Key findings about religious restrictions around the world in 2021
The most common kinds of government restrictions on religion in 2021 included harassment of religious groups and interference in worship.
Nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics live in Latin America, but many people in the region have converted from Catholicism to Protestantism, while some have left organized religion altogether.
A country-by-country analysis of data from more than 2,500 censuses, surveys and population registers finds that 84% of adults and children around the globe are religiously affiliated. The study also finds that the median age of two major groups – Muslims (23 years) and Hindus (26) – is younger than the world’s overall population (28), while Jews have the highest median age (36).
But Few Favor Military Confrontation
Once he takes office, President-elect Barack Obama will have to navigate a world that has grown highly critical of the United States. Since 2001, the Pew Global Attitudes Project has documented a decline in America’s international image amid widespread opposition to U.S. foreign policy.
The 2008 Pew Global Attitudes survey in China finds that more than eight-in-ten Chinese are satisfied with their country’s overall direction and their national economy, a significant increase in contentment from earlier in the decade. But levels of personal satisfaction are generally lower than the national measures, and the poll suggests the Chinese people – who express concern about inflation and pollution – may be struggling with the consequences of economic growth.
Italians’ Spirits Are Flagging – But Not Their Sense of Cultural Superiority
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