NZ is 16th in world religious diversity rankings

A Pew Research Center study analysed data from 201 countries and territories, each of which had at least 100,000 people in 2010 or 2020. Together, these 201 countries and territories accounted for 99.98 per cent of the global population in 2020.

The Pew study measured religious diversity based on the size of seven religious groups: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, adherents of all other religions and people with no religious affiliation. It used a Religious Diversity Index (RDI) system to rank nations.

Singapore had the highest ranking for religious diversity with a score of 9.3 on the RDI scale. In percentage terms, Buddhists at 31 per cent are Singapore’s largest religious group, but its population also includes substantial percentages of religiously unaffiliated people 20, Christians 19, Muslims 16, Hindus 5 and adherents of all other religions 9.

New Zealand scored 6.7, which was up from 6.6 in 2010, when New Zealand was ranked 15th for religious diversity.

The 2020 religious affiliations for New Zealand in percentages were Christian 40.3, Muslim 1.4, Religiously unaffiliated 51.4, Hindu 2.8, Buddhist 1.2, and Jews 0.1, with 2.9 from other religions.

Australia ranked ninth for religious diversity in 2020, based on the Pew study figures. Samoa and Tonga ranked among the lower scores, as did Papua New Guinea. 

In the world’s most religiously diverse places, Christians are often the largest group. Out of the 10 most religiously diverse countries overall, half have a majority Christian population, the study report said.

The Middle East-North Africa region was found to be the least diverse of the regions Pew studied, with a population that is 94 per cent Muslim. This region includes five of the world’s 10 least religiously diverse countries and territories.

The research is part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which analyses religious change and its impact on societies around the world.

FULL STORY

Pew report finds Christians are often the largest group in the world’s most religiously diverse places (By Tessa Gervasini/EWTN News)

Religious diversity rankings for 201 countries and territories (Pew Research Center)

Religious Diversity Around the World (Pew Research Center)

Methodology (Pew Research Center)