Religion in Latin America
Out look on Indigenous and Migrated Faiths
Religion in Latin America is characterized by the historical predominance of Catholicism ,[2] and growing number and influence of a large number of groups that belong to Protestantism , as well as by the presence of Irreligion . According to survey data from Statista in 2020, 57% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant.[3]
Christianity
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil is the second largest in the world, after only of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City .[4]
The majority of Latin Americans are Christians (90%),[2] mostly Roman Catholics .[5] [1] Membership in Protestant denominations is increasing, particularly in Brazil , Honduras , Guatemala , Nicaragua , El Salvador and Puerto Rico .[6] In particular, Pentecostalism has experienced massive growth.[7] [8] This movement is increasingly attracting Latin America's middle classes.[9] Anglicanism also has a long and growing presence in Latin America.
According to the detailed Pew Research Center multi-country survey in 2014, 69% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant, rising to 22% in Brazil and over 40% in much of Central America. More than half of these are converts.[10] [11] According to the 2014 Pew survey, the 46 countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean comprised, in absolute terms, the world's second-largest Christian population (24%; including U.S., British, Dutch and French territories), after the 50 countries and territories of Europe (26%; including Russia, excluding Turkey), but just before the 51 countries and territories of Sub-Saharan Africa (24%; including Mauritania, excluding Sudan).[12]
Indigenous and Afro-Latin creeds
Indigenous creeds and rituals are still practiced in countries with large percentages of Amerindians, such as Bolivia , Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru . Various Afro-Latin American traditions such as Santería , Candomblé , Umbanda , Macumba , and tribal-voodoo religions are also practiced, mainly in Cuba , Brazil, and Haiti .
Other world religions
Argentina hosts the largest communities of both Jews (180,000-300,000)[13] [14] [15] and Muslims (500,000-600,000)[16] [17] [18] in Latin America.
Brazil is the country with more practitioners in the world of Allan Kardec 's Spiritism . Practitioners of Judaism , Mormonism , Jehovah's Witnesses , Buddhism , Islam , Hinduism , Bahá'í Faith , and Shinto are also present in Latin America.[19]
Statistics
CID-Gallup 2010
Religion in Latin America (2010)[20]
Country
Christian (%)
Catholic (%)
Protestant (%)
Other religions (%)
Unaffiliated (%)
Argentina
85,5
74,7
10,8
3,5
11,0
Belize
74,0
40,5
33,5
10,4
15,6
Bolivia
94,4
76,0
18,4
2,5
3,1
Brazil
88,7
64,6
24,1
4,3
8,0
Chile
82,1
66,2
15,9
2,5
15,4
Colombia
92,7
77,7
15,0
2,3
5,0
Costa Rica
89,9
70,7
19,2
4,0
6,1
Cuba
50,1
45,8
4,3
7,2
42,7
Ecuador
93,1
80,9
12,2
2,3
4,6
El Salvador
81,8
51,7
30,1
2,2
16,0
Guatemala
86,8
47,1
39,7
1,7
11,5
Haiti
84,3
68,8
15,5
9,8
5,9
Honduras
88,8
49,8
39,0
3,2
8,0
Mexico
92,0
82,9
9,1
3,4
4,6
Nicaragua
83,5
54,4
29,1
3,8
12,7
Panama
92,7
76,0
16,7
3,3
4,0
Paraguay
96,1
88,2
7,9
2,3
1,6
Peru
93,6
80,6
13,0
3,0
3,4
Puerto Rico
92,2
61,5
30,7
1,4
6,4
Dominican Republic
90,2
68,9
21,3
4,0
5,8
Uruguay
52,4
42,8
9,6
4,6
43,0
Venezuela
91,4
75,8
15,6
3,3
5,3
2014 Pew Research Center data
Number of followers by country (2015 Pew Research Center projections for 2020)
Countries
Population Total
Christians %
Christian Population
Unaffiliated %
Unaffiliated Population
Other religions %
Other religions Population
Source
Argentina
44,830,000
85.4%
38,420,000
12.1%
5,320,000
2.5%
1,090,000
[21]
Bolivia
11,830,000
94%
11,120,000
4.1%
480,000
1.9%
230,000
[22]
Brazil
210,450,000
88.1%
185,430,000
8.4%
17,620,000
3.5%
7,400,000
[23]
Chile
18,540,000
88.3%
16,380,000
9.7%
1,800,000
2%
360,000
[24]
Colombia
52,160,000
92.3%
48,150,000
6.7%
3,510,000
