A recent survey of 64,000 people from 65 countries has revealed the most and least religious nations in the world. According to the findings of the survey by the WIN/Gallup International, six out of ten (63%) citizens say they are religious, while one in five (22%) say they are not and one in ten (11%) consider themselves convinced atheists.
Western Europe (51%) and Oceania (49%) are the only regions where approximately half of the population are either not religious or convinced atheist. China is the least religious country with twice the amount of convinced atheists than any other nation (61%) followed by Hong Kong (34%), Japan (31%), Czech Republic (30%), and Spain (20%).
In Israel, 65% of those asked said that they are either not religious or convinced atheists compared to just 30% who say that they are religious. Meanwhile in the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza) the population is considerably more religious with 75% saying that they are religious compared to 18% who say that they are not religious.
According to the survey, Thailand is the most religious country globally (94%), followed by Armenia (93%), Bangladesh (93%), Georgia (93%), and Morocco (93%).
The results also reveal interesting trends when it comes to gender, age, income, education and people´s religiosity. Younger people (those under 34) tend to be more religious (about 66% as against about 60% for the other age groups). Those without what is considered an education[i] are the most religious (80%) but religious people are a majority in all educational levels.
Income appears to exert a greater influence – among those with a medium high and high income, where less than 50% say they are religious, against 70% of those with low, medium low and medium income. Likewise, the number of convinced atheists is as high as 22% and 25% among people with medium high and high income but only 6% and 5% among people with low and medium low income.
Top 15 least religious countries:
1. Hong Kong
2. Netherlands
3. UK
4. Israel
5. Japan
6. Germany
7. Australia
8. Switzerland
9. Korea
10. Spain
11. Austria
12. Azerbaijan
13. Vietnam
14. Canada
15. France
Top 15 most religious countries:
1. Thailand
2. Armenia
3. Bangladesh
4. Georgia
5. Morocco
6. Fiji
7. South Africa
8. Algeria
9. Kenya
10. Macedonia
11. Pakistan
12. Afghanistan
13. Philippines
14. Poland
15. Kosovo
