Study: Growth rate of Muslims and non-believers surpass that of Christians

Muslims praying in the Jami Mosque, Afghanistan, March 28, 2025. Photo: MUSTAFA NOORI/Middle East Images

The religious map of the world is rapidly changing, according to analysts from the American research center Pew Research Center, who published a comprehensive report based on the analysis of more than 2,700 censuses and sociological surveys in 198 countries from 2010 to 2020, writes thecatholicherald.

Despite Christianity still being the largest religious group on the planet, the growth rates of Muslims and people without religious affiliation have been significantly higher. Over the decade, the number of Christians has increased by 122 million, reaching 2.3 billion, but their share of the global population decreased by 1.8 percentage points, making up 28.8%.

The Muslim population showed the greatest growth, increasing by 347 million people. As a result, Muslims now make up 25.6% of the world's population, and their share continues to grow. People without religion – atheists, agnostics, and non-religious – also significantly increased in number: by 270 million, reaching 1.9 billion, which makes 24.2% of the world's population.

Experts note that there is not only a growth in the number of "non-believers" but also a decrease in the number of countries with a Christian majority. At the same time, sub-Saharan Africa now has the largest number of Christians – 30.7% of the total, compared to 22.3% in Europe. This is explained by both high birth rates in African countries and a mass departure from Christianity in Western Europe.

The Jewish population increased by almost 1 million, reaching 14.8 million people (about 0.2% of the world's population), but there has been a shift in their geographical distribution: Israel has taken the lead, surpassing North America.

Among other world religions, Buddhism is the only one to see a decline in numbers by 19 million to aamount for 324 million people. Meanwhile, the number of Hindus remained stable – 1.2 billion people (14.9%).

As Pew analysts emphasize, religious affiliation in the world is changing not so much due to missionary work, but due to demographic factors: birth rates, migration, and the abandonment of religion in secularized regions.

Previously, the UOJ wrote, that Christianity is growing in Iran faster than anywhere else in the world.

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