Polygamy is rare around the world and mostly confined to a few regions
In some countries – particularly in a segment of West and Central Africa – polygamy is frequently legal and widespread.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Read our research on:
Religion
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Government restrictions on religion around the world reached new record in 2018
Government restrictions in 2018 were at their highest level since 2007, when Pew Research Center began tracking these trends.
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In 2018, Government Restrictions on Religion Reach Highest Level Globally in More Than a Decade
In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.
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How Catholics around the world see same-sex marriage, homosexuality
Pope Francis made news recently by voicing his support for same-sex civil unions. The statement struck observers as a shift for the Vatican.
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What the 2020 electorate looks like by party, race and ethnicity, age, education and religion
What does the 2020 electorate look like politically, demographically and religiously as the race enters its final days?
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8 key findings about Catholics and abortion
Like U.S. adults overall, the majority of U.S. Catholics say abortion should be legal – at least in some cases.
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White Christians continue to favor Trump over Biden, but support has slipped
President Trump continues to be White Christians’ preferred candidate, but support among voters in three traditions has slipped since August.
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What Lessons Do Americans See for Humanity in the Pandemic?
A large majority of U.S. adults (86%) say there is some kind of lesson or set of lessons for humankind to learn from the pandemic, and about a third of Americans (35%) say the lessons were sent by God.
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Key facts about women’s suffrage around the world, a century after U.S. ratified 19th Amendment
At least 20 nations preceded the U.S. in granting women the right to vote, according to an analysis of measures in 198 countries and territories.
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Religiously unaffiliated people more likely than those with a religion to lean left, accept homosexuality
In most of the 18 countries analyzed, religiously unaffiliated adults were more likely to say homosexuality should be accepted by society.
