Rachel Evans
Catholicism is a division of Christianity, the largest religion globally. The Catholic population has been growing worldwide, with an increase of 1.15% between 2022 and 2023, rising from 1.39 billion to 1.406 billion. Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world, with an estimated 123 million people identifying as Catholic, although some estimates place this figure at 140 million or higher. The Americas continue to be the region with the highest proportion of Catholics, accounting for 47.8% of the global total, with South America alone accounting for 27.4% of the world's Catholics. Europe, home to 20.4% of the world's Catholics, remains the least dynamic continent in terms of Catholic growth, with only a 0.2% increase in the number of Catholics between 2022 and 2023.
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What You'll Learn
Global Catholic population in 2023: 1.4 billion
The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and healthcare worldwide. It runs 5,000 hospitals, 10,000 orphanages, 95,000 elementary schools, and 47,000 secondary schools. The Catholic population has been steadily growing, and as of 2023, there are approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. This number rose from 1.39 billion in 2022, marking a 1.15% increase.
The Americas have the highest proportion of Catholics, accounting for 47.8% of the global total. South America alone has 27.4% of the world's Catholics, with Brazil having the largest number of Catholics in the world at 182 million. The Americas are followed by Africa, which has 20% of the world's Catholics, with the Democratic Republic of Congo in the lead with almost 55 million, followed by Nigeria with 35 million. Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya also have significant numbers. The Catholic population in Africa increased by 3.31% between 2022 and 2023, a dynamic spread.
Asia is home to 11% of the world's Catholics, with the Philippines and India having the most significant numbers in Southeast Asia, with 93 million and 23 million, respectively. Europe, on the other hand, has seen slower growth, with only a 0.2% increase over the biennium. It hosts 20.4% of the global Catholic community.
Oceania has a Catholic population of just over 11 million, with a moderate growth rate of 1.9% between 2022 and 2023. While the number of bishops increased globally by 1.4% during this period, the number of priests decreased by 0.2%.
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Brazil: highest concentration of Catholics
Brazil has the largest Catholic population in the world, with 182 million Catholics, constituting 13% of the global total. This is despite the fact that the share of self-identified Catholics in Brazil dropped from approximately 74% in 2000 to about 65% in 2010.
In 2025, the global Catholic population is estimated to be 1.4 billion, with the Americas continuing to be the region with the highest proportion of Catholics, at 47.8%. South America is home to 27.4% of these Catholics, with Brazil contributing the most significant number. Other countries in South America with high Catholic populations include Argentina, Colombia, and Paraguay, where more than 90% of the population is Catholic.
The Catholic population in Brazil is part of a broader trend of religious observance in Latin America, which was the most heavily Catholic region in 1910 and 2010, despite a decrease in the share of the population that identifies as Catholic during that time. This trend also includes Mexico, which has the second-largest Catholic population globally, with 85% of the country identifying as Catholic in 2010.
Brazil's high concentration of Catholics is notable, especially considering the overall growth of the Catholic population in the Americas has been moderate, with a 0.9% increase over the previous period. This growth is significantly lower than that of Africa, which currently represents 20% of the world's Catholic population and has seen a dynamic spread of Catholicism, with a 3.31% increase in the number of Catholics between 2022 and 2023.
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Catholicism in the US: 7% of world's Catholics
Catholicism is a global religion with a significant presence in many countries and regions. According to recent estimates, the global Catholic population stands at approximately 1.4 billion people, with significant growth of 1.15% occurring between 2022 and 2023. This growth is particularly evident in Africa, which now accounts for 20% of the world's Catholics and is characterised by a dynamic spread of the Catholic faith. The Americas continue to have the highest proportion of Catholics, constituting 47.8% of the global Catholic population.
Within this global context, the United States is home to a substantial Catholic community, representing about 7% of the world's Catholic population. This equates to an estimated 75.4 million Catholics in the United States as of 2010, with a notable proportion of 30% born outside the country. The presence of Catholicism in the US is shaped by immigration, with a rising share of Latinos among US Catholics. Of the foreign-born Catholic immigrants, 76% hail from Latin America and the Caribbean, 10% from Asia-Pacific, and another 10% from Europe.
Demographically, US Catholics tend to be older, with nearly six-in-ten Catholic adults (58%) aged 50 and above. However, Hispanic and Asian Catholics tend to be younger, with lower proportions in the 50-and-older age bracket compared to White Catholics. US Catholics also exhibit varying levels of educational attainment, with 35% holding a bachelor's degree, 27% having some college experience, and 38% possessing a high school education or less.
