Religion | mysite

AfghanistanSunni Muslim 80%, Shia Muslim 19%, other 1%

AlbaniaMuslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

AlgeriaSunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American SamoaChristian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%

Andorraindigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

Angolaindigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.)

AnguillaAnglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Antigua and BarbudaAnglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Argentinanominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

ArmeniaArmenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

ArubaRoman Catholic 80.8%, Evangelist 4.1%, Protestant 2.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Methodist 1.2%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6%

AustraliaCatholic 25.8%, Anglican 18.7%, Uniting Church 5.7%, Presbyterian and Reformed 3%, Eastern Orthodox 2.7%, other Christian 7.9%, Buddhist 2.1%, Muslim 1.7%, other 2.4%, unspecified 11.3%, none 18.7% (2006 Census)

AustriaRoman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

AzerbaijanMuslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, TheBaptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

BahrainMuslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)

BangladeshMuslim 89.5%, Hindu 9.6%, other 0.9% (2004)

BarbadosProtestant 63.4% (Anglican 28.3%, Pentecostal 18.7%, Methodist 5.1%, other 11.3%), Roman Catholic 4.2%, other Christian 7%, other 4.8%, none or unspecified 20.6% (2008 est.)

BelarusEastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

BelgiumRoman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%

BelizeRoman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

BeninChristian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

BermudaAnglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)

BhutanLamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

BoliviaRoman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Bosnia and HerzegovinaMuslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

BotswanaChristian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)

BrazilRoman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census)

British Virgin IslandsProtestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991)

BruneiMuslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%

BulgariaBulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Burkina FasoMuslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%

BurmaBuddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

BurundiChristian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

CambodiaBuddhist 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)

Cameroonindigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

CanadaRoman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census)

Cape VerdeRoman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman IslandsChurch of God 25.5%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian / United Church 9.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.4%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 6.7%, Anglican 3.9%, other religions 4%, non-denominational 5.7%, other 6.5%, none 6.1%, unspecified 3.2% (2007)

Central African Republicindigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority

ChadMuslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)

ChileRoman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census)

ChinaDaoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas IslandBuddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) IslandsSunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

ColombiaRoman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Congo, Democratic Republic of theRoman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%

Congo, Republic of theChristian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook IslandsCook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Costa RicaRoman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'IvoireMuslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

CroatiaRoman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Cubanominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented

CuracaoRoman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 5.5%, none 4.6%, Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3% (2001 census)

CyprusGreek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4%

Czech RepublicRoman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

DenmarkEvangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2%

DjiboutiMuslim 94%, Christian 6%

DominicaRoman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census)

Dominican RepublicRoman Catholic 95%, other 5%

EcuadorRoman Catholic 95%, other 5%

EgyptMuslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%

El SalvadorRoman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%, Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guineanominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

EritreaMuslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

EstoniaEvangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

EthiopiaOrthodox 43.5%, Muslim 33.9%, Protestant 18.6%, traditional 2.6%, Catholic 0.7%, other 0.7% (2007 Census)

European UnionRoman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)Christian 67.2%, none 31.5%, other 1.3% (2006 census)

Faroe IslandsEvangelical Lutheran 83.8%, other and unspecified 16.2% (2006 administrative data)

FijiChristian 64.5% (Methodist 34.6%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none 0.7% (2007 census)

FinlandLutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)

FranceRoman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan

French PolynesiaProtestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

GabonChristian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, TheMuslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%

Gaza StripMuslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%

GeorgiaOrthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

GermanyProtestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%

GhanaChristian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

GibraltarRoman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

GreeceGreek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

GreenlandEvangelical Lutheran

GrenadaRoman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

GuamRoman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

GuatemalaRoman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

GuernseyAnglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist

GuineaMuslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-BissauMuslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%

GuyanaHindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%, other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002 census)

HaitiRoman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%
note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)Roman Catholic

HondurasRoman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Hong Kongeclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

HungaryRoman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

IcelandLutheran Church of Iceland 80.7%, Roman Catholic Church 2.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.4%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other religions 3.6%, unaffiliated 3%, other or unspecified 6.2% (2006 est.)

IndiaHindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

IndonesiaMuslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census)

IranMuslim 98% (Shia 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i) 2%

IraqMuslim 97% (Shia 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

IrelandRoman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)

Isle of ManAnglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends

IsraelJewish 75.5%, Muslim 16.8%, Christian 2.1%, Druze 1.7%, other 3.9% (2008)

ItalyRoman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)

JamaicaProtestant 62.5% (Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal 9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic 2.6%, other or unspecified 14.2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census)

JapanShintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%
note: total adherents exceeds 100% because many people belong to both Shintoism and Buddhism (2005)

JerseyAnglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church, Methodist, Presbyterian

JordanSunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shia Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

KazakhstanMuslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

KenyaProtestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

KiribatiRoman Catholic 55%, Protestant 36%, Mormon 3.1%, Bahai 2.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.9%, other 1.8% (2005 census)

Korea, Northtraditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Korea, SouthChristian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)

KosovoMuslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic

KuwaitMuslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shia 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%

KyrgyzstanMuslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

LaosBuddhist 67%, Christian 1.5%, other and unspecified 31.5% (2005 census)

LatviaLutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)

LebanonMuslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized

LesothoChristian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

LiberiaChristian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.4% (2008 Census)

LibyaSunni Muslim 97%, other 3%

LiechtensteinRoman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)

LithuaniaRoman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

LuxembourgRoman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)

MacauBuddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none or other 35% (1997 est.)

MacedoniaMacedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Madagascarindigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

MalawiChristian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)

MalaysiaMuslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census)

MaldivesSunni Muslim

MaliMuslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%

MaltaRoman Catholic 98%

Marshall IslandsProtestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

MauritaniaMuslim 100%

MauritiusHindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

MayotteMuslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%

MexicoRoman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census)

Micronesia, Federated States ofRoman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%

MoldovaEastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

MonacoRoman Catholic 90%, other 10%

MongoliaBuddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)

MontenegroOrthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

MontserratAnglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

MoroccoMuslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

MozambiqueCatholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

NamibiaChristian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

NauruNauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)

NepalHindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

NetherlandsRoman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)

Netherlands AntillesRoman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

New CaledoniaRoman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New ZealandAnglican 13.8%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Reformed 10%, Christian (no denomination specified) 4.6%, Methodist 3%, Pentecostal 2%, Baptist 1.4%, other Christian 3.8%, Maori Christian 1.6%, Hindu 1.6%, Buddhist 1.3%, other religions 2.2%, none 32.2%, other or unidentified 9.9% (2006 Census)

NicaraguaRoman Catholic 58.5%, Evangelical 21.6%, Moravian 1.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 1.7%, none 15.7% (2005 census)

NigerMuslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

NigeriaMuslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

NiueEkalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Norfolk IslandAnglican 31.8%, Roman Catholic 11.5%, Uniting Church in Australia 10.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.2%, other Christian 5.6%, none 19.9%, unspecified 16.6% (2006 census)

Northern Mariana IslandsChristian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

NorwayChurch of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

OmanIbadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shia Muslim, Hindu) 25%

PakistanMuslim 95% (Sunni 75%, Shia 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 5%

PalauRoman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census)

PanamaRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New GuineaRoman Catholic 27%, Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%, Bahai 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census)

ParaguayRoman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

PeruRoman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007 Census)

PhilippinesRoman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Pitcairn IslandsSeventh-Day Adventist 100%

PolandRoman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

PortugalRoman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)

Puerto RicoRoman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

QatarMuslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

RomaniaEastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

RussiaRussian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)
note: estimates are of practicing worshipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non-believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule

RwandaRoman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint BarthelemyRoman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness

Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da CunhaAnglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and NevisAnglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint LuciaRoman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Saint MartinRoman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu

Saint Pierre and MiquelonRoman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesAnglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%

SamoaCongregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

San MarinoRoman Catholic

Sao Tome and PrincipeCatholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Saudi ArabiaMuslim 100%

SenegalMuslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%

SerbiaSerbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, unknown, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census)

SeychellesRoman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Sierra LeoneMuslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

SingaporeBuddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Sint MaartenRoman Catholic 39%, Protestant 27%, Pentecostal 11.6%, none 6.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 6.2%, other 5.4%, Jewish 3.4%, not reported 0.7% (2001 census)

SlovakiaRoman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

SloveniaCatholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)

Solomon IslandsChurch of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

SomaliaSunni Muslim

South AfricaZion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)

