Who Believes in God? A Global Snapshot of Faith

What does belief in God look like around the world? To find out, researchers surveyed over 200,000 people in 22 different countries, asking if they believe in one God, multiple gods, a spiritual force, or none of these. The study created a fascinating map of global faith, revealing just how much belief varies from one place to another.

“Even among people who never attend religious services, seventy percent still report some form of belief.”

The results show a huge diversity. In countries like Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya, belief is nearly universal (over 98%). In contrast, countries like Sweden and Japan are far more secular, with belief rates of 44% and 20%, respectively. The study also looked at who believes.

Globally, women are more likely to believe than men. Belief also tends to increase with age and is higher among married or widowed people and immigrants. However, the researchers stress that these are just general trends, and the patterns change a lot from one country to another. For example, while older people are often more religious, in some countries like Sweden, both the young and the old are more likely to believe than the middle-aged. The study also found that simply not attending religious services doesn't mean someone is an atheist; even among those who never attend, a surprising 70% still report some form of belief.

This research gives us a detailed, nuanced picture of faith around the world, moving beyond simple stereotypes to show how culture and personal life shape our deepest convictions.