In terms of religious practice, about 29% of US Catholics attend Mass weekly or more frequently, while a larger share (51%) pray on a daily basis. Religion holds a significant place in the lives of US Catholics, with 44% considering it very important. Partisan affiliation among Catholic registered voters varies, with 53% identifying with or leaning towards the Republican Party and 43% towards the Democratic Party. These preferences also show variation across racial and ethnic lines.
Catholics in the US constitute one of the largest religious groups in the country, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination. The United States ranks fourth in terms of Catholic population, following Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines, according to the Vatican's 2021 Statistical Yearbook of the Church. This presence of Catholicism in the US contributes to the global diversity and reach of the Catholic Church.
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Catholic demographics in Europe
Europe has strong historical ties to the Catholic Church, with the church's headquarters in Rome's Vatican City, an ecclesiastical state ruled by the Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church. While the share of global Catholics living in Europe has decreased over time, Catholics remain the largest religious group in many of Europe's most populous countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
According to Vatican statistics, the Catholic population in Europe was just under 285.6 million people at the end of 2022, constituting about 39.5% of Europe's population. This represented a decline of 0.08% from the previous year. In contrast, the global Catholic population continued to rise, reaching nearly 1.39 billion people by the end of 2022.
The distribution of Catholics within Europe varies, with southern and central European countries generally having larger Catholic populations. For example, Poland, Italy, and Portugal have high proportions of Catholics, with at least three-quarters of adults in these countries identifying as Catholic. Other countries with significant Catholic populations include Spain (60%), Hungary (56%), Ireland (72%), Lithuania (75%), the United Kingdom (19%), the Netherlands (19%), and Ukraine (10%).
Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe tend to be more socially conservative than those in Western Europe. For instance, majorities of Catholics in Western European countries support legal gay marriage, while most Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe oppose it. Additionally, Catholics in Western Europe are more accepting of Muslims than those in other parts of the continent.
The decline in the Catholic population in Europe has coincided with a decrease in the number of Catholic priests on the continent. However, this decline is offset by increases in other regions, such as Africa and Asia, contributing to the overall global rise in the Catholic population.
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Catholic population in Africa
The Catholic population in Africa has been increasing over the years. In 1900, there were 2 million Catholics in Africa, which rose to 140 million in 2000. In 2005, the Catholic Church in Africa, including Eastern Catholic Churches, accounted for approximately 135 million of Africa's 809 million people. When Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa in 2009, the number of Catholics in Africa was estimated at 158 million. By 2021, the number of Catholics in Africa had risen to 265 million, accounting for 19% of all Catholics worldwide. In 2022, the Catholic population in Africa surpassed 272.4 million people, an increase of more than 7.3 million, making it the continent with the largest increase in Catholics that year. By 2025, it is expected that one-sixth of the world's Catholics, or 230 million people, will be Africans.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has the largest Catholic population in Africa, with an estimated 45 million Catholics. Other countries with significant Catholic populations in Africa include Nigeria, with an estimated 30-45 million Catholics, and Kenya, with a substantial Catholic population as well. Uganda, Tanzania, and Angola are also notable for their large Catholic communities.
Africa has been recognised as a pivotal part of Catholicism's future due to the rapid growth and dynamism of the faith on the continent. The continent has seen a rise in vocations, vibrant parish life, and a high rate of Mass attendance. In Nigeria, for example, 94% of Catholics report attending Mass at least once a week, while in Kenya, the figure stands at 73%. This is in contrast to countries like Brazil, the world's most populous Catholic country, where only 8% of Catholics attend Mass on a weekly basis.
The Catholic Church in Africa has a rich history, dating back to the 1st century with the formation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria in Egypt as one of the four original Patriarchs of the East. However, the Islamic conquest in the 7th century led to a decline in Christianity in Northern Africa. Despite this, Christianity persisted in some regions, and the Catholic Church has grown in modern times, partly due to the French colonisation of several African countries.
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Frequently asked questions
The global Catholic population is estimated to be around 1.4 billion as of 2023.
The Americas have the highest proportion of Catholics, with 47.8% of the world's Catholics belonging to this continent.
Brazil has the highest number of Catholics, with estimates ranging from 123 million to 182 million.
The United States is home to about 7% of the world's Catholics. As of 2010, it was estimated that 23% of US adults and 24% of the total US population were Catholic.
Yes, in several countries, more than 90% of the population is Catholic. These include Italy, Poland, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay, and Timor-Leste.
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