SpainRoman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri LankaBuddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

SudanSunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%

SurinameHindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

SwazilandZionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%

SwedenLutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%

SwitzerlandRoman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)

SyriaSunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwanmixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

TajikistanSunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzaniamainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

ThailandBuddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

Timor-LesteRoman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

TogoChristian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%

TokelauCongregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant

TongaChristian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and TobagoRoman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)

TunisiaMuslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

TurkeyMuslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

TurkmenistanMuslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos IslandsBaptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

TuvaluChurch of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

UgandaRoman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)

UkraineUkrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 8%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 7.2%, Roman Catholic 2.2%, Protestant 2.2%, Jewish 0.6%, other 3.2% (2006 est.)

United Arab EmiratesMuslim 96% (Shia 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4%

United KingdomChristian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

United StatesProtestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.)

UruguayRoman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006)

UzbekistanMuslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

VanuatuPresbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Venezuelanominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

VietnamBuddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Virgin IslandsBaptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Wallis and FutunaRoman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West BankMuslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Western SaharaMuslim

WorldChristians 33.32% (of which Roman Catholics 16.99%, Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.53%, Anglicans 1.25%), Muslims 21.01%, Hindus 13.26%, Buddhists 5.84%, Sikhs 0.35%, Jews 0.23%, Baha'is 0.12%, other religions 11.78%, non-religious 11.77%, atheists 2.32% (2007 est.)

YemenMuslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

ZambiaChristian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Zimbabwesyncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

The Islamic calendar (2017)

24th April (27th Rajab): Lailat al-Miraj (commemorates the night when Prophet Mohammed ascended to the Heavens)
21st June (27th Ramadan): Lailat al-Qadr (celebrates the revelation of the Qu’ran to Prophet Mohammed)
26th June (1st Shawwal): Eid al-Fitir (festival of successfully fasting in the month of Ramadan)
31st August (9th Zul-Hijja): Hajj (commemoration of Prophet Mohammed's final sermon)
1st September (10th Zul-Hijja): Eid al-Adha (commemorates Ibraham’s willingness to sacrifice all that he cherished—his own son Ismail—for Allah’s sake)
22nd September (1st Muharram): Hijra (celebrates the first day of the Muslim calendar)
1st October (10th Muharram): Ashura (when Muslims remember when Hussain was martyred at Karbala)
1st December (12th Rabi al-Awwal): Mawlid al-Nabi (celebrates the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed)

The Christian calendar (2017)

6th January: Epiphany
1st March: Ash Wednesday
25th March: Annunciation (Lady Day)
9th April: Palm Sunday
13th April: Maundy Thursday
14th April: Good Friday
15th April: Holy Saturday
16th April: Easter Sunday (both Western and Eastern Orthodox)
25th May: Ascension Day
4th June: Whit Sunday (Pentecost)
15th June: Corpus Christi
15th August: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1st November: All Saints
3rd December: First Sunday in Advent
25th December: Christmas

Bible

Abraham   Abraham was the founder of the Jewish nation. He was originally called Abram, but his name was changed by God to Abraham. He travelled to Canaan on God’s command. God promised Abraham that his descendants would form a great nation.

Adam   The first human created by God, who lived with Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were both expelled for disobeying God.

Ahab   The King of Israel, who worshipped the pagan god, Baal.

Ai   Ai means "City of Ruin". It was burnt to the ground by Joshua and the Israelites.

Anointing   The applying or marking with oil or ointment a person who has been chosen for holy service. In the Bible, priests, prophets and kings were anointed.

Apostles   The original group of twelve men chosen by Jesus to learn from him and carry on his teaching after his death. Paul, who converted to Christianity after Jesus was crucified, is also considered to be an apostle. Disciple is another word for apostle.

Archangel   An important angel

Ark of the Covenant   The box built to contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. It was believed to represent the presence of God.

Ascension   Jesus’s return to heaven at the end of his life on Earth.

Assyria   A powerful empire in northern Mesopotamia. The Assyrians conquered Israel.

Baal   The most important of the Canaanite gods.

Babylon   A city on the River Euphrates and the centre of an empire that destroyed Jerusalem, and to where the Jews were taken into captivity.

