Index| Group | Where | Number of Adherents |
% of total pop. |
Number of congreg./ churches/ units |
Number of countries |
Year | Source | Quote/ Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | Benin | - | 19.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994); pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Catholic | Benin | 1,198,000 | 21.50% | 141 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Benin | 1,170,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Catholic | Benin | 513,700 | 16.70% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nance Profiles web site; (viewed Aug. 1998; now restricted.) | Total Pop: 2,106,000. Roman Catholics: 513,700; 16.7%. |
| Catholic | Benin | - | 21.70% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions " |
| Catholic | Bermuda | - | 14.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994); pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Catholic | Bermuda | 10,000 | 16.00% | 6 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Bermuda | 9,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Catholic | Bermuda | 9,385 | 15.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Anglican 28%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal (Zion) 12%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Methodist 5%, other 34% (1991); Total population: 62,569 (1997 est.). |
| Catholic | Bermuda | 9,301 | 15.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook 1998 (viewed June 24, 1999) | "Population: 62,009 (July 1998 est.)... Roman Catholic 15%... (1991) " |
| Catholic | Bermuda | - | 15.50% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions " |
| Catholic | Bhutan | 1,000 | 0.06% | 1 unit |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | - | 434 units |
- | 1977 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | - | - | - | 1985 | Griffiths, John. Let's Visit Bolivia. London, England: Burke Publishing, Co. (1985); pg. 60, 68. | "Roman Catholicism is the main religion of Bolivia and the church plays an important part in Bolivian life. Yet Christianity has not completely replaced the pre-Colombian religions... rather it has been adapted to these earlier religions. "; pg. 68: "Freedom of worship is guaranteed by law in Bolivia but there are few churches which are not... Roman Catholic... " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | - | 443 units |
- | 1987 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | 95.00% | - | - | 1988 | Martin, Michael (ed). Bolivia (series: "Children of the World "). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Gareth Stevens Publishing (1988); pg. 59. | "Almost 95% of Bolivians are Roman Catholics... However, religion as practiced in many parts of the country is a mixture of Christian and native Indian beliefs... " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 6,270,000 | 95.00% | - | - | 1989 | *LINK* Library of Congress Country Studies | [Total pop.] 6.6 million 1989. Ninety-five percent Roman Catholic, but many only nominal adherents. Active Protestant minority, especially Evangelical Methodists. In 1980s Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventists, and various Pentecostal denom |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 6,935,000 | 95.00% | - | - | 1990 | Morrison, Marion. Bolivia (series: Enchantment of the World). Chicago: Childrens Press (first ed. 1988; revised edition 1997); pg. 116-117. | "95% of the Bolivian people are Roman Catholic... Est. 1990 pop. - 7,300,000... Est. 1993 pop., 7,969,000 " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | 93.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994); pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | - | 486 units |
- | 1992 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 7,570,550 | 95.00% | - | - | 1993 | Morrison, Marion. Bolivia (series: Enchantment of the World). Chicago: Childrens Press (first ed. 1988; revised edition 1997); pg. 116-117. | "95% of the Bolivian people are Roman Catholic... Est. 1990 pop. - 7,300,000... Est. 1993 pop., 7,969,000 " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 6,636,000 | 89.50% | 520 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 6,020,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 7,286,374 | 95.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist); Total population: 7,669,868. |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | - | 516 units |
- | 1997 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 7,435,034 | 95.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook 1998 (viewed June 24, 1999) | "Population: 7,826,352 (July 1998 est.)... Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | 25.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions "; "The figure for animists includes those who were baptized Catholic but who are in reality practicing animists. " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | 95.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* web site: "Wholesome Words: Worldwide Missions " by Stephen Ross, "First Edition, 1998 "; [original sources: The World Book Encyclopedia, c1998.] | Table: "Major Roman Catholic Countries of the World " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | 6,806,750 | 95.00% | - | - | 1999 | Schimmel, Karen. Bolivia ( "Major World Nations " book series). Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999); pg. 9-10. | "National Population: 7,165,000... Religions: Roman Catholic, 95%; Protestants and practitioners of traditional Indian beliefs, 5% " |
