Religion in Latin America

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Religion in Latin America (Pew Research Center 2014) [1]

Contents

   Catholic (69%)
   Protestant (18%)
  Unaffiliated (9%)
  Other (4%)

Religion in Latin America is characterized by the historical predominance of Catholicism, [2] and growing number and influence of a large number of groups that belong to Protestantism, as well as by the presence of Irreligion. According to survey data from Statista in 2020, 57% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant. [3]

Christianity

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil is the second largest in the world, after only of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City. Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida, 2007.jpg
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil is the second largest in the world, after only of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City.

The majority of Latin Americans are Christians (90%), [2] mostly Roman Catholics. [5] [1] Membership in Protestant denominations is increasing, particularly in Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Puerto Rico. [6] In particular, Pentecostalism has experienced massive growth. [7] [8] This movement is increasingly attracting Latin America's middle classes. [9] Anglicanism also has a long and growing presence in Latin America.

According to the detailed Pew Research Center multi-country survey in 2014, 69% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant, rising to 22% in Brazil and over 40% in much of Central America. More than half of these are converts. [10] [11] According to the 2014 Pew survey, the 46 countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean comprised, in absolute terms, the world's second-largest Christian population (24%; including U.S., British, Dutch and French territories), after the 50 countries and territories of Europe (26%; including Russia, excluding Turkey), but just before the 51 countries and territories of Sub-Saharan Africa (24%; including Mauritania, excluding Sudan). [12]

Indigenous and Afro-Latin creeds

Indigenous creeds and rituals are still practiced in countries with large percentages of Amerindians, such as Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Various Afro-Latin American traditions such as Santería, Candomblé, Umbanda, Macumba, and tribal-voodoo religions are also practiced, mainly in Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti.

Other world religions

The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Maicao, Colombia. Mezquita Maicao Colombia Yuri Romero Picon.JPG
The Mosque of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab in Maicao, Colombia.

Argentina hosts the largest communities of both Jews (180,000-300,000) [13] [14] [15] and Muslims (500,000-600,000) [16] [17] [18] in Latin America. Brazil is the country with more practitioners in the world of Allan Kardec's Spiritism. Practitioners of Judaism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Bahá'í Faith, and Shinto are also present in Latin America. [19]

Statistics

CID-Gallup 2010

Religion in Latin America (2010) [20]
Country Christian
(%)
Catholic
(%)
Protestant
(%)
Other religions
(%)
Unaffiliated
(%)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 85,574,710,83,511,0
Flag of Belize.svg  Belize 74,040,533,510,415,6
Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg  Bolivia 94,476,018,42,53,1
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 88,764,624,14,38,0
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 82,166,215,92,515,4
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 92,777,715,02,35,0
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 89,970,719,24,06,1
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 50,145,84,37,242,7
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador 93,180,912,22,34,6
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 81,851,730,12,216,0
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 86,847,139,71,711,5
Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti 84,368,815,59,85,9
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 88,849,839,03,28,0
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 92,082,99,13,44,6
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 83,554,429,13,812,7
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 92,776,016,73,34,0
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 96,188,27,92,31,6
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 93,680,613,03,03,4
Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico 92,261,530,71,46,4
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 90,268,921,34,05,8
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 52,442,89,64,643,0
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 91,475,815,63,35,3

    2014 Pew Research Center data

    Religion in Latin America (2014) [1]
    CountryCatholic (%)Protestant (%)Unaffiliated (%)Other (%)
    Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay 89712
    Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico 81974
    Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia 791362
    Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador 791353
    Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg Bolivia 771643
    Flag of Peru.svg Peru 761743
    Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela 731774
    Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina 7115123
    Flag of Panama.svg Panama 701974
    Flag of Chile.svg Chile 6417163
    Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica 622594
    Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil 612685
    Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic 5723182
    Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico 563382
    Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador 5036123
    Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala 504163
    Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua 504074
    Flag of Honduras.svg Honduras 4641102
    Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay 4215376
    Latin America691984

      Number of followers by country (2015 Pew Research Center projections for 2020)

      CountriesPopulation TotalChristians %Christian PopulationUnaffiliated %Unaffiliated PopulationOther religions %Other religions PopulationSource
      Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 44,830,00085.4%38,420,00012.1%5,320,0002.5%1,090,000 [21]
      Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg  Bolivia 11,830,00094%11,120,0004.1%480,0001.9%230,000 [22]
      Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 210,450,00088.1%185,430,0008.4%17,620,0003.5%7,400,000 [23]
      Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 18,540,00088.3%16,380,0009.7%1,800,0002%360,000 [24]
      Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 52,160,00092.3%48,150,0006.7%3,510,0001%500,000 [25]
      Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 5,270,00090.8%4,780,0008%420,0001.2%70,000 [26]
      Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 11,230,00058.9%6,610,00023.2%2,600,00017.9%2,020,000 [27]
      Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador 16,480,00094%15,490,0005.6%920,0000.4%70,000 [28]
      Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 6,670,00088%5,870,00011.2%740,0000.8%60,000 [29]
      Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 18,210,00095.3%17,360,0003.9%720,0000.8%130,000 [30]
      Flag of Guyana.svg  Guyana 850,00067.9%580,0002%20,00030.1%250,000 [31]
      Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti 11,550,00087%10,040,00010.7%1,230,0002.3%280,000 [32]
      Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 9,090,00087.5%7,950,00010.5%950,0002%190,000 [33]
      Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 126,010,00094.1%118,570,0005.7%7,240,0000.2%200,000 [34]
      Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 6,690,00085.3%5,710,00013%870,0001.7%110,000 [35]
      Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 4,020,00092.7%3,720,0005%200,0002.3%100,000 [36]
      Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 7,630,00096.9%7,390,0001.1%90,0002%150,000 [37]
      Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 32,920,00095.4%31,420,0003.1%1,010,0001.5%490,000 [38]
      Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 11,280,00088%9,930,00010.9%1,230,0001.1%120,000 [39]
      Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname 580,00052.3%300,0006.2%40,00041.5%240,000 [40]
      Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 3,490,00057%1,990,00041.5%1,450,0001.5%50,000 [41]
      Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 33,010,00089.5%29,540,0009.7%3,220,0000.8%250,000 [42]
      Latin America653,390,00089.7%585,850,0008%52,430,0002.3%15,110,000 [43]

      See also

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      Further reading