Baptism   The ceremony using water to wash away, or cleanse someone, of their sins, and which marks a person’s decision to become a Christian. Water may be sprinkled on someone’s head, or they may be immersed in it.

Barabbas   The robber whose release the people of Jerusalem demanded when Pontius Pilate offered them the choice of him or Jesus to be put to death.

Barnabas   Barnabas was a missionary from Cyprus. He travelled with Paul, preaching God’s message.

Bethlehem   Bethlehem was the birthplace of King David. It was here that Mary gave birth to Jesus, centuries later.

Birthright   A father’s blessing to his firstborn son. It gave the son leadership over his brothers, but also the responsibility to care for his family after his father died.

Blessing   The gift of holy protection.

Caiaphas   High Priest of the Jews at the time when Jesus was captured, tried and handed over to the Romans for execution.

Canaan   Canaan is the name of the land promised to the Israelites by God.

Capernaum   A town on the west shore of the Sea of Galiee, home to Peter and some of the other disciples, and where Jesus began his teaching after being baptized by John the Baptist.

Christ   see Messiah

Crucifixion   A means of execution by tying or nailing someone to a wooden cross, used by the Romans for punishment.

Daniel   Daniel was exiled to Babylon as a teenager. He was a trusted wise man, with the ability to interpret dreams. He was thrown to the lions, but survived unharmed.

David   David was one of the kings of Israel. He defeated the giant, Goliath, when he was just a boy and became a great leader.

Disciple   see apostle

Eden, Garden of   God created Eden for all people to live in. It was a paradise land from which four rivers flowed out into the world. It is usually identified with Mesopotamia. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden when they disobeyed God.

Elijah   Elijah was a prophet who was transported up to heaven in a chariot of fire when he died.

Esther   Esther was a beautiful Jewess who saved the Jews in Persia by exposing one of the King’s officials as a traitor.

Exile   The period that the inhabitants of Israel spent in Babylon after the kingdoms of Judah and Israel were conquered.

Exodus   The journey the Israelites made from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan.

Ezekiel   Ezekiel lived in Babylon during the exile of the Jews. He prophesied their return to Judah.

Gabriel   An archangel sent by God to announce the birth of baby Jesus to Mary

Galilee   The region where Jesus grew up. The Sea of Galilee is central to many of the Gospel stories.

Gentile   A person who was not a Jew.

Gethsemane   The Garden on the Mount of Olives just outside Jerusalem where Jesus was arrested by soldiers of the Jewish authorities.

Golgotha   The place outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified.

Goliath   The mighty Philistine warrior defeated by David.

Gospel   The teaching that God has redeemed humankind (forgiven peoples’ sins) through Jesus Christ. "Gospel" is also the name given to each of the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—which tell the story of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection.

Hebrew   Another word for a Jew. Hebrew is also the name of the language of the Israelites. Modern Hebrew is one of the two official languages of the modern state of Israel (the other is Arabic).

Herod   The ruler of Judea during the early years of Jesus’s life. He was told about the birth of a new king by the magi (wise men). Fearing that this king would take his throne, he ordered that all male children under two years be killed.

Holy spirit   An invisible “life force” and one of the ways God chose to make his presence known to people on Earth.

Isaac   Isaac was the son God gave to Abraham and Sarah when they were both very old. His name means “laughter”, because his parents laughed in disbelief when God told them they would have a son.

Isaiah   A prophet who foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon and the coming of the Messiah.

Israel   Another name for the Promised Land. It was divided into the twelve Hebrew tribes. When the kingdom of Israel was divided after the death of Solomon, Israel was the name given to the northern kingdom.

Jacob   Jacob was the son of Isaac. After tricking his dying father, he fled to Haran. Here he married his cousin, Rachel. His name means “usurper”, because he stole the birthright of his brother Esau. His name later changed to Israel, meaning “he who has fought with the Lord”.

Jeremiah   The prophet who foresaw the capture of the Israelites by Babylon.

Jericho The first city to be defeated by Joshua when he led the Israelites into Canaan. Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world.

Jeroboam   The man who became king of the northern kingdom of Israel when Israel was divided after the death of Solomon.

Jerusalem   The Israelite capital city. Jerusalem means “City of Peace”, but the city has been fought over by Jews, Christians and Muslims for many years. The temple was built to house the Ark of the Covenant during the reign of Solomon.

