Michael Brooks
Catholicism is the second-largest religious body in the world after Sunni Islam, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized members worldwide as of 2025. The number of Catholics worldwide has more than tripled over the past century, from 291 million in 1910 to nearly 1.1 billion in 2010, according to the Pew Research Center. However, the actual number of people who actively identify as Catholics is likely lower, as the number of baptized Catholics includes those who are lapsed or no longer actively practicing the religion. The geographic distribution of Catholics has changed significantly, with Africa and Asia experiencing the most rapid growth in recent years.
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What You'll Learn
Counting lapsed Catholics
The number of Catholics in the world is estimated to be around 1.27 to 1.41 billion as of 2025. This number includes people who are baptised Catholics but may not actively practise the religion or identify as Catholic.
Counting the number of lapsed Catholics is challenging as there is no official definition of what constitutes a "lapsed Catholic". Some people may consider themselves lapsed if they were baptised but no longer actively practise the religion, while others may still attend church occasionally but not identify as Catholic.
One way to estimate the number of lapsed Catholics is to look at church attendance rates. According to some sources, only about 31% of self-identified Catholics regularly attend church. This would suggest that a significant proportion of the 1.27 to 1.41 billion Catholics could be considered lapsed.
Another factor to consider is the discrepancy between the number of Catholics claimed by the church and the number of people who actually identify as Catholic. For example, in the United States, the number of Americans who identify as Catholic is about half the number claimed by the church. This discrepancy is likely to exist in other countries as well.
Taking these factors into account, it is safe to assume that the number of lapsed Catholics is substantial and likely includes several million people worldwide. However, without an official definition of "lapsed Catholic" and given the varying levels of religious practice and identification, it is challenging to arrive at an exact number.
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Self-identification vs. baptism
There are an estimated 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, with the number projected to have increased from 1.39 billion in 2022 to 1.406 billion in 2023. However, this number includes people who do not self-identify as Catholic, so the actual number of self-identified Catholics is likely lower.
The Catholic Church considers baptism a sacrament and the initiation of membership in the Church. It is seen as symbolic of an individual's death, burial, and resurrection with Jesus, as well as their new identity as a disciple. While anyone can be baptized, regardless of age, it is typically performed on infants by a priest or deacon. In extraordinary cases, such as when an individual's life is in danger, anyone can perform a baptism.
Self-identification as a Catholic, on the other hand, is a personal choice and may not always align with the Church's definition of membership. An individual may self-identify as Catholic due to cultural, familial, or spiritual reasons, even if they do not actively participate in Church activities or rituals like baptism.
The distinction between self-identification and baptism highlights the diversity within the Catholic community. Some individuals may be baptized but do not actively practice the faith, while others may strongly identify with the Catholic culture and community without having received the sacrament. Ultimately, both baptism and self-identification are valid expressions of an individual's relationship with the Catholic Church and their personal beliefs.
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Geographic distribution
As of 2025, there are 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptised Catholics worldwide, making Catholicism the second-largest religious body in the world after Sunni Islam. The geographic distribution of Catholics has changed substantially over the past century.
Africa
Africa has registered the greatest growth in the number of Catholics, with an increase of 3.31% from 2022 to 2023. The Catholic population in Africa increased from 272 million in 2022 to 281 million in 2023. This growth is particularly dynamic in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. Africa currently represents 20% of the world's Catholic population.
The Americas
The Americas continue to be the region with the highest proportion of Catholics, accounting for 47.8% of the global total. In terms of distribution, 27.4% of Catholics in the Americas reside in South America, 6.6% in North America, and 13.8% in Central America. Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the Americas, followed by Mexico and the Philippines.
Asia
Asia represents 11% of the world's total Catholics, with significant numbers in the Philippines (93 million) and India (23 million), which together correspond to 76.7% of the total Catholic population in Southeast Asia.
Europe
Europe is home to 20.4% of the world's Catholics and remains the least dynamic continent in terms of Catholic growth, with only a 0.2% increase between 2022 and 2023. Italy, Poland, and Spain continue to have a high proportion of Catholics, with more than 90% of their populations identifying as Catholic.