| Catholic | Bolivia | - | 95.00% | - | - | 1999 | Schimmel, Karen. Bolivia ( "Major World Nations " book series). Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999); pg. 95. | "Although outwardly the Spanish appear to have succeeded in their mission (95% of all Bolivians are Catholic), in reality most of the Indians and many choles and mestizos still recognize the traditional gods as well... " |
| Catholic | Bosnia | 150,000 | - | - | - | 1624 | Malcom, Noel. Bosnia: A Short History. Washington Square, NY: New York University Press (1994); pg. 54. | "...the Albanian priest and apostolic visitor Peter Masarechi, sent a more carefully researched report in 1624; unfortunately, the figures he gave for Bosnia have been misconstrued by almost all the historians who have cited them. What he actually reported was that there were 150,000 Catholics, roughly 75,000 Eastern Orthodox, and 450,000 Muslims. " |
| Catholic | Bosnia | 250,000 | - | - | - | 1626 | Malcom, Noel. Bosnia: A Short History. Washington Square, NY: New York University Press (1994); pg. 53-54. | "From the early 17th century we do have some accounts by visiting Catholic priests who compiled detailed reports for Rome; but their figures must have been based on hearsay, their use of the term 'Bosnia' was elastic, and they were evidently keen to emphasize either the numerical strength of the Catholic Church or the degree of oppression it suffered. One such visitor gave a total of 250,000 Catholics for the whole of Bosnia in 1626, and added that the number of Muslims was larger than the total number of Christians. " |
| Catholic | Bosnia | 765,000 | 17.00% | - | - | 1991 | Black, Eric. Bosnia: Fractured Region. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co. (1999); pg. 14. | "In the country's last census--in 1991--44 percent of Bosnia's 4.5 million people identified themselves as Muslims, 31 percent as Serbs, and 17 percent as Croats... Bosnian Serbs are mostly followers of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Bosnian Croats are mostly Roman Catholics... " |
| Catholic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 765,000 | 17.00% | - | - | 1992 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 4 - Europe. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998); pg. 71-72. | - |
| Catholic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 769,000 | 22.20% | 284 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 530,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Catholic | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 483,388 | 15.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Catholic 15%, Protestant 4%, other 10%; Total pop.: 3,222,584 (July 1997 est.) NOTE: all pop. data is subject to considerable error because of the dislocations caused by military action & ethnic cleansing. |
| Catholic | Bosnia: Srebrenica | - | 66.00% | - | - | 1550 C.E. | Malcom, Noel. Bosnia: A Short History. Washington Square, NY: New York University Press (1994); pg. 53. | "The most resistant place was Srebrenica, home to a large Catholic German and Ragusan population, which was still two-thirds Catholic in the mid-sixtenth century. " |
| Catholic | Botswana | - | 9.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994); pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Catholic | Botswana | 55,000 | 3.70% | 26 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Botswana | 140,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Catholic | Botswana | - | 6.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nance Profiles web site; (viewed Aug. 1998; now restricted.) | Total Population: 750,000. Roman Catholics 6%. |
| Catholic | Botswana | - | 7.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | 6,033 units |
- | 1977 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 89.00% | - | - | 1980 | *LINK* Epstein, Jack. "Kicking of icon outrages Brazil Catholics " in Dallas Morning News, November 24, 1995; (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com). | "In Brazil, the 1980 census showed that 89% of residents described themselves as [Roman] Catholic. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 89.00% | - | - | 1980 | *LINK* Kamm, Thomas. "Evangelicals, Stressing 'Cures' for Masses' Misery, Make Inroads in Roman Catholic Latin America " in The Wall Street Journal, 10/16/91. (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com) | "In a poll taken last week, only 72% of Brazilians described themselves as Roman Catholics, down from 89% in the 1980 census... " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | 6,423 units |
- | 1982 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | 6,872 units |
- | 1987 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 72.00% | - | - | 1991 | *LINK* Kamm, Thomas. "Evangelicals, Stressing 'Cures' for Masses' Misery, Make Inroads in Roman Catholic Latin America " in The Wall Street Journal, 10/16/91. (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com) | "In a poll taken last week, only 72% of Brazilians described themselves as Roman Catholics, down from 89% in the 1980 census... This year alone, the Catholic Church estimates 600,000 people will desert it. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 88.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994); pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | 7,605 units |