Jesus   The name Jesus, a variation of Joshua, means “saviour”. Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God, sent by God to save them.

Jews   The name given to the Israelites when they were in Exile in Babylon. Originally applied only to those from Judah (Judea), after the Exile it came to mean everyone of the Jewish faith.

John the Baptist   John the Baptist was sent by God to announce the coming of Jesus. He was the son of Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, and also a cousin to Jesus.

Jonah   Jonah was swallowed by a whale when he disobeyed God’s command. He was only set free when he repented.

Jordan, River   The River Jordan flows from Mount Hernon to the Dead Sea. John the Baptist baptized Jesus in this river.

Joseph   Joseph was the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. He worked as a carpenter in Nazareth.

Joseph, son of Jacob   Sold by his brothers as a slave, he was taken to Egypt where he eventually became the pharaoh’s vizier (the equivalent of prime minister).

Joseph of Arimathea   A follower of Jesus who took Jesus’s body from the cross and buried it.

Joshua   After Moses died, Joshua was chosen to lead the Israelites. He led them from the desert into Canaan, which he divided between the twelve tribes.

Judah   Named after the tribe that lived in this area, Judah is made up of the Judean Hills south of Jerusalem and the desert bordering the Dead Sea. When kingdom of Israel was divided after the death of Solomon, Judah was the name given to the southern kingdom. Known also by the Roman name, Judea (or Judaea), its capital city is Jerusalem.

Judas Iscariot   Judas betrayed Jesus to the Jewish authorities for thirty pieces of silver.

Judges   Leaders of the Israelite tribes between the death of Joshua and Samuel.

Lazarus   Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. When he died, Jesus brought him back to life.

Mary   A young Jewish woman chosen by God to bear his son, Jesus Christ.

Mary Magdalene   A friend and follower of Jesus. She was the first person to see Jesus when he rose from the dead.

Messiah   A name meaning “one chosen by God”, also known as “the anointed one” or “saviour”. Christos (Christ) was the Greek translation.

Ministry   The work of teaching people about God and how Christians should lead their lives.

Moses   The man who led the Jewish people during their Exodus from Egypt. He received the Ten Commandments from God and was the first and greatest prophet.

Nazareth   The town in Galilee where Jesus grew up. He is often known as Jesus of Nazareth.

Noah   The man favoured by God to build an ark so that his family and the world’s creatures would survive the Great Flood.

St Paul   Native of Tarsus in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey) Paul was an apostle and a great missionary.

Parable   A short, simple story that uses people’s ordinary lives to illustrate a point about Christian teaching.

Passover   The annual commemoration of the night when God killed all the firstborn children of Egypt in order to force the Egyptians to allow the Israelites to return to the Promised Land. God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites, identified by their doors having lambs’ blood smeared on them.

Patriarch   The male head of a tribe. The four Patriarchs in the Old Testament were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.

Persecution   The harassment or ill-treatment of people, especially because of their race or religious beliefs.

Peter   Originally known as Simon, Jesus called him Peter, a word meaning the “the rock” in Greek. He was a fisherman who became one of Jesus’s twelve disciples, together with his brother, Andrew. After Christ’s death, he became the founder of the Church of Rome.

Pharisees   Learned teachers of the Torah, the Jewish law.

Philistines   A group of pagan peoples, sometimes called the "Sea Peoples", who settled on the southwestern shores of Canaan, and gave that region its name: Palestine. They were often at war with the Israelites.

Pontius Pilate   The Roman governor in charge of Judea during Jesus’s life. He condemned Jesus to death at the request of the Jews.

Promised Land   A region on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean and at the western end of the Fertile Crescent that was promised by Abraham, the ancestor of all Israelites, to be the home of his descendants, a land where they could live in freedom. It was first known as Canaan, later as Israel or Palestine.

Prophet   A man or woman called by God to speak to the people on his behalf. They guided the Israelites, warning of any troubles that lay ahead.

Psalms   Sacred songs, poems and prayers collected together as one of the books in the Bible’s Old Testament. By tradition, many were written by King David.

Rebekah   Wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau.

Rehoboam   Son of Solomon, whose misrule caused ten of the twelve Hebrew tribes to break away and form the northern kingdom of Israel.

Resurrection   Being restored to life after death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a central part of Christian faith.

Ritual   Words or actions that form part of a religious ceremony.

