Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church remains closely tied to Europe, with about 35% of the population of Europe identifying as Catholic. Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 48.1% of Christians worldwide following the religion. The countries with the largest shares of Catholics in Europe are mostly located in Southern and Central Europe, including Poland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Hungary. The Catholic Church is headquartered in Rome's Vatican City, which is an ecclesiastical state ruled by the Pope.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Church headquarters | Rome's Vatican City |
| Cardinals hailing from Europe | 42% |
| Largest Catholic religious group countries | France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vatican City |
| European countries with significant Catholic populations | Albania, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Serbia, Romania |
| European countries with Eastern Orthodox populations | Belarus, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan |
| European countries with Protestant populations | Denmark, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom, Iceland |
| Catholic population in Europe in 1910 | 65% |
| Catholic population in Europe in 2010 | 24% |
| Largest Christian country in Europe | Russia |
| Catholic population in Brazil | 57% |
| Catholic population in Mexico | 83.9% |
| Catholic population in Europe | 35% |
| Catholic population worldwide | 48.1% |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic Church's headquarters in Vatican City
The Catholic Church has long been closely intertwined with Europe. While the global Catholic population has shifted to Latin America, Africa, and Asia, Europe was once home to most of the world's Catholics. In 1910, 65% of Catholics lived on the continent, but by 2010, this number had dropped to 24%.
Catholics remain the largest religious group in many of Europe's most populous countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain. Southern and Central European countries have the highest proportion of Catholics, with Poland (87%), Italy (78%), and Portugal (77%) leading the way. Ireland (72%), Lithuania (75%), Spain (60%), and Hungary (56%) also have sizable Catholic populations.
Catholicism has had a profound influence on Western culture and philosophy, literature, art, music, and science throughout history. The Catholic Church's headquarters, Vatican City, is a testament to its enduring significance.
Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is a landlocked sovereign state and the world's smallest, covering 49 hectares with a population of about 882 as of 2024. It is an enclave within Rome, Italy, and came into existence in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy. Ruled by the Pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church, it serves as the administrative and spiritual centre of Catholicism.
The Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, maintains temporal power, governance, diplomacy, and spiritual independence. The Pope holds legislative, executive, and judicial power in this unique non-hereditary monarchy. The Apostolic Palace within Vatican City has been the primary residence of Popes since the Avignon Papacy (1309-1377), though they have occasionally resided in the Quirinal Palace in Rome.
Vatican City attracts millions of visitors each year who come to experience its rich history and religious significance. It houses artistic and cultural treasures such as the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world. The economy of Vatican City is supported by donations from Catholic believers, sales of postage stamps and souvenirs, admission fees to museums, and publication sales.
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Catholic populations in Southern and Central Europe
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 48.1% of Christians worldwide identifying as Catholic. While Latin America has the largest share of Catholics globally, the religion remains closely tied to Europe, where it is headquartered in Rome's Vatican City.
Historically, the dominance of the Catholic Church was the only consistent force in Western Europe, especially as the centralized Roman power waned in southern and central Europe during the Middle Ages. In 1910, 65% of all Catholics lived in Europe, but by 2010, this number had dropped to 24%.
Today, Catholics are the largest religious group in many of Europe's most populous countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain. The European countries with the largest shares of Catholics are mostly located in southern and central Europe, including Poland (87%), Italy (78%), Portugal (77%), Spain (60%), Hungary (56%), Ireland (72%), and Lithuania (75%).
Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe tend to be more socially conservative than those in Western Europe. While majorities of Catholics in Western Europe support legal gay marriage and abortion, most Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe oppose these practices.
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Catholic populations in Western Europe
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with 48.1% of Christians worldwide adhering to the religion as of 2025. According to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, 76.2% of the European population identified as Christians, with Catholics being the largest Christian group in Europe, accounting for more than 48% of European Christians.
The European countries with the largest shares of Catholics are primarily located in Southern and Central Europe. For instance, at least three-quarters of adults in Poland (87%), Italy (78%), and Portugal (77%) identify as Catholic, along with majorities in Spain (60%) and Hungary (56%). However, there are exceptions to this pattern, such as Ireland, with 72% of its population being Catholic, and Lithuania, with 75% Catholics. There are also sizeable Catholic populations scattered throughout the rest of the continent, including in the United Kingdom (10%) and the Netherlands (19%).
