Michael Brooks
Europe has historically been home to a large Catholic population, with 65% of the world's Catholics living on the continent in 1910. However, the geographic distribution of Catholics has changed significantly over the past century, and in 2010, only about 24% of Catholics resided in Europe. While the number of Catholics worldwide continues to grow, Europe is the only continent where the Catholic population has been declining in recent years. As of 2023, it is estimated that about 35% to 39.58% of Europe's population is Catholic, with the highest percentage found in Poland (87-95.2%) and the lowest in North Macedonia (0.7%).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Population in Europe in 1910 | 65% |
| Catholic Population in Europe in 2010 | 24% |
| Catholic Population in Europe in 2013 | 39.58% |
| Catholic Population in Europe in 2019 | 17.7% |
| Countries with the Largest Share of Catholics in Europe | Poland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, Ireland, Netherlands, Ukraine |
| Most Ukrainian Catholics Identify With | Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church |
| Catholic Population in the US in 2010 | 75.4 million |
| Catholic Population in the Republic | 3.7 million |
| Catholic Population Worldwide in 2019 | 1.34 billion |
| Catholic Priests Worldwide in 2019 | 414,336 |
| Catholic Priests in Europe in 2019 | Decreased by 2,608 |
| Catholic Bishops' Conferences in Europe | 33 |
| Catholic Bishops' Conferences in the EU | 27 |
| Average Percentage of Catholics in Europe in 2013 (based on 31 countries) | 39.9% |
| Country with the Highest Percentage of Catholics in Europe | Poland (87%, 95.2%) |
| Country with the Lowest Percentage of Catholics in Europe | North Macedonia (0.7%) |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic population decline in Europe
Europe has historically been closely associated with the Catholic Church, which is headquartered in Rome's Vatican City, a European state. In 1910, Europe was home to about two-thirds of all Catholics worldwide (65%), with nearly nine-tenths (90%) living in Europe or Latin America (24%). However, over the past century, the geographic distribution of Catholics has changed significantly.
By 2010, the share of global Catholics living in Europe had dropped to 24%, with Latin America hosting the largest share (39%), followed by sub-Saharan Africa (16%) and the Asia-Pacific region (12%). This shift has continued, with the number of Catholics in Europe declining further in recent years. According to a 2019 Vatican census, the number of Catholics in Europe dropped by 292,000 from 2018 figures, while the number of priests in the region decreased by 2,608 in the same year.
Several factors have contributed to the decline of Catholicism in Europe. One factor is the migration of largely Catholic European ethnic groups, such as the Irish, Italians, Poles, Portuguese, and Spaniards, to other continents, particularly the Americas and Australia. Additionally, historical Catholic missionary activity, colonization, and conversion by Catholic European countries have spread Catholicism outside of Europe, particularly in Latin America, the Caribbean, and regions of Africa and Southeast Asia.
Within Europe, there are variations in the prevalence of Catholicism across countries. In 2013, Poland had the highest percentage of Catholics (95.2%), while North Macedonia had the lowest (0.7%). Southern and Central European countries tend to have larger shares of Catholics, with Poland (87%), Italy (78%), and Portugal (77%) having the highest proportions. In Western Europe, Catholics tend to be more socially progressive, with majorities supporting legal gay marriage and a higher acceptance of Muslims as family members.
The decline in Catholicism within Europe has had an impact on the role of the Catholic Church and its perception in national and European societies. It has also raised challenges at the local level, particularly as the Church has expanded its global presence through various organizations and charities.
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Catholic population growth worldwide
Over the past century, the number of Catholics worldwide has more than tripled. However, the overall population has also increased rapidly, so Catholics still only make up a relatively stable share of the global population. Nevertheless, the geographic distribution of Catholics has changed substantially.
In 1910, Europe was home to about 65% of all Catholics, but by 2010, this had dropped to 24%. As of 2025, Europe is home to 20.4% of the world's Catholics, with only a 0.2% increase in the number of Catholics between 2022 and 2023. This makes Europe the least dynamic continent in terms of Catholic growth.
