Pew Research Review: Many Countries Do Not Have an Official or Preferred Religion

The report from the Pew Research Center regarding the status of religions in nearly two hundred countries and regions worldwide indicates that many countries do not have an official or preferred religion. According to this report, out of 199 countries studied, 106 countries, equivalent to 53% of the countries, have been identified as having no official or preferred religion, including several countries with predominantly Muslim populations such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Niger. The report also states that over 80 countries in the world prefer a specific religion, whether in the form of an official religion recognized by the government or through granting special privileges to one religion over others. In this context, the Pew report identifies 43 countries, equivalent to 22%, with an official religion, and another 40 countries, equivalent to 20%, with a preferred religion. The Middle Eastern and North African countries hold the largest share of official religions, while European countries have the largest share of preferred religions. In the area of countries with a preferred religion, four countries with predominantly Muslim populations can be found: Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, Turkey, Syria, and Sudan. On the other hand, 10 countries, equivalent to 5%, have been identified as hostile towards religious institutions, among which Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have predominantly Muslim populations. Meanwhile, among the 43 countries that have an official religion, 27 countries have declared Islam, 13 countries Christianity, two countries Buddhism, and one country Judaism as their official religion. The Pew study describes Hinduism as the only major religion that has no official status in any country. This study shows that among the countries with a preferred religion, out of 40 countries, 28 are associated with Christianity, five with multiple religions, four with Buddhism, and three with Islam. The report indicates that the Middle Eastern and North African countries have the largest share of official religions, while European countries hold the largest share among countries with preferred religions. However, in Europe, the UK, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Greece are considered major countries with an official religion. The Pew report also notes that government restrictions on religions are more severe in countries with an official religion. The Pew Research Center, established in 2004 in Washington, is a non-partisan American think tank that provides information on social trends, public opinion, and demographic statistics. Surveys, demographic research, media content analysis, and empirical studies in other social sciences are among the other activities of this non-profit organization affiliated with the Pew Charitable Trusts.