- | 1992 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 134,818,000 | 86.50% | 7,997 units |
- | 1995 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997); pg. 333-367. | Figures are as of Dec. 31, 1995. Number used for "congregations " is from number of Catholic parishes. |
| Catholic | Brazil | 110,000,000 | 71.90% | - | - | 1995 | *LINK* Epstein, Jack. "Kicking of icon outrages Brazil Catholics " in Dallas Morning News, November 24, 1995; (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com). | "About 110 million of the nation's 153 million inhabitants are [Roman] Catholic, making Brazil the world's largest Roman Catholic country. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 70.00% | - | - | 1995 | *LINK* Epstein, Jack. "Kicking of icon outrages Brazil Catholics " in Dallas Morning News, November 24, 1995; (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com). | "In Brazil, the 1980 census showed that 89% of residents described themselves as [Roman] Catholic. Religious experts say that number has fallen to 70% of the population, while 20%, or about 30 million people, call themselves evangelicals. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 143,556,992 | 89.00% | - | - | 1995 | Heinrichs, Ann. Brazil ( "Enchantment of the World Second Series "). New York: Children's Press (1997); pg. 95. | Pg. 83: Estimated 1995 population: 161.3 million. Pg. 95: "Religious of Brazil: Roman Catholic: 89%; Protestant: 6.6%; Other (Spiritism, Afro-Christian sects, etc.): 4.4% " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 105,000,000 | - | - | - | 1995 | *LINK* Nascimento, Elma Lia. "Praise the Lord and pass the catch-up ", "news from Brazil, November 1995; dateline: Brazzil ". (viewed 30 July 1999, web site: RickRoss.com) | "Apparently, Universal with its 3 million faithful is no match for the 105 million Catholics (35 million of which are practicing)... " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 111,000,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year; pg. 781-783. | Table; "Roman Catholic (including syncretistic Afro-Catholic cults having Spiritist beliefs and rituals) " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 80.00% | - | - | 1997 | Brandao, Carlos Rodrigues. "Popular Faith in Brazil " in South and Meso-American Native Spirituality, ed. by Gary H. Gossen. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co. (1997); pg. 443. | "Although 80% of Brazilians nominally declare themselves Catholic, there are great differences of fatih and spirituality among them. Today, that which could be called the Brazilian spirituality is actually an amalgram of many ways of thinking about and experiencing God and the divine, together with other beings, spirits, and saints. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 115,157,960 | 70.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Roman Catholic (nominal) 70%; Total population: 164,511,366. |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | 7,966 units |
- | 1997 | *LINK* web site: "Religion in Latin America " (Providence College); web page: "Statistics " (viewed 14 Aug. 1999). [Orig. source: Catholic Almanac (various years) | Table 5: "Catholic Bishops and Parishes in South America " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Zenit. "DOSSIER: BRAZIL AND MEXICO HAVE LARGEST NUMBER OF CATHOLICS " on "Zenit News Agency " web site (online Catholic news); Archives: 13 June 1999 (ZE99061302). (Viewed 19 June 1999). | "...figures given in the latest edition of the Church's Statistical Yearbook for 1997... Brazil is the country with the largest number of dioceses or ecclesiastical districts (262)... " |
| Catholic | Brazil | 137,570,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Zenit. "DOSSIER: BRAZIL AND MEXICO HAVE LARGEST NUMBER OF CATHOLICS " on "Zenit News Agency " web site (online Catholic news); Archives: 13 June 1999 (ZE99061302). (Viewed 19 June 1999). Dateline: Vatican City. | "The country in the world with the largest number of Catholics is Brazil, with 137,570 million... some of the figures given in the latest edition of the Church's Statistical Yearbook for 1997, the source with the most accurate data on the Church's strength in the world. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | - | - | - | 1998 | Gall, Timothy L. (ed). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Culture & Daily Life: Vol. 2 - Americas. Cleveland, OH: Eastword Publications Development (1998); pg. 88. | Chapter: "Brazilians "; "While many Brazilians claim to be Roman Catholic, these beliefs are often infused with traditional practices. Offerings and gifts are made to saints and protective spirits for favors in this life. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 68.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions "; "Over 60% of the population is involved in some form of occasional spiritist/occultic practice, though most of these still claim to be Catholic. " |
| Catholic | Brazil | - | 70.00% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* web site: "Wholesome Words: Worldwide Missions " by Stephen Ross, "First Edition, 1998 "; [original sources: The World Book Encyclopedia, c1998.] | Table: "Major Roman Catholic Countries of the World "; "70 (nominally Roman Catholic) " |
