To talk about world religions, you first need to think about what religion is or what common denominator religions in the world have. There are monotheistic beliefs as well as polytheistic and animistic beliefs. Probably the best description is that someone believes in something, has some sacrum.
After all, even atheists believe in the non-existence of God, right?
Division of religions of the world
There are several divisions of religion due to:
- number of followers and their time of life
- living religions
- extinct religions e.g. ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs
- manner of creation
- natural religions resulting from environmental conditions, e.g. animistic religions
- founded religions, where the creator or perpetrator of the cult was a single person, e.g. Buddhism
- range
- tribal religions
- national religions (created by combining tribal religions)
- world religions
- object of worship
- polytheistic religions, or faith in many gods
- pantheistic religions, i.e. many gods make up the pantheon
- monotheistic religions, i.e. faith in one god
- Deistic religions, or belief in one god, but at the same time it is the man who is a smith of his own fortune
- animistic religions, i.e. faith in spirits and souls contained in all elements of the surrounding world
- polytheistic religions, or faith in many gods
The most important religions of the world
| Religion | world | Europe | North America | South and Central America | Africa | Asia | Australia and Oceania |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity |
2298
|
588,5
|
275,0
|
552,2
|
498,9
|
354,8
|
28,7
|
|
Islam
|
1560
|
40,9
|
5,6
|
1,6
|
426,9
|
1084,8
|
0,6
|
|
Hinduism
|
959
|
1,0
|
1,9
|
0,8
|
3,0
|
952,7
|
0,5
|
|
Buddhism
|
467
|
1,8
|
4,5
|
0,8
|
0,3
|
459,6
|
0,6
|
|
Chinese folk religions
|
468
|
0,4
|
0,8
|
0,2
|
0,2
|
466,8
|
0,1
|
|
ethnic religions
|
269
|
1,2
|
1,2
|
3,9
|
107,9
|
154,7
|
0,4
|
|
new religious movements
|
63
|
0,4
|
1,7
|
1,8
|
0,1
|
59,1
|
0,1
|
|
Sikhism
|
24
|
0,5
|
0,6
|
0,0
|
0,1
|
23,0
|
0,1
|
|
Judaism
|
15
|
1,9
|
5,6
|
1,0
|
0,1
|
6,2
|
0,1
|
As you can see, Christianity is in the lead on all continents except Asia. It is most frequently represented in Europe and North America. Islam and ethnic religions are mainly concentrated in Africa and Asia, Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism in Asia. The greatest number of followers of Judaism is in Asia and North America.
It is worth remembering that each religion has its own currents, internal divisions and sections.
Christians are divided into Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox and Anglicans.
The most Catholics are in Latin America and Europe, Protestants in Africa and Asia. The Orthodox are leading in Europe, and Anglicans in Europe and Africa.
In other words, we have all branches in Europe and Africa, although Orthodox and Catholics predominate, and in Africa Protestants and Catholics. Asia is mainly Catholic and Protestant, America is Catholic and Protestant.
Muslims are mainly divided into Sunnis, Shiites and the Kharidid faction.
Territorial division of religions in the world
Christianity covers most of Europe, Russia, the Americas, Australia and the southern half of Africa. The countries that are slightly breaking out in these areas are: Cuba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia.
Islam is northern Africa, the Middle East, Indonesia and Brunei, except Israel, where Judaism has the majority. Hinduism dominates in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
In China, as is the case with languages, there are clusters of many religions and factions, so it is generally accepted that they are Chinese religions.
Buddhists can be found on the Indochina Peninsula and Sri Lanka.
Interesting facts
- In a 2002 census, half a million Australians were in favour of the Jedi religion.
- Jerusalem is a holy city for Christianity, Islam and Judaism, although each has a different reason. Jews believe that here Abraham tried to make a sacrifice of Isaac, for Christians, it is the place of Jesus’ death, and for Muslims here Muhammad ascended to heaven.
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