Religion In Ethiopia
A large number of religions are traditionally practiced in Ethiopia, the most numerous today being Orthodox Christianity, followed by Islam. Traditional beliefs, usually categorized as Animism, attract a decreasing number of followers.
According to the national census conducted in 2007, over 32 million people or 43.5% were reported to be Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, over 25 million or 33.9% were reported to be Muslim, just under 14 million, or 18.6%, were Protestant, and just under two million or 2.6% adhered to traditional beliefs. Neither in the 2007 census, nor in the 1994 census, were responses reported in further detail: for example, those who identified themselves as Hindus, Jewish, Baha'i, agnostics or atheists were counted as "Other".
The Kingdom of Aksum in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea was one of the first Christian countries in the world, having officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century.
| Year | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 61.6% | 50.6% | 10.1% | 0.9% | 32.8% | 4.6% | 1.0% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | 43.5% | 18.6% | 0.7% | 33.9% | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Growth | 1.2% | -7.1%' | 8.5% | -0.2% | 1.1% | -2.0% | -0.3% |
| Year | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 32,689,482 | 26,844,932 | 5,366,360 | 478,190 | 35,427,387 | 2,444,085 | 531,323 |
| 2007 | 46,420,822 | 32,154,550 | 13,748,842 | 517,430 | 45,058,373 | 1,921,881 | 517,430 |
| Growth | 13,731,340 | 5,309,618 | 8,382,482 | 39,240 | 7,630,986 | -522,204 | -13,893 |
| 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | 1994 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Christians | Ethiopian Orthodox | Protestants | Catholics | Muslims | Animists | Other | |||||||
| Addis Ababa | 86.65% | 83.0% | 82.0% | 74.7% | 3.87% | 7.77% | 0.78% | 0.48% | 12.7% | 16.2% | 0.8% | |||
| Afar | 4.4% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 95.6% | 95.3% | ||||
| Amhara | 81.6% | 82.7% | 81.5% | 82.5% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 18.1% | 17.2% | 0.1% | |||||
| Benishangul-Gumuz | 40.6% | 46.5% | 34.8% | 33.0% | 5.8% | 13.5% | 44.1% | 45.4% | 13.1% | 7.1% | ||||
| Dire Dawa | 36.7% | 28.8% | 34.5% | 25.71% | 1.5% | 2.81% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 63.2% | 70.9% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ||
| Gambela | 71.35% | 90.2% | 24.13% | 16.8% | 44.01% | 70.0% | 3.21% | 3.4% | 5.15% | 4.9% | 10.28% | 3.8% | 1.1% | |
| Harari | 39.49% | 30.8% | 38.09% | 27.1% | 0.94% | 3.4% | 0.46% | 0.3% | 60.28% | 69.0% | 0.2% | |||
| Oromia | 49.9% | 48.2% | 41.3% | 30.5% | 8.6% | 17.7% | 44.3% | 47.5% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 1.1% | |||
| Somali | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 98.7% | 98.4% | 0.3% | 1.0% | ||||||
| SNNPR | 65.4% | 77.8% | 27.6% | 19.9% | 34.8% | 55.5% | 3.0% | 2.4% | 16.7% | 14.1% | 15.4% | 6.6% | 1.5% | |
| Tigray | 95.9% | 96.1% | 95.5% | 95.6% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 4.1% | 4.0% | |||||
Read more about Religion In Ethiopia: Abrahamic Religions, Animism, Bahá'í Faith, Views On The Emperors, Religious Politics, See Also
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“A strong argument for the religion of Christ is this—that offences against Charity are about the only ones which men on their death-beds can be made—not to understand—but to feel—as crime.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)