WASHINGTON, D.C. — Afghanistan has been ranked as the world’s mostreligious country, where 96 percent people pray daily.
According to the statistics by PEW Research, for each country we’veincluded the most recent figures available.
1. Afghanistan
Afghanistan is an Islamic republic where Islam is practiced by 99% of itscitizens. As high as 80% of the population follow Sunni Islam and theremaining are Shias. Apart from Muslims, there are also small minorities –Sikhs and Hindus – living in the Asian country.
1. Nigeria
This West African country has been ranked in the second position with 95percent people praying daily.
About 50% of Nigeria’s population is Muslim, 40% are Christians while 10%adhere to local religions.
1. Iran
Eighty-seven percent people in the Middle Eastern country pray daily andaround 90 – 95% of Iranians associate themselves with the Shia branch ofIslam, the official state religion, and about 5–10% with the Sunni and Sufibranches of Islam.
The remaining 0.6% associate themselves with non-Islamic religiousminorities, including Bahá’ís, Mandeans, Yarsanis, Zoroastrians, Jews, andChristians.
1. Indonesia
This Southeast Asian country stands at fourth in the list with the 84percent people praying daily.
In Indonesia, 87.18% of people identified themselves as Muslim (with Sunnismore than 99%, Shias 0.5%, Ahmadis 0.2%); 7% Protestant Christian; 2.91%Catholic Christian; 1.69% Hindu; 0.72% Buddhist; and 0.05% Confucianism.
1. India
This South Asian country is ranked fifth in the most religious country’slist as 75 percent of the population offers prayers on daily basis.
India’s 1.3 billion people are about 80 percent Hindu and 14 percentMuslim, with the rest made up of Christians, Sikhs and other minorities.
1. Pakistan
Read Top Stories
Pakistan, another South Asian country, stands at sixth spot. Some 67percent population pray daily in the country, with Islam as the statereligion. Muslims make 96% of the country’s population.
The remaining 4% practice Hinduism (2.12%), Christianity (1.59%), Sikhismand other religions.
1. Brazil
This South American country claims seventh position in the list with 61percent people praying daily.
Christianity is the largest religion in Brazil, with most Roman Catholicsadherents. Brazil possesses a richly spiritual society formed from themeeting of the Roman Catholic Church with the religious traditions ofAfrican slaves and indigenous people.
1. Turkey
Turkey has been ranked eighth in the list with 60 percent of totalpopulation praying on daily basis.
Islam is the largest religion in Turkey, with 99.8% Muslims, while otherreligions include Christianity and Judaism.
1. USA
The United States of America has been ranked ninth in the list of world’smost religious country.
Some 83 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians. Most of therest, 13 percent, have no religion. That leaves just 4 percent as adherentsof all non-Christian religions combined — Jews, Muslims, Buddhists andothers.
1. Japan
This East Asian country has been ranked 10th in the list with the 33percent population praying daily.
Religion in Japan is dominated by Shinto (the ethnic religion of theJapanese people) and by Buddhism. According to surveys carried out in 2006and 2008, less than 40% of the population of Japan identifies withorganised religion: around 35% are Buddhists, 3% to 4% are members ofShinto sects and derived religions, and from fewer than 1% to 2.3% areChristians.
