Religious Groups
The list of still-active religious movements given here is an attempt to summarize the most important regional and philosophical influences on local communities, but it is by no means a complete description of every religious community, nor does it explain the most important elements of individual religiousness.
The five largest religious groups by population, estimated to account for between 5 and 7 billion people, are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism (with the relative numbers for Buddhism and Hinduism dependent on the extent of syncretism) and Chinese folk religion.
| Five largest religions | Adherents in 2000 | % of world population | Demographics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | 2.0 billion | 33% | Christianity by country |
| Islam | 1.2 billion | 19.6% | Islam by country |
| Hinduism | 811 million | 13.4% | Hinduism by country |
| Chinese folk religion | 385 million | 6.4% | Chinese folk religion |
| Buddhism | 360 million | 5.9% | Buddhism by country |
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Famous quotes containing the words religious and/or groups:
“If the religious spirit be ever mentioned in any historical narration, we are sure to meet afterwards with a detail of the miseries which attend it. And no period of time can be happier or more prosperous, than those in which it is never regarded or heard of.”
—David Hume (1711–1776)
“And seniors grow tomorrow
From the juniors today,
And even swimming groups can fade,
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—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)