Latin America and the Caribbean now host more Catholics than any other region, with 39% in 2010 and 47.8% as of 2025. Brazil is the country with the largest number of Catholics, with 182 million, and Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay have Catholic populations exceeding 90% of their total populations.
Sub-Saharan Africa has also seen rapid growth, with 16% of the world's Catholics in 2010 and 20% in 2025. The Democratic Republic of Congo has the highest number of Catholics in the region, with almost 55 million, followed by Nigeria with 35 million, and Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya also showing significant numbers.
The Asia-Pacific region has grown from 5% of the global Catholic population in 1910 to 12% in 2010 and 11% in 2023. The Philippines has the highest number of Catholics in the region, with 93 million, followed by India with 23 million.
North America has increased its share of the global Catholic population more slowly, from 5% in 1910 to 8% in 2010 and 6.6% in 2023. The Catholic population in the US has been heavily influenced by immigration, with 76% of Catholic immigrants coming from Latin America and the Caribbean, and 10% from Asia-Pacific and Europe.
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Catholic social conservatism in Central and Eastern Europe
Catholicism has long been an important element of Polish society, with 87% of adults identifying as Catholic. The Catholic Church remains closely tied to Europe, and Catholics are the largest religious group in many of the continent's most populous countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain. Europe was once home to most of the world's Catholics, but today, only about a quarter of all Catholics (24%) are in Europe. The largest share (39%) is in Latin America and the Caribbean.
In Central and Eastern Europe, Catholics tend to be more socially conservative than those in Western Europe. While majorities of Catholics in every Western European country analyzed support legal gay marriage, most Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe oppose it. For example, nine-in-ten Catholics in Ukraine and Bosnia oppose gay marriage. Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe are also less likely to accept Muslims as members of their families. While 69% of Spanish Catholics and 57% in Switzerland say they would accept a Muslim family member, only 21% in Hungary and 15% in Latvia would do the same.
The intimate relationship between political parties of the right and Christianity in Europe has been well-documented. After the end of socialism in Central and Eastern Europe, many parties from former socialist countries became members of Christian democratic organizations, such as the European People's Party (EPP). These parties often pushed for a re-traditionalization of society, pro-family policies, and identity politics based on Christianity. Hungary's Fidesz party, for example, claimed Hungary to be a "Christian democracy" during its time in the EPP.
In Poland, the dominant leading figure, PiS party leader and former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczyński, is a devout church-going Roman Catholic. Kaczyński has publicly committed to ensuring that the European Union does not promote socially liberal ideas about identity, gender, and sexuality, which he believes are not universally popular in Central and Eastern European countries. In 2021, the archbishop of Krakow, Marek Jędraszewski, publicly thanked Kaczyński for his service to Polish society.
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Catholic views on Muslims in Western Europe
Europe was once home to most of the world's Catholics, but that number has decreased over the years. In 1910, 65% of all Catholics lived on the European continent. A century later, in 2010, the share of the world's Catholics living in Europe dropped to 24%. The average for 2013 based on 31 countries was 39.9%. The highest percentage of Catholics in Europe is in Poland at 95.2%, while the lowest is in North Macedonia at 0.7%. Other countries with large Catholic populations include Italy (78%), Portugal (77%), Spain (60%), Hungary (56%), Ireland (72%), Lithuania (75%), the United Kingdom (19%), the Netherlands (19%), and Ukraine (10%).
Catholics in Western Europe are more accepting of Muslims than those in other European countries. A median of 66% of non-Muslim adults in Western Europe say they would accept a Muslim as a member of their family. For instance, 69% of Spanish Catholics and 57% in Switzerland say they would accept a Muslim into their family. By contrast, far fewer Catholics across Central and Eastern Europe say they would accept a Muslim as a member of their family, including 21% in Hungary and 15% in Latvia. Catholics in Western Europe are also more socially progressive, with majorities supporting legal gay marriage and abortion.
