World Religions by Country

Identify the predominant religion in each country.

Match countries to their majority religion — a different way to read the world map, and one that explains a lot about regional history.

Why religion maps well onto geography

Religious distribution follows historical trade routes, empires and migration, so the map is not random. Learning it gives you another structural layer alongside language and colonial history, and the three reinforce each other.

The broad pattern

Christianity is the majority religion across Europe, the Americas, much of sub-Saharan Africa, the Philippines, Australia and the Pacific, split between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox traditions along lines that trace European history closely.

Islam is the majority across North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Hinduism is the majority in India and Nepal.

Buddhism is the majority in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Laos and Mongolia.

The facts that surprise people

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population of any country — larger than any country in the Middle East. Islam spread there through maritime trade rather than conquest, which is why the geography looks unexpected.

The Philippines is predominantly Catholic, unusual in Southeast Asia, and a direct result of Spanish colonisation.

Ethiopia has one of the oldest Christian traditions in the world, predating most of Europe's. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church long predates European missionary activity in Africa.

Nepal is the only country with a Hindu majority besides India.

Mongolia is majority Buddhist, which surprises people who associate Buddhism only with Southeast Asia.

The dividing lines

Some of the most historically significant borders are religious boundaries: the line across West Africa where Islam meets Christianity, the Balkans where Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim populations meet, and the Indian subcontinent's partition.

Understanding those lines explains a great deal about why borders sit where they do — and makes them far easier to remember than an arbitrary list.

A note on accuracy

Majority religion is a statistical summary and flattens enormous internal diversity. Many countries have large minorities, several are genuinely mixed with no clear majority, and a growing number report no religious affiliation as the largest single category. Treat this as a broad map rather than a description of individuals.

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the largest Muslim population?

Indonesia, with more Muslims than any country in the Middle East. Islam reached the region through maritime trade networks rather than conquest, which is why the distribution looks unexpected on a map.

Which countries are majority Hindu?

India and Nepal. Nepal is the only country besides India with a Hindu majority, though significant Hindu populations exist in several other countries including Mauritius, Fiji and Trinidad and Tobago.

Why is the Philippines Catholic?

Spanish colonisation from the sixteenth century onwards. It is the main Christian-majority country in Southeast Asia, and the religious map there is a direct legacy of which European power arrived and when.

Which country has the oldest Christian tradition?

Ethiopia has one of the oldest, adopting Christianity in the fourth century — earlier than most of Europe. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church long predates European missionary activity on the continent.

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