Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Nearly a Quarter of World Population is Muslim Washington, D.C.—A new, comprehensive demographic study of more than 200 countries finds that there are 1.57 billion Muslims of all ages living in the world today, representing 23% of an estimated 2009 world population of 6.8 billion. Released today by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion […]
Opinion of the U.N. has grown more positive since 2007 in many countries, and nowhere have favorable ratings improved as much as in the U.S.
Overview The general public and members of the Council on Foreign Relations are apprehensive and uncertain about America’s place in the world. Growing numbers in both groups see the United States playing a less important role globally, while acknowledging the increasing stature of China. And the general public, which is in a decidedly inward-looking frame […]
More than half a century ago, the United Nations affirmed the principle of religious freedom in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, defining it as “the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.” For just as long, journalists and human rights groups have reported on persecution of minority faiths, outbreaks of sectarian violence […]
Following a year in which the 2008 Beijing Olympics brought the international spotlight to China, global views of China have improved slightly. Moreover, among developing nations, many are beginning to view China as more of a partner to their country. But when it comes to whether China will eventually surpass the U.S. as the world’s […]
None of the European leaders tested in this survey achieve the high levels of praise that are bestowed upon the new U.S. President Barack Obama. Even German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who receives positive marks throughout much of Western Europe, does not match Obama’s high levels of support. In contrast to Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy […]
Concern about the environment is widespread throughout much of the world. Majorities in every country included in the survey continue to rate global warming as a serious problem. Moreover, many international publics agree that the environment must be protected, even at the expense of lost jobs and slower economic growth. And when it comes to […]
One year after the global economy descended into recession, publics worldwide remain dissatisfied with the way things are going in their country and with their nation’s economic conditions. Many publics are even more discontented than they were in 2008, notably in Britain, Germany, Spain, Poland and Russia. China and India are exceptions to these trends; […]