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Christianity is the dominant religion in Belize . [1] The single largest denomination is the Catholic Church with about 40.1% of the population (129,456 adherents), a reduction from 49.6% of the population in 2000, 57.7% in 1991 and 61.9% in 1980, although absolute numbers have still risen. [1] [2] Other major groups include Pentecostal with 8.4% of the population up from 7.4% in 2000 and 6.3% in 1991, Seventh-day Adventists with 5.4% of the population up from 5.2% in 2000 and 4.1% in 1991. The following of the Anglican Church has been steadily declining, with only 4.7% of the population in 2010 compared to 6.95% in 1991. [1] [2] About 12,000 Mennonites (3.7% of the population) [1] live mostly in the rural districts of Cayo and Orange Walk. People who declared they belong to no religion make up 15.5% of the population (just under 50,000 people) in 2010, more than double their 2000 census numbers. [1] 11.2% adhere to other religions which include the Maya religion, Afro-Caribbean religions (Garifuna religion, Obeah and Myalism), Mormons, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Baháʼís, Rastafarians and others.
There were 1,333 Mormons in 2010 [1] though the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims 4,807 members as of 2015 (in 11 congregations). [3]
The 2010 census also found 216 followers of the Baháʼí Faith (down slightly from the 2000 census, which counted 219). It also found small numbers of Buddhists (820 or 0.3% of the population), Hindus (about 650), and Muslims (about 620). [1] However, the Association of Religion Data Archives states that as of 2005, 2.5% of the population identifies as Baháʼí, 2.0% identifies as Hindu, 1.1% identifies as Jewish, 1.0% identifies as spiritists, 0.6% identifies as followers of indigenous religions, 0.5% identifies as Muslim, and 0.5% identifies as Buddhist. [4] They estimate there were 7,776 Baháʼís in Belize in that year, as well as the highest proportion of Baháʼís in any country (though not nearly the highest absolute number). [5] The 2010 Belize Population Census, however, recorded only 202 Baháʼís out of a total population of 304,106, [6] [7] yielding a proportion of 0.066%, far less than 2.5%. .
Belizean Catholic churches belong to the Diocese of Belize City-Belmopan; Anglican churches belong to the Diocese of Belize, part of the Church in the Province of the West Indies. Catholics frequently visit the country for special gospel revivals. The Greek Orthodox Church has a presence in Santa Elena. [8] Muslims have been in Belize since the 18th century. Activism of the 1960s saw many converts to Islam. It is also common among Middle Eastern immigrants and has gained a following among some Kriols. Mosques continue to be built in major cities. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Belize City built Masjid Noor Mosque at the beginning of 2020. It remains one of the fastest growing sect of Islam in Belize. [9] Hinduism is followed by most Indian immigrants.
The Constitution of Belize establishes the freedom of religion. Discrimination on religious grounds is illegal. A law against blasphemy is unenforced. The Belize Council of Churches and the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches appoint one senator to the senate of Belize with the approval of the Governor-General. The law also establishes that prisoners in jails must have their religious beliefs respected and accommodated. [10]
Religious groups are required to register with the government in order to operate in the country. Religious groups are exempt from certain taxes. Foreign religious workers are required to purchase a religious worker's permit and register with the government. [10]
The public school curriculum for primary schools includes nondenominational "spirituality" classes that introduce world religions, as well as ethics and morals associated with religion; [10] in 2022 there were issues regarding children with traditional Rastafari hairstyles attending some schools. Most public schools are managed by Christian churches. A few schools are run by non-Christian religious groups.
20001 | 20102 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | |
Total Population | 232,111 | 304,106 | ||
Christian | 193,150 | 83.3 | 226,515 | 74.3 |
- Catholic | 115,035 | 49.6 | 123,010 | 40.4 |
- Total Protestant | 78,115 | 31.8 | 103,505 | 31.8 |
- Anglican | 12,386 | 5.3 | 14,016 | 4.6 |
- Baptist | 8,077 | 3.5 | 11,009 | 3.6 |
- Mennonite | 9,497 | 4.1 | 11,658 | 3.8 |
- Methodist | 8,024 | 3.5 | 8,821 | 2.9 |
- Nazarene | 6,117 | 2.6 | 8,660 | 2.8 |
- Pentecostal | 17,189 | 7.4 | 25,899 | 8.5 |
- Seventh-day Adventist | 12,160 | 5.2 | 16,665 | 5.5 |
- Salvation Army | 371 | 0.2 | 370 | 0.1 |
- Jehovah’s Witnesses | 3,366 | 1.5 | 5,114 | 1.7 |
- Mormon | 928 | 0.4 | 1,293 | 0.4 |
No Religious Affiliation | 21,795 | 9.4 | 47,511 | 15.6 |
Other | 15,799 | 6.8 | 29,324 | 9.6 |
- Buddhist | - | - | 757 | 0.3 |
- Hindu | 367 | 0.2 | 612 | 0.2 |
- Muslim | 243 | 0.1 | 577 | 0.2 |
- Other | 15,189 | 6.5 | 27,378 | 8.9 |
No response | 1,367 | 0.6 | 756 | 0.3 |
Demographics of the population of Belize include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is sometimes called a house of worship. Temples, churches, mosques, and synagogues are examples of structures created for worship. A monastery may serve both to house those belonging to religious orders and as a place of worship for visitors. Natural or topographical features may also serve as places of worship, and are considered holy or sacrosanct in some religions; the rituals associated with the Ganges river are an example in Hinduism.