The Catholic Church officially recognizes and respects Islam. The Pontifical Council of Interreligious Dialogue has sent a message to Muslims on the occasion of 'Id al-Fitr at the close of Ramadan every year for over 30 years, which has been welcomed as a sign of growing friendship. The Church acknowledges the shared religious values between Christians and Muslims, such as the belief in one God, the importance of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, repentance, and pardon. The Church also emphasizes the need to recognize and respect their differences, particularly regarding the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth.
While there are centuries-old indigenous Muslim communities in Europe, the majority of Muslim communities in Western Europe formed as a result of immigration. Muslims in Europe tend to suffer from Islamophobia, with varying perceptions and views across the continent. Some European Muslims perceive Western governments as inherently hostile towards Islam, although this perception has declined in recent years, particularly among the youth and highly educated Muslims. Studies have shown that religious fundamentalism is more prevalent among European Muslims than among Christian natives, with Belgium, which has generous policies towards Muslims and immigrants, also exhibiting a relatively high level of fundamentalism.
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Catholic influence on European politics
The Catholic Church's views and teachings have evolved over time, and its influence on politics has fluctuated throughout history. During the Middle Ages, from the 5th to the 15th centuries, the Church experienced a significant rise in political power and influence. The conversion of European rulers and their subjects to Christianity bolstered the Church's authority, and it filled the power vacuum left by the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Popes like Gregory VIII and Innocent III exerted wide influence over Christian states and claimed supremacy over Europe's kings. Medieval Catholic thinkers also contributed to the development of democratic ideas, with John of Salisbury advocating for a conceptual democracy based on Christian corporatism and the belief that government authority should be limited by natural and customary laws.
In the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas addressed political legitimacy and the moral implications of wielding political power, arguing for explicit limitations on governmental power. The Church's stance on political involvement evolved, with figures like Saint Augustine advocating for minimal engagement in politics, accepting even pagan governments that maintained social order and allowed the Church to carry out its evangelical mission.
The distribution of Catholics worldwide has changed significantly over the past century. In 1910, Europe was home to about 65% of all Catholics, but by 2010, that number had dropped to around 24%. While the number of Catholics has tripled globally, the share of Catholics in Europe has decreased as the faith has spread to Latin America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Despite these shifts, the Catholic Church remains closely tied to Europe, with its headquarters in Vatican City, Rome. Europe still holds a plurality of the institution's cardinals (42%). Catholics are the largest religious group in several of Europe's most populous countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
In contemporary times, the relationship between Catholicism and European politics has become more complex and fragmented. The rise of populism and new European nationalists, such as Viktor Orbán, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and Matteo Salvini, has brought about a refashioning of Christian democracy and Catholic nationalism. Scandals, both financial and sexual, have impacted the political credibility and influence of the Catholic Church in Europe.
While some Catholic politicians have embraced secular and liberal ideals, moving away from traditional religious values, they have faced dismissal from the institutional Church. The concept of "adult Catholics," popularized by Romano Prodi, reflects individuals who make political choices based on personal reflections and preferences rather than solely adhering to religious authority. This trend aligns with the growth of a post-materialist European culture, where political decisions transcend traditional party lines and ideologies.
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Frequently asked questions
Around 35% of Europe's population is Catholic.
In 1910, Europe was home to about 65% of the world's Catholics. By 2010, this had dropped to 24%. The number of Catholics in Europe continues to fall, with a decrease of 292,000 from 2018 to 2019.
The largest share of Catholics (39%) is in Latin America and the Caribbean. There has been rapid growth in sub-Saharan Africa (16%) and the Asia-Pacific region (12%).
Poland has the highest percentage of Catholics in Europe, with 87-95.2%. Other countries with large Catholic populations include Italy, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, and France.
