.07% Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 0.02% Muslim, and 0.4% other religious affiliation; 10.2% reported they followed no religion. Census data did not account for the remaining 3.51% of the population. The figure for Voodoo represented only those who selected Voodoo as their primary religion. A much larger segment of the population practices Voodoo alongside Christianity (most commonly with Catholicism) and considers Christianity their primary religion. While the Government officially recognized Voodoo as a religion in 2003, it continues to be frowned upon by the elite, conservative Catholics and Protestants. The Government provides no legal status for Voodoo except for its recognition as a legitimate religious practice. |
| JAMAICA | 2001 |
2.0 |
65.0 |
12.0 |
21.0 | 100% |
CENSUS | 2001 CENSUS OF POPULATION: Roman Catholic, 2%; all Protestant 65%, including Church of God, 24%; Seventh-day Adventist, 11%; Pentecostal, 10%; Baptist, 7%; Anglican, 4%; United Church, 2%; Methodist, 2%; Moravian, 1%; Brethren, 1%; unstated, 3%. The category "other religions," 10%, included 24,020 Rastafarians, an estimated 5,000 Muslims, 1,453 Hindus, approximately 350 Jews and 279 Baha'is. About 21% claimed no religious affiliation. |
| MARTINIQUE | 1997 |
92.9 |
2.4 |
0.9 |
3.8 |
100% |
AM2000 | |
| MONTSERRAT | 1995 |
15.0 | 80.2 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 100% | AM2000 | WFB 2007: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations (no statistics given). |
| NETHERLANDS ANTILLES | 2001 | 72.0 | 18.6 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 100% | CENSUS | 2001 CENSUS: Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%. |
| PUERTO RICO | 1995 |
67.7 |
27.0 |
3.0 |
2.3 |
100% |
PROLADES | ESTIMATE -- -- no recent public opinion polls include religious affiliation. |
| ST. KITTS (SAN CRISTOBAL)- NEVIS | 1992 |
6.7 |
84.6 |
8.7 |
-- | 100% |
AM2000 | PROTESTANTS, 84.6% (ANGLICANS, 25.2%; METHODISTS, 25.2%; PENTECOSTALS, 8.4%; MORAVIANS, 7.6%) |
| ST. LUCIA | 2001 |
67.0 |
21.0 |
1.4 |
10.6 | 100% |
CENSUS | IRFR 2007: According to the 2001 population and housing census, Roman Catholics account for approximately 67% of the population; the second largest group is Seventh-day Adventists, comprising almost 9%, followed by Pentecostals, with nearly 6%. Evangelicals and Anglicans each account for approximately 2% of the population, while Baptists and Methodists represent smaller numbers. The total number of non-Christians is very small. There are an estimated 350 Muslims; while some of the Muslims are immigrants from other Caribbean countries, the Middle East, and South Asia, most Muslims are local converts. Other religious groups include Baha'is and Rastafarians (3,500 members). |
| ST. VINCENT- GRANADINES | 1992 |
10.7 |
57.0 |
32.3 |
-- | 100% |
AM2000 | PROTESTANTS, 57.0% (ANGLICANS, 17.9%; PENTECOSTALS, 14.9%; METHODISTS, 10.5%) |
| TRINIDAD-TOBAGO | 2006 |
26.0 |
24.6 |
46.1 |
3.3 |
100% |
IRFR | According to the latest unofficial estimates (2006), 26% of the population is Roman Catholic, 24.6% Protestant (including 7.8% Anglican, 6.8% Pentecostal, 4% Seventh-day Adventist, 3.3% Presbyterian or Congregational, 1.8% Baptist, and 0.9% Methodist), 22.5% Hindu, and 5.8% Muslim. A small number of individuals belong to traditional Caribbean religious groups with African roots, such as the Spiritual Baptists (sometimes called Shouter Baptists), 5.4%, and the Orisha, 0.1%. The smaller groups are Jehovah's Witnesses (1.6%) and atheists (1.9%). Those listed as "other" account for 10.7%, which includes numerous small Christian groups as well as Baha'is, Rastafarians, Buddhists and Jews. |
| TURKS-CAICOS | 1997 |
8.3 | 90.0 | 1.7 | -- | 100% | AM2000 | WFB 2007: Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990). |
| VIRGIN ISLANDS-BR | 1995 |
15.0 | 70.8 | 5.8 | 8.4 | 100% | AM2000 | WFB 2007: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other religions 2%, none 2% (1991 data). |
| VIRGIN ISLANDS-USA | 1995 | 36.1 | 55.4 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 100% | AM2000 | WFB 2007, no date: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%. |
| IBERIAN PENINSULA | ||||||||
| PORTUGAL | 1998 | 89.3 |
-- | 2.9 | 7.8 | 100% | POLL | ISSP, PROTESTANTS ARE INCLUDED IN "OTHER." |
| SPAIN | 2006 | 76.4 |
-- | 2.1 | 21.5 | 100% | POLL | Centro de Investigacion Sociologico (CIS), October 2006: Protestants are included in "other." |
| FOOTNOTES: | ||||||||
| 1.
PROLADES ESTIMATE = PROLADES is the Spanish acronym for LATIN
AMERICAN SOCIO-RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM, located in San Pedro, Montes de Oca, Costa Rica. 2. AM2000 = ALMANAQUE MUNDIAL 2000-2006, published by EDITORIAL TELEVISA in Mexico City, 1999-2006. 3. WFB = CIA WORLD FACTBOOK, 2007 (web version): https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/aa.html 4. POLL = PUBLIC OPINION POLL 5. CENSUS = AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT CENSUS 6. IRFP = INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT, 2007 (U.S. DEPT. OF STATE: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor) 7. For our definition of "Protestant," see the following resources: A Protestant Family Tree and A Classification System of Religious Groups in the Americas. |
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