Historically, the dominance of the Catholic Church was the only consistent force in Western Europe, especially during the Middle Ages when centralized Roman power declined in Southern and Central Europe. The Catholic Church has been closely tied to Europe, with its headquarters in Rome's Vatican City, a European state. Cardinals, who are the highest-ranking members of the Catholic Church, are predominantly European (42%).
Catholics in Western Europe tend to be more socially progressive than those in Central and Eastern Europe. In every Western European country analysed, majorities of Catholics support legal gay marriage, including high proportions in the Netherlands (92%) and Belgium (83%). In contrast, most Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe oppose gay marriage, including nine out of ten in Ukraine and Bosnia. Catholics in Western Europe are also more accepting of Muslims than those in other parts of Europe.
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Catholic populations in Eastern Europe
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity, with the religion being practised in Europe since the first century. According to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, 76.2% of the European population identified as Christians, with 48% of those identifying as Roman Catholic.
European countries with significant or majority Catholic populations are Andorra, Austria, Belarus (western), Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina (central and southwestern part), Croatia, France, Germany (western and southern regions), Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia (the Latgale region), Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands (eastern and southern regions), Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland (central and southern regions), Ukraine (western part) and Vatican City. There is also a large Catholic minority in Albania (10-15%). In the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom, Catholics make up roughly 10% of the population, while in Serbia and Romania, Catholics constitute over 5% of the population.
Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe are more likely to say they attend church monthly, pray daily, consider religion very important in their lives, and believe in God. They tend to be more socially conservative than those in Western Europe, opposing gay marriage and abortion. However, they are more likely to favour legal abortion than same-sex marriage.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is also prevalent in several Eastern European countries, including Belarus, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina (northern and eastern parts), Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, and the European part of Kazakhstan.
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Catholicism's historical dominance in Europe
Catholicism has historically been the dominant form of Christianity in Europe. The Roman Empire officially adopted Christianity in AD 380, and during the Early Middle Ages, most of Europe underwent Christianization. From the Middle Ages onwards, the dominance of the Catholic Church was the only consistent force in Western Europe, especially as the centralized Roman power waned in southern and central Europe. The notion of "Europe" and the "Western World" has been intimately connected with the concept of "Christianity and Christendom", with many attributing Christianity as the link that created a unified European identity.
Christian culture guided the course of philosophy, literature, art, music, and science until the Age of Enlightenment. The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and healthcare worldwide, with 5,000 hospitals, 10,000 orphanages, 95,000 elementary schools, and 47,000 secondary schools. The Catholic Church has 1.272 billion followers worldwide as of 2025, with 48.1% of all Christians identifying as Catholic.
According to a 2010 study by the Pew Research Center, 76.2% of the European population identified as Christians, with Catholics being the largest Christian group in Europe, accounting for more than 48% of European Christians. The European countries with the largest shares of Catholics are mostly located in southern and central Europe, including Poland (87%), Italy (78%), Portugal (77%), Spain (60%), Hungary (56%), Ireland (72%), Lithuania (75%), and France (especially Corsica).
Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe tend to be more socially conservative than those in the West. While majorities of Catholics in every Western European country with enough Catholics in the survey support legal gay marriage, most Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe oppose it. Catholics in Western Europe are also more accepting of Muslims than those in other European countries.
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Frequently asked questions
European countries with significant or majority Catholic populations include Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Vatican City.
About 35% of the population of Europe is Catholic, but only about a quarter of all Catholics worldwide reside in Europe.
Christianity is the predominant religion in Europe, with 76.2% of the European population identifying as Christian. Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity in Europe, with 48% of European Christians identifying as Catholic.
Europe was once home to most of the world's Catholics. In 1910, 65% of all Catholics lived on the continent. However, in 2010, the share of the world's Catholics living in Europe dropped to 24%.
Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe tend to be more socially conservative than those in the West. For example, majorities of Catholics in Western Europe support legal gay marriage and are more accepting of Muslims, whereas Catholics in Central and Eastern Europe are more likely to oppose gay marriage.