Oceania
Oceania has a total Catholic population of just over 11 million, representing 0.8% of Catholics worldwide.
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Church growth
As of 2025, there are 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide, making Catholicism the second-largest religious body in the world after Sunni Islam. This number represents a 1.15% increase from 2022, when there were approximately 1.39 billion Catholics globally. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian church, with Catholics making up about half of all Christians.
The growth of the Catholic Church has been concentrated in certain regions, particularly Africa, which currently represents 20% of the world's Catholic population. From 2022 to 2023, the number of Catholics in Africa increased by 3.31%, with significant increases in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The Americas continue to be the region with the highest proportion of Catholics, accounting for 47.8% of the global total, although the growth rate in this region has been moderate at 0.9%. Asia, which represents 11% of the world's Catholic population, saw a growth rate of 0.6% between 2022 and 2023, with the Philippines and India registering significant numbers of Catholics. Europe, home to 20.4% of the world's Catholics, has the slowest rate of growth, with a stagnant dynamic, increasing by only 0.2% between 2022 and 2023. Oceania, with just over 11 million Catholics, experienced a moderate growth rate of 1.9%.
The Catholic Church is made up of 24 autonomous churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and eparchies around the world. The geographic distribution of Catholics worldwide has changed substantially over the past century. In 1910, Europe was home to about two-thirds of all Catholics, with nearly nine-tenths living in Europe (65%) or Latin America (24%). However, as of 2010, only 11% of the world's population lives in Europe, and the number of Catholics in Europe has been slowly declining.
The growth of the Catholic Church can be attributed to various factors, including missionary work, conversion, and population growth in certain regions. The Church is the largest non-government provider of education and healthcare in the world, with a vast international network of charities, hospitals, orphanages, and schools. The diplomatic status of the Holy See, led by the Pope, facilitates access to these entities.
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Catholic vs. non-Catholic Christians
Catholicism is the second-largest religious body in the world after Sunni Islam, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized members worldwide as of 2025. The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ, and its bishops and the pope are successors to Christ's apostles. The pope, as the bishop of Rome, is the ultimate leader of the Catholic Church.
Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic. There are about 2.382 billion Christians in the world, meaning Catholics make up about half of all Christians. The geographic distribution of Catholics has changed substantially over the past century. In 1910, Europe was home to about two-thirds of all Catholics, and nearly 90% lived in Europe or Latin America. Today, the Americas have the most Catholics, accounting for 47.8% of the global total, followed by Europe with 20.4%, Africa with 20%, Asia with 11%, and Oceania with 0.8%.
The Catholic Church consists of 24 autonomous churches, including the Latin Church and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, which comprise almost 3,500 dioceses and eparchies around the world. The Latin Church is the largest and most well-known, with more than 1 billion members worldwide. The 23 self-governing Eastern Catholic Churches have a much smaller membership of 17.3 million as of 2010.
There are differences in practices and beliefs between Catholic and non-Catholic Christians. For example, in the Latin Church, Catholic men may serve as deacons or priests by receiving sacramental ordination, while men and women may serve as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, readers, or altar servers. Girls and women have only been permitted to serve as altar servers since the 1990s.
Additionally, there may be differences in the frequency of church attendance between Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. According to one source, only 31% of self-identified Catholics regularly attend church. However, it is important to note that the number of Catholics in the world includes those who may not actively practice or identify as Catholic, so the number of actively practicing Catholics may be lower than estimated.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. As of 2025, there are 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide.
The number of people who identify as Catholic varies from country to country. For instance, in the United States, the number of Americans who identify as Catholic is about half the number claimed by the Church. According to the Annuario Pontificio, church membership, defined as baptized Catholics, was 1.406 billion at the end of 2023. However, this number includes people who do not self-identify as Catholic.
Catholics comprise about 16% of the total global population, or 17.4% according to Annuario Pontificio in 2023.