Religion in Singapore is characterised by a wide variety of religious beliefs and practices due to its diverse ethnic mix of people originating from various parts of the world. A secular state, Singapore is commonly termed as a "melting pot" or "cultural mosaic " of various religious practices originating from different religions and religious denominations around the world. Most major religious denominations are present in the country, with the Singapore-based Inter-Religious Organisation recognising 10 major religions. A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.
Religion in Trinidad and Tobago, which is a multi-religious country, is classifiable as follows:
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Sri Lanka is officially a Buddhist country, while Sri Lankans practice a variety of religions. As of the 2012 census, 70.2% of Sri Lankans were Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims, 7.4% were Christians. Buddhism is declared as the State religion of Sri Lanka and has been given special privileges in the Sri Lankan constitution such as the government is bound for protection and fostering of Buddhist Dharma throughout the nation. However, the constitution also provides for freedom of religion and right to equality among all its citizens. In 2008 Sri Lanka was the third most religious country in the world according to a Gallup poll, with 99% of Sri Lankans saying religion is an important part of their daily life.
Christianity is the largest religion in Northern Ireland. In the 2021 census, 79.7% of the Northern Irish population identified as Christians: Catholic (42.3%); Presbyterian (16.6%); Church of Ireland (11.5%); Methodist (2.4%); Other Christian (6.9%). Meanwhile, 1.3% of the population belonged to other religions, 17.4% stated they were non-religious and 1.5% did not state a religious or non-religious identity. The Catholic Church has seen a small growth in adherents, while the other recorded Christian groups have seen a decrease.
Religion in the Netherlands was dominated by Christianity between the 10th and 20th centuries. In the late 19th century, roughly 60% of the population was Calvinist and 35% was Catholic. Also, until the Holocaust, there was a noticeable Jewish minority. Since world war II, there has been a significant decline in Catholic and especially Protestant Christianity, with Protestantism declining to such a degree that Catholicism became the foremost form of the Christian religion. The majority of the Dutch population is secular. Relatively sizable Muslim and Hindu minorities also exist.
As of 2011, most Armenians in Armenia are Christians (97%) and are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which is one of the oldest Christian churches. It was founded in the 1st century AD, and in 301 AD became the first branch of Christianity to become a state religion.
Religion in Ethiopia consists of a number of faiths. Among these mainly Abrahamic religions, the most numerous is Christianity totaling at 67.3%, followed by Islam at 31.3%. There is also a longstanding but small Ethiopian Jewish community. Some adherents of the Baháʼí Faith likewise exist in a number of urban and rural areas. Additionally, there is also a substantial population of the adherents of traditional faiths.
Religion in England is characterised by a variety of beliefs and practices that has historically been dominated by Christianity. Christianity remains the largest religion, though it makes up less than half of the population. As of the 2021 census, there is an increasing variety of beliefs, with irreligious people outnumbering each of the other religions. The Church of England is the nation's established state church, whose supreme governor is the monarch. Other Christian traditions in England include Roman Catholicism, Methodism, Presbyterianism, Mormonism, and the Baptists. After Christianity, the religions with the most adherents are Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, modern paganism, and the Bahá'í Faith. There are also organisations promoting irreligion, including humanism and atheism. According to the 2021 census, Shamanism is the fastest growing religion in England.
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Christianity is the predominant religion in Kiribati, with Catholicism being its largest denomination.
Mauritius is a religiously diverse nation, with Hinduism being the most widely professed faith. According to the 2022 census conducted by Statistics Mauritius, 47.87% of the Mauritian population follows Hinduism, followed by Christianity (32.29%), out of which 24.94% are Catholic, Islam (18.24%) out of which 1.21% are Bangladeshi nationals and other religions (0.86%). 0.63% reported themselves as non-religious and 0.11% did not answer.
Database (WCD) 2010 and International Religious Freedom Report for 2012 of the U.S. Department of State. The article Religions by country has a sortable table from the Pew Forum report.