Grace Thompson
Catholicism is a Christian religion that has been a decisive spiritual force in the history of Western civilization. It is the world's largest non-government provider of education and healthcare. There are 1.272 billion Catholics worldwide as of 2025, constituting 48.1% of 2.645 billion Christians. While the number of Catholics varies depending on the region, there are several countries with large Catholic populations. The country with the highest percentage of Catholics is Vatican City, with 100% of its population identifying as Catholic. Other countries with high percentages of Catholics include Timor-Leste (97%), San Marino (90.5%), and Paraguay (87%). The country with the largest Catholic population in terms of numbers is Brazil, with an estimated 123 million to 140 million Catholics. Other countries with large Catholic populations include Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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What You'll Learn
What countries have the most Catholics?
Catholicism is one of the most common religions in the world, with approximately 1.272 billion followers as of 2025. The number of baptized Catholics was estimated to be around 1.376 billion at the end of 2021.
When looking at the total number of Catholics in a nation, Brazil comes out on top, with estimates ranging from 123 million to 140 million or higher. The ten countries with the most Catholics behind Brazil are Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
However, this list changes when considering the percentage of each country's population that is Catholic. Vatican City has a 100% Catholic population, but this is a small nation of only about 800 people. Timor-Leste (East Timor) has the second-highest percentage of Catholics, with more than 96% of its population following the religion. San Marino comes third, with 90.5% of its population being Catholic. The rest of the top ten countries with the highest percentage of Catholics are Paraguay, Malta, Andorra, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, and Italy.
Some notable mentions include Mexico, which has approximately 98.8 million Catholics, making up 72.1% of its population. Catholicism was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish in the early 1500s and remains an important aspect of the country's culture. The Philippines has one of the largest Catholic populations in Asia, with around 76 million Catholics, or about 81% of its citizens. The United States also has a large Catholic population, with approximately 51 million adults identifying as Catholic. Poland is another very religious country, with around 33 million Catholics, constituting about 87% of its population. Finally, Spain has a significant Catholic population, with approximately 61.3% of citizens identifying as Catholic, or over 32 million residents.
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How many Catholics are there in the world?
Catholicism is a Christian religion and one of the three major branches of Christianity, along with Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. It is the decisive spiritual force in the history of Western civilisation. Led by the Pope, the Catholic Church is the world's oldest continuously functioning international institution. It is also the largest non-government provider of education and healthcare worldwide.
Catholicism is practised in nations all around the world, with 1.272 billion Catholics globally as of 2025, constituting 48.1% of 2.645 billion Christians. The number of Catholics in the world was about 1.376 billion at the end of 2021.
The Catholic Church comprises the Latin Church (or the Roman or Western Church) and 23 Eastern Catholic Churches, each led by either a patriarch or a major archbishop in communion with the Pope. The Vatican II decree on Eastern Catholic Churches recognises Eastern Catholic communities as "true Churches" and not just rites within the Catholic Church.
The countries with the largest number of Catholics are, in decreasing order: Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brazil has an estimated 123 million Catholics, although more recent estimates put the figure at 140 million or higher. Mexico has 98.8 million Catholics, and the Philippines has 76 million. The United States has around 51 million Catholics, constituting about 7% of the world's Catholics.
In terms of the percentage of the population that is Catholic, Vatican City has the highest rate, with 100% of its 800 citizens being Catholic. This is followed by Timor-Leste, with 97% Catholic citizens, and San Marino, with 90.5%.
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Which countries have the highest percentage of Catholics?
The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and health care worldwide. It is also the oldest continuously functioning international institution. According to the World Christian Database, there are 1.272 billion Catholics globally as of 2025, constituting 48.1% of the world's 2.645 billion Christians. The CIA Factbook and the Pew Research Center report that the country with the largest percentage of Catholics is Vatican City, where all 800 residents are Catholic.
