Population Geography

The conclave to elect the next pope will begin on Tuesday, March 12. Half of the cardinal electors gathering at the Vatican are European (52%), while 17% come from Latin America. Latin America has the largest share of the world's Catholic population (39%), while 24% of Catholics live in Europe.

*Visit the most recent data. This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Hispanic Trends Project tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2011 American Community Survey (ACS). Users should exercise caution when comparing the 2011 estimates with estimates for previous years. Population estimates in the 2011 ACS are based on the latest information from […]

Over the past century, the number of Catholics worldwide has more than tripled. But the world’s overall population also has risen rapidly from 1910 to 2010. As a result, Catholics have made up a remarkably stable share of all people on Earth, though their geographic distribution has changed substantially.

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).

A map showing key characteristics of Latino eligible voters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Nearly half (45%) of the nation’s Hispanic population lives in just 10 metropolitan areas and over 75% live in 60 of the largest Hispanic metropolitan areas, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center.

This posting summarizes a new Pew Hispanic Center report about Hispanics in the 60 metropolitan areas with the largest Latino populations. The report includes analysis, comparison and rankings of these areas on key counts and characteristics. There also are statistical profiles of the 60 areas and two interactive maps.

Characteristics of the 60 metropolitan areas with the largest Hispanic populations.

A map showing the distribution of all Hispanics and the six largest Hispanic origin groups in the U.S., by county.

A new Pew Research Center report shows that the share of upper-income households living in neighborhoods that are mainly upper income has risen from 1980 to 2010, as has the share of lower-income households living in neighborhoods where most other households are lower income. Income segregation also has grown in most of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.