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Highest Catholic Population 2023

Catholicism is a religion practiced in nations all around the world. It's a division of Christianity, the largest religion globally. There are several core beliefs of Catholicism. First, Catholics believe that Jesus is the son of God, that he was put to death by crucifixion sometime around 33 CE, and that he rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven. Catholics also believe that the Bible is the word of God. Catholics use the Ten Commandments as a moral and ethical compass. Catholics believe in Adam and Eve, and they believe that all humans are sinners because of Adam and Eve's original sin.

While these basic beliefs are common amongst all variations of Christianity, Catholicism also holds a number of exclusive views unique among Christian denominations. For example, while most Christians view baptism as a symbolic act, Catholics believe that the practice removes this original sin and is necessary for salvation. In addition, Catholics value praying to deceased saints and the Virgin Mary, whereas Christians pray only to the Holy Trinity of the Father (God), the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Additional differences include Catholics' confession of sins to an Earthly priest and the Catholic belief in the existence of Purgatory.

Top 11 Countries with the Greatest Number of Catholics (total headcount):

  1. Brazil - 123,360,000
  2. Mexico - 100,000,000
  3. Philippines - 85,470,000
  4. United States - 69,300,000
  5. Italy - 50,474,000
  6. France - 39,000,000
  7. Colombia - 35,000,000
  8. Poland - 33,037,017
  9. Spain - 30,720,000
  10. Argentina - 28,770,000
  11. Congo (Dem. Republic) - 28,700,000

Data from the CIA Factbook and the Pew Research Center has been used to identify nations with the highest population of Catholics. When looking at the total number of Catholics in a nation, Brazil comes out on top. It is estimated that at least 123 million people in Brazil are Catholic, although more recent estimates say this number could now be 140 million or higher.

The ten nations with the most number of Catholics behind Brazil are Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, this list changes a bit when you look at the total percentage of a nation that practices Catholicism.

Top 10 Countries with the Greatest Percentage of Catholics:

  1. Vatican City - 100%
  2. Timor-Leste - 96.9%
  3. San Marino - 90.5%
  4. Paraguay - 89.0%
  5. Malta - 88.7%
  6. Andorra - 88.2%
  7. Croatia - 86.3%
  8. Poland - 85.8%
  9. Portugal - 84.5%
  10. Italy - 83.0%

Vatican City may have only 800 Catholics, but they comprise the micronation's entire population—though granted, considering this is the global headquarters of the Catholic church, it does stand to reason. More than 96% of Timor-Leste's population is Catholic. San Marino comes in third based on the percentage of Catholics at 90.5%. Based on percentages, the top 10 nations with the highest Catholic populations are Vatican City, East Timor, San Marino, Paraguay, Malta, Andorra, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, and Italy.

