The number of countries where Christians form a majority has declined over the past decade, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center, reflecting shifting religious landscapes and a rise in religiously unaffiliated populations worldwide.
In 2020, 120 out of 201 countries and territories had Christian majorities – four fewer than in 2010. Meanwhile, nations with religiously unaffiliated majorities rose from seven to ten over the same period, signaling a steady global trend toward secularization.
Christian-majority countries made up 60% of the world’s nations in 2020, down from 62% a decade earlier. By contrast, unaffiliated-majority nations climbed to 5%, up from 3%.
Countries Losing Christian Majorities
Four countries – the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Uruguay – saw Christianity lose its majority status between 2010 and 2020. In the UK, Christians represented 49% of the population by 2020, while Australia reported 47% and France 46%. None of these nations had a single religious group holding a majority.
Uruguay stood out as the only country in the Americas where the religiously unaffiliated overtook Christians, accounting for 52% of the population.
The Netherlands (54% unaffiliated) and New Zealand (51%) also joined the list of countries with majority unaffiliated populations, alongside China, North Korea, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Macao, and Japan, where secular or non-religious identities have been dominant for years.
A Global Shift Toward No Religion
Religiously unaffiliated populations – including atheists, agnostics, and those with no religious identity – are driving much of this change. The Pew report notes that unaffiliated people made up nearly a quarter (24%) of the global population in 2020, but their concentration in China, the world’s most populous nation, magnifies their influence on global religious statistics.
Other Religions Hold Steady
The number of countries with Muslim (53), Buddhist (7), Hindu (2), Jewish (1), or other religious majorities remained unchanged between 2010 and 2020. However, the number of countries without any religious majority rose from six to seven, reflecting a broader trend toward religious diversity and fragmentation.
A Disproportionate Christian Footprint
Despite these shifts, Christianity’s global reach remains extensive. While Christians make up only 29% of the world’s population, they hold a majority in 60% of all countries, far outpacing other religions. This is due in part to Christianity’s geographical spread, with Christians forming majorities in nations ranging from small island states like Micronesia to major powers like the United States.
In contrast, Hinduism illustrates the opposite pattern: Hindus represented 15% of the global population in 2020 but held a majority in only two countries, India and Nepal, underscoring the impact of population concentration.
The findings underscore a changing religious map where Christianity retains global influence but faces growing competition from secular identities. Countries such as the UK, France, and Australia may offer a glimpse of the future, where religious affiliation is increasingly diverse, and traditional majorities no longer hold sway.