Following Vatican City, the countries with the highest percentage of Catholics are Timor-Leste (96%-97%), San Marino (90.5%), Paraguay, Malta, Andorra, Croatia, Poland (87%), Portugal, Italy (78%), the Philippines (81%), Mexico (72.1%), Spain (61.3%), Colombia, France, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While Brazil has the highest number of Catholics in the world, it does not crack the top 10 in terms of percentage of the population. The United States has one of the highest Catholic populations globally, with approximately 51 million adults (21% of the population) identifying as Catholic.
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How many Catholics are there in Latin America?
Latin America is the region with the most Catholics, with 39% of the population identifying as Catholic. According to a 2014 Pew Research survey, 69% of adults across the region identify as Catholic. However, a more recent Latinobarómetro survey from 2024 puts this figure at 54%.
The Catholic Church has experienced net losses from religious switching, as many Latin Americans have joined evangelical Protestant churches or rejected organized religion altogether. For example, roughly one-in-four Nicaraguans, one-in-five Brazilians, and one-in-seven Venezuelans are former Catholics.
Brazil has the largest number of Catholics, with estimates ranging from 123 million to 140 million or higher. Mexico is also one of the countries with a large Catholic population, with approximately 98.8 million citizens identifying as Catholic, making up around 72.1% of its population.
Other countries in Latin America with significant Catholic populations include Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. In addition, countries with large percentages of Amerindians, such as Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru, still practice indigenous creeds and rituals alongside Catholicism.
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How has the Catholic population changed over time?
Catholicism is the largest division of Christianity, the largest religion globally. According to the CIA Factbook and the Pew Research Center, the country with the largest membership of the Catholic Church as a percentage of the population is Vatican City at 100%. This is followed by Timor-Leste at 97% and San Marino at 90.5%. As of 2025, there are 1.272 billion Catholics worldwide, constituting 48.1% of 2.645 billion Christians. This is a slight increase from 2021, when the number of baptized Catholics in the world was about 1.376 billion.
The Catholic population in different regions has changed over time. In 1910, Europe was home to about two-thirds of all Catholics, with nearly nine-in-ten living either in Europe (65%) or Latin America (24%). By 2010, only about a quarter of all Catholics (24%) were in Europe, with the largest share (39%) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Catholic population in Latin America decreased from about 90% in 1910 to 72% in 2010, while Europe's population went from 44% Catholic to 35% Catholic. While both regions became less heavily Catholic, Latin America's larger population growth made it the region with the largest Catholic population in sheer numbers.
The Catholic share of the population in the Asia-Pacific region grew from 1% in 1910 to 3% in 2010, while the Catholic share of North America's population grew from 16% to 26% during this period. The Middle East and North Africa, which are the ancient cradle of Christianity, are home to less than 1% of Catholics today, about the same as in 1910.
In terms of the number of people, Brazil has the largest Catholic population, with estimates ranging from 123 million to 140 million or higher. The ten nations with the most number of Catholics behind Brazil are Mexico, the Philippines, the United States, Italy, France, Colombia, Poland, Spain, Argentina, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United States has approximately 51 million adults identifying as Catholic, and more than half (52%) of all migrants to the country are Catholic.
The Catholic population has also grown in Africa, with the share of the world's Catholics living in the region increasing from 1.9 million in 1900 to an estimated 236 million today, accounting for 20% of the Church. While the population of Africa increased from 1950 to 2000 by 313%, the Catholic population increased by 708%. Asia's total population is so large that it is now home to one in ten Catholics, with the Philippines having one of the largest Catholic populations in Asia.
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Frequently asked questions
There are no countries that are officially Catholic. However, the Catholic Church is present in many countries, with 1.272 billion Catholics worldwide as of 2025.
Brazil has the highest Catholic population in the world, with estimates ranging from 123 million to 140 million or higher.
Vatican City has the highest percentage of Catholics, with 100% of its population of 800 people identifying as Catholic.
