Many people globally see language as key to national identity, religion less so | Pew Research Center

January 15, 2025

What makes someone ‘truly’ belong in a country? Views differ on language, birthplace, other factors

Many people globally see language as key to national identity, religion less so

Many people globally see language as key to national identity, religion less so

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Many people globally see language as key to national identity, religion less so

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What makes someone ‘truly’ belong in a country? Views differ on language, birthplace, other factors
Large shares globally say people must follow local customs and traditions to truly belong
Older people are more likely to say following local customs is important to national belonging
In many countries, people on the ideological right are more likely to link language with national identity
People with less education are often more likely to see birthplace as key to national belonging
Most people globally say speaking the local language is at least somewhat important for belonging
Perceived importance of birthplace to national identity varies across 36 countries surveyed
Many people globally see language as key to national identity, religion less so
Countries included in this analysis, by income level