World Religion Database
International religious demographic statistics and sources
Edited by Todd M. Johnson, Ph.D., and Brian J. Grim, Ph.D.
The World Religion Database (WRD) contains detailed statistics on religious affiliation for every country of the world. It provides source material, including censuses and surveys, as well as best estimates for every religion to offer a definitive picture of international religious demography. It offers best estimates at multiple dates for each of the world’s religions for the period 1900 to 2050.
The WRD also contains a feedback mechanism so that users can leave comments on sources or methodology related to any figure reported in the WRD. In addition, the WRD will be constantly updated with new sources of data as they become available, such as estimates of religious affiliation at the province level within countries and religious freedom information for all countries.
Features
- — Population and religious adherents for every country and United Nations region
- — Source material on religious affiliation (censuses and surveys)
- — Breakdown of major religions into traditions
- — Multiple data points to compare growth rates (1900, 1950, 1970, 2000, 2005, 2025, 2050)
Typical questions
- — Are there more Muslims or Christians in the world?
- — What is the religious demographic profile of China?
- — How fast is Hinduism growing in the Sweden?
- — Are census figures available for religious affiliation in Brazil?
- — What is the breakdown of Sunnis and Shias in Pakistan?
- — How many Buddhists were there in Asia in 1900?
- — What will be the largest religion in Nigeria in 2050?
Unique selling points
- — Multiple sources of data and a 'best estimate' for every religion
- — Global comparative figures for every religion
- — Constant updates, including provincial breakdowns within countries
- — Feedback mechanism for scholars to comment on data and sources