Religions of the world, 2010 to 2020
Christians were 28.8% of the world in 2020, down from 30.6% in 2010, while Muslims rose to 25.6% and the unaffiliated to 24.2%.
Free to edit and export · No signup to start
What the data shows
- In 2020, Christians ranks #1 with 28.8%, ahead of Muslims (25.6%) and Religiously unaffiliated (24.2%).
- Christians holds #1 for the whole period, 2010 to 2020.
About this chart
Christians remain the largest religious group at 28.8% of the world's population in 2020, about 2.3 billion people, but their share fell 1.8 points from 30.6% in 2010. Muslims grew fastest, from 23.9% to 25.6%, adding 347 million people to reach about 2.0 billion. The religiously unaffiliated rose from 23.3% to 24.2%, about 1.9 billion. Hindus held at about 15%, roughly 1.2 billion. Buddhists were the only major group to shrink in number, from 343 million to 324 million.
The chart has two points, 2010 and 2020, from Pew Research Center's 2025 study covering 201 countries and territories. The 2010 shares are Pew's revised estimates, which differ from its older projections: the unaffiliated were 23.3% in the revised data against 16.4% originally, mainly because of a new method for China. Pew's 2050 projections use the older baseline, so they are not shown. In 2020, 75.8% of people identified with a religion, down from 76.7%. Jews were about 14.8 million, or 0.2%.
The data
Source: Pew Research Center, 'How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020' (June 9, 2025), shares of the world's population (2010 estimates as revised in this report). Retrieved November 4, 2026. Percentage shares of the world population as published by Pew; Pew publishes group sizes only rounded (for example 2.3 billion Christians in 2020). The 2010 figures are Pew's revised 2010 estimates and differ from Pew's 2015 projections report (for example unaffiliated 23.3% revised vs 16.4% originally, mainly because of a new method for China). Pew's 2050 projections date from 2015 and use the older baseline, so they are not shown. 'Other religions' includes Baha'is, Daoists, Jains, Sikhs, folk religions and others. Figures may not sum to 100 because of rounding.
| Date | Christians | Muslims | Religiously unaffiliated | Hindus | Buddhists | Other religions | Jews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 30.6% | 23.9% | 23.3% | 15.0% | 4.9% | 2.2% | 0.2% |
| 2020 | 28.8% | 25.6% | 24.2% | 14.9% | 4.1% | 2.2% | 0.2% |
Post it
Suggested caption: “Christians 28.8%, Muslims 25.6%: how world religions shifted since 2010.” Credit the source in your caption; it heads off the 'source?' comments.
Make it yours
- Switch between bar, line, column and donut races with one click.
- Pick 9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 4:5 for the feed or 16:9 for YouTube.
- Change the theme, font, colors and race length, and add your own captions.
- Paste your own numbers from Excel or Google Sheets. See the bar chart race maker for tips.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest religion in the world?
Christianity, with 28.8% of the world's population in 2020, or about 2.3 billion people, according to Pew Research Center. Islam is second at 25.6%, about 2.0 billion.
Which religion is growing the fastest?
Islam. Muslims rose from 23.9% of the world in 2010 to 25.6% in 2020, an increase of 347 million people, the fastest growth of any group in Pew's data.
What share of the world has no religion?
About 24.2% in 2020, or roughly 1.9 billion people, up from 23.3% in 2010. Pew counts these as religiously unaffiliated, a group that includes atheists, agnostics and people with no particular religion.
Where does this data come from?
Pew Research Center, 'How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020' (June 9, 2025), shares of the world's population (2010 estimates as revised in this report). Retrieved November 4, 2026. Percentage shares of the world population as published by Pew; Pew publishes group sizes only rounded (for example 2.3 billion Christians in 2020). The 2010 figures are Pew's revised 2010 estimates and differ from Pew's 2015 projections report (for example unaffiliated 23.3% revised vs 16.4% originally, mainly because of a new method for China). Pew's 2050 projections date from 2015 and use the older baseline, so they are not shown. 'Other religions' includes Baha'is, Daoists, Jains, Sikhs, folk religions and others. Figures may not sum to 100 because of rounding. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
Can I turn this chart into a video?
Yes. Open it in the editor, change the title, theme, colors or format (9:16 for Reels and TikTok, 16:9 for YouTube), and export an MP4. Free exports are 720p with a small watermark; Pro ($11.99/month) removes it and adds 1080p, 4K and 60 fps.
Related data
All world chartsRetirement age by country (men)
Denmark's normal retirement age for men is 67 now but rises to 74 for those entering work in 2024. The OECD average goes from 64.7 to 66.4.
Tallest mountains in the world
Mount Everest, at 8,848.86 m, is the highest mountain above sea level, ahead of K2 at 8,611 m and Kangchenjunga at 8,586 m.
Atlantic hurricanes by season
The Atlantic produced a record 30 named storms in 2020 and 7 major hurricanes in both 2005 and 2020. In 2026, 10 storms had formed by late October.
- Incarceration rate by country
- Largest lakes in the world
- The most populous countries in the world, 1960 to 2023
- The world's biggest economies by GDP, 1980 to 2023
- The richest countries in the world, by GDP per person
- The largest economies in the world by purchasing power
- China vs US GDP, 1960 to today
- Life expectancy by country, 1960 to 2024
- Life expectancy over time in eight countries