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Country
% Catholic
Catholics
Vatican City100%799
Timor Leste96.9%1,021,000
San Marino90.5%29,412
Paraguay89%6,000,000
Malta88.7%361,372
Andorra88.2%61,740
Croatia86.3%3,698,000
Poland85.8%33,037,017
Portugal84.5%8,920,000
Italy83%50,474,000
Monaco82.3%29,933
Philippines81.4%85,470,000
Equatorial Guinea80.7%1,410,000
Mexico80%100,000,000
Ireland78.3%3,729,000
Cape Verde77.3%395,850
Lithuania77.2%2,311,722
Ecuador77%11,265,523
Seychelles76.2%70,866
Liechtenstein75.9%25,803
Colombia75%35,000,000
Peru75%23,674,000
Sao Tome and Principe73.5%119,805
Slovenia73.2%1,511,980
Bolivia73%7,980,000
Venezuela70%22,400,000
Argentina68.5%28,770,000
Spain66%30,720,000
Luxembourg65.9%369,600
Panama62.5%2,162,500
Burundi62.1%7,440,000
Slovakia62%3,347,277
Saint Lucia61.3%101,500
Chile60.8%9,000,000
France58.5%39,000,000
Dominica58.1%41,564
Belgium58%6,500,000
Brazil57.5%123,360,000
Costa Rica57%2,850,000
Austria56.9%5,050,000
Kiribati55.8%54,684
Haiti54.7%5,470,000
Dominican Republic52.5%5,460,000
Cuba51.7%5,790,000
Gabon50%694,600
Lesotho45.7%946,000
Nicaragua45%2,700,000
Grenada44.6%39,917
Rwanda43.7%4,807,000
Guatemala43%7,000,000
Palau41.6%8,299
Honduras41.5%3,652,000
Angola41.1%10,600,000
Belize40%133,600
Uruguay39.5%1,330,000
Uganda39.3%16,500,000
El Salvador39%2,730,000
Canada38.7%13,843,000
Cameroon38.4%9,846,000
Hungary37.2%3,674,244
DR Congo36.8%28,700,000
Switzerland36.55%3,052,000
Republic of the Congo33.1%1,675,529
South Sudan30%3,000,000
Madagascar29.5%5,318,293
Lebanon28.8%1,382,400
Mozambique28.4%4,618,795
Malawi28.4%3,449,487
Germany27.7%23,002,000
Tanzania27.2%12,220,689
Papua New Guinea27%1,890,000
Benin26.6%1,984,366
Togo26.4%1,499,921
Central African Republic25%949,974
Mauritius23.6%289,314
Netherlands23.3%3,943,000
Australia22.6%5,292,000
Kenya22.1%9,613,500
Trinidad and Tobago21.6%286,000
Suriname21.6%119,000
Ivory Coast21.4%5,093,000
United States21%69,300,000
Zambia21%3,003,000
Chad20.1%2,520,000
Samoa19.6%35,084
Latvia19.1%437,435
Solomon Islands19%100,000
Burkina Faso17%2,367,303
Namibia16.9%344,202
Tonga15.6%15,912
Bosnia and Herzegovina15.19%536,333
Vanuatu13.1%36,500
Ghana12.9%2,712,851
Nigeria12.6%23,940,000
Bahamas12%39,600
New Zealand11.1%492,000
South Korea11%5,813,770
Czech Republic10.2%1,071,000
Albania10%302,000
Fiji9.1%80,401
United Kingdom9%5,700,000
Guinea Bissau8.9%126,026
Bahrain8.9%71,200
Marshall Islands8.4%5,208
Antigua and Barbuda8.2%6,930
Guyana8.1%91,833
Ukraine7.8%3,354,000
Zimbabwe7.71%982,792
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines7.5%7,950
South Africa7.1%2,851,327
Belarus7.1%674,500
Vietnam6.8%5,658,000
Saint Kitts and Nevis6.7%3,400
Sri Lanka6.1%1,237,000
Serbia6.1%433,167
Kuwait6.1%142,474
Qatar5.8%50,000
Liberia5.4%188,039
United Arab Emirates5%128,160
Brunei5%18,618
Botswana4.9%80,365
Eswatini4.9%62,803
Singapore4.8%165,964
Romania4.7%1,787,408
Barbados4.2%10,000
Oman4.1%110,000
Iceland3.9%13,799
Senegal3.5%389,439
Montenegro3.4%21,299
Malaysia3.3%1,290,453
Eritrea3.3%150,532
Indonesia2.9%7,395,000
Sierra Leone2.9%174,511
Guinea2.6%246,164
Saudi Arabia2.5%660,439
Norway2.4%120,900
Gambia2.1%33,458
Syria2%368,975
Palestine2%80,000
Jamaica2%57,780
Sweden1.8%180,000
Mali1.5%189,289
Taiwan1.3%297,626
India1.2%15,520,000
Israel1.2%92,952
Myanmar1.1%450,549
Sudan1%300,000
Armenia1%29,829
Cyprus1%11,000
Tuvalu1%100
China0.87%12,000,000
Pakistan0.8%1,656,000
Georgia0.8%84,193
Ethiopia0.7%584,426
Libya0.7%40,358
Denmark0.7%40,000
Kazakhstan0.6%91,115
Laos0.6%37,302
Russia0.5%717,101
Bulgaria0.5%37,251
Moldova0.5%20,494
Jordan0.4%23,038
Greece0.4%44,683
Iraq0.35%133,000
Japan0.3%382,251
Thailand0.3%196,333
Estonia0.3%3,998
Tunisia0.2%22,000
Finland0.2%12,434
Djibouti0.2%953
Comoros0.2%1,600
Algeria0.14%45,000
Egypt0.1%77,505
Niger0.1%11,665
Cambodia0.1%10,000
Kyrgyzstan0.1%5,146
Mauritania0.1%3,086
Bangladesh0.07%110,000
Morocco0.07%22,908
Bhutan0.06%1,339
Western Sahara0.06%163
Turkey0.05%35,000
Mongolia0.04%1,116
Nepal0.03%8,302
Azerbaijan0.03%2,574
Iran0.02%13,603
Yemen0.02%4,145
Maldives0.02%80
Uzbekistan0.01%2,685
North Korea0.01%2,291
Tajikistan0.01%1,000
Turkmenistan0.01%500
Somalia0%100
Afghanistan0%100
showing: 194 rows

Which countries are the most Catholic?

By percentage of the population, the most Catholic country is Vatican City, with 100% Catholic citizens. Brazil has the greatest number of Catholic people with 123,360,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

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