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SALT LAKE CITY — Recent comments by Pope Francis moved a 2012 survey on the world's most religious countries and those with the most self-proclaimed atheists into the spotlight.
The Washington Post reports a 2012 poll by WIN/Gallup International asked more than 50,000 people in 40 countries whether they considered themselves "religious," "not religious" or "convinced atheist."
It found that about 13 percent of respondents worldwide identified as atheists. That's more than double the percentage of atheists in the U.S.
The country with the most self-described atheists is China, at 47 percent.
As the Post reports, "Faith has a complicated history in China. The state is deeply skeptical of organized religion, which it has long considered a threat to its authority."
- 59% - religious
- 23% - not religious
- 13% - convinced atheists
Of the countries polled, those with the most atheists were:
- China- 47%
- Japan - 31%
- Czech Republic - 30%
- France - 29%
- Korea (South) - 15%
- Germany - 15%
- Netherlands - 14%
- Austria - 10%
- Iceland - 10%
- Australia - 10%
The most religious countries were:
- Ghana - 96%
- Nigeria - 93%
- Armenia - 92%
- Fiji - 92%
- Macedonia - 90%
- Romania - 89%
- Iraq - 88%
- Kenya - 88%
- Peru - 86%
- Brazil - 85%
In the United States, 60 percent of respondents said they are religious.
The poll found that, overall, religious belief was highest among the poor. People in the lowest income groups were 17 percent more religious than those in the top income groups.
Get more details of the poll here.