1%
500,000
[25]
Costa Rica
5,270,000
90.8%
4,780,000
8%
420,000
1.2%
70,000
[26]
Cuba
11,230,000
58.9%
6,610,000
23.2%
2,600,000
17.9%
2,020,000
[27]
Ecuador
16,480,000
94%
15,490,000
5.6%
920,000
0.4%
70,000
[28]
El Salvador
6,670,000
88%
5,870,000
11.2%
740,000
0.8%
60,000
[29]
Guatemala
18,210,000
95.3%
17,360,000
3.9%
720,000
0.8%
130,000
[30]
Guyana
850,000
67.9%
580,000
2%
20,000
30.1%
250,000
[31]
Haiti
11,550,000
87%
10,040,000
10.7%
1,230,000
2.3%
280,000
[32]
Honduras
9,090,000
87.5%
7,950,000
10.5%
950,000
2%
190,000
[33]
Mexico
126,010,000
94.1%
118,570,000
5.7%
7,240,000
0.2%
200,000
[34]
Nicaragua
6,690,000
85.3%
5,710,000
13%
870,000
1.7%
110,000
[35]
Panama
4,020,000
92.7%
3,720,000
5%
200,000
2.3%
100,000
[36]
Paraguay
7,630,000
96.9%
7,390,000
1.1%
90,000
2%
150,000
[37]
Peru
32,920,000
95.4%
31,420,000
3.1%
1,010,000
1.5%
490,000
[38]
Dominican Republic
11,280,000
88%
9,930,000
10.9%
1,230,000
1.1%
120,000
[39]
Suriname
580,000
52.3%
300,000
6.2%
40,000
41.5%
240,000
[40]
Uruguay
3,490,000
57%
1,990,000
41.5%
1,450,000
1.5%
50,000
[41]
Venezuela
33,010,000
89.5%
29,540,000
9.7%
3,220,000
0.8%
250,000
[42]
Latin America
653,390,000
89.7%
585,850,000
8%
52,430,000
2.3%
15,110,000
[43]
See also
References
^ a b c "Religion in Latin America, Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region" . Pew Research Center . 13 November 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2015 .
^ a b Christians – Pew Research Center
^ "Religion affiliations in Latin America 2020" . Statista . 2021-10-09. Retrieved 2023-08-21 .
^ Facts of Basilica of Aparecida
^ "Las religiones en tiempos del Papa Francisco" (in Spanish). Latinobarómetro. April 2014. p. 7. Archived from the original (pdf) on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015 . Alt URL
^ Religion in Latin America Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region
^ Allan., Anderson (2004). An introduction to Pentecostalism : global charismatic Christianity . Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521825733 . OCLC 53919445 .
^ Pierre., Bastian, Jean (1997). La mutación religiosa de América Latina : para una sociología del cambio social en la modernidad periférica (1st ed.). México: Fondo de Cultura Económica. ISBN 9681650212 . OCLC 38448929 . {{cite book }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )
^ Koehrsen, Jens (2017-09-01). "When Sects Become Middle Class: Impression Management among Middle-Class Pentecostals in Argentina" . Sociology of Religion . 78 (3): 318–339. doi :10.1093/socrel/srx030 . ISSN 1069-4404 .
^ Alec Ryrie, "The World's Local Religion" History Today (2017) online
^ "Religion in Latin America: Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region" Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life Nov 13, 2014
^ "The Global Religious Landscape" (PDF) . Pewforum.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2020 .
^ LeElef, Ner. "World Jewish Population" . Retrieved 2008-01-09 .
^ The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute; Annual Assessment, 2007
^ United Jewish Communities; Global Jewish Populations Archived 2008-05-31 at the Wayback Machine
^ Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs - Background Note: Argentina
^ International Religious Freedom Report 2008 - Argentina
^ Árabes y musulmanes en América Latina
^ LANIC religion page
^ The Latin American Socio-Religious Studies Program / Programa Latinoamericano de Estudios Sociorreligiosos (PROLADES) PROLADES Religion in America by country
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" . www.pewforum.org . Retrieved 2020-10-18 .
Further reading
Colby, Gerard. Thy Will Be Done: The Conquest of the Amazon: Nelson Rockefeller and Evangelism in the Age of Oil . HarperCollins.
D'Antonio, William V., and Frederick B. Pike, jt. eds. Religion, Revolution, and Reform: New Forces for Change in Latin America . New York: F.A. Praeger, 1964
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