Sacrifice   The offering of living animals or people to God made as an act of worship. A sacrifice involved ritual killing.

Sadducees   An elite group of Jews who insisted that the strict laws laid down in the time of Moses be kept. They were rivals of the Pharisees, but both groups came together to convict Jesus.

Samaria   A city and region in central Israel. The Samaritans were despised by Jews because they intermarried with non-Jews.

Samson   Samson ruled Israel as one of the Judges for twenty years. He was known for his great physical strength.

Samuel   Samuel was the last great Judge of Israel, and one of the first prophets.

Saul   Chosen by Samuel to be the first King of Israel.

Scriptures   Writings that are regarded as the word of God. For Jews, the Scriptures are the books of the Old Testament, or Hebrew Bible. For Christians, the Scriptures also include the New Testament.

Sin   A term meaning a rebellion against God, or one of God’s laws.

Sinai   A desert peninsula to the southwest of Israel. Moses received the Ten Commandments on a mountain in Sinai.

Solomon   Solomon, son of King David, was King of Israel. He built the great Temple in Jerusalem which he dedicated to God and His Ark of the Covenant.

Temple   The centre of Jewish worship, built by Solomon to house the Ark of the Covenant. It was the only place where sacrifices could be made.

Ten Commandments   Laws given by God. God gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai. Inscribed on two stone tablets, they were the terms of a covenant, or agreement, made between God and the Israelites.

Ur   A city in Sumeria, Mesopotamia, where Abraham was born.

Yahweh   The Hebrew name for God. Actually YHWH, the written version “Yahweh” is the most common, although no one knows what the original vowels and pronunciation were.

Zacchaeus   A rich but dishonest tax collector. He changed his ways when he met Jesus in Jericho.

Zion   A hill near Jerusalem that has become another name for the city itself, or even the whole of Israel.

Acts Christian Directory - Directory with links to Christian sites including chat, singles, entertainment, churches, theology, teens, music, and Bible study.

Annointed Christian Links - An alphabetical list of Christian websites, each with a jar of anointing oil. Many are resource sites which could give you weeks, or even months, of browsing.

Christian Links for Kids and Teens - Christian links for the whole family.

ChristianLinks - Christian portal and search engine.

Cross Daily - Search for Christian graphics, photography, and wallpaper.

CrossSearch - A searchable directory of Christian Web sites, CrossSearch aims to provide quick, easy access to all manner of Christian resources and information on the Web.

Crosswalk Christian Search Engine and Directory - Daily devotionals, Bible study tools, Christian messageboards, classified ads, and daily religion news coverage of church-state issues, religious freedom, missions, persecution, evangelism, and revival.

FishNet - Over 1400 web sites of interest to Christians, categorized and searchable.

Maine Christian - Portal for Christians in Maine with search engine for churches, Christian penpals, Christian businesses, Christian local events, etc.

The Omnilist of Christian Links Gold - Large directory of Christian websites. Categories include art, bible studies, devotionals, church, humor, kids, worship, prophecy, ministries, music.

The Best Christian Links - Directory of links relating to bible references, churches, ministries and organizations, fellowship, music, spiritual growth, and much more.

Islam:

iMuslim.com - Search engine geared towards Muslims following Islam. Find information regarding Muslims and Islam.

Talk Islam - Search engine and directory of Islamic sites on the Internet.

Jewish:

Jewish Links - More than 400 Jewish-specific links.

Jewish Index Links Page - The link to every Jewish link and link and link...

Maven Search - Jewish web directory and search engine.

Over Three Hundred Jewish Links - The name of the site is self-explanatory.

Atheism The belief that no gods exist.

Baha'i A religion founded by Baha'u'llah (1817–92), who was born in Tehran (in modern-day Iran). Baha'ists believe that there is one God and all religions are part of God's plan. They believe that all people should work together for world peace and unity.

Bible The Christian or Jewish holy book. The Jewish Bible contains a history of Israel and the Jews. The Christian Bible contains the Old Testament (similar to the Jewish Bible) and the New Testament, which describes the life of Jesus Christ and his followers.

Buddha A title meaning “enlightened one”, given to Siddhartha Gautama (563–483 BC), the founder of Buddhism. Through meditation, he reached the state of nirvana, and spent his life teaching others how to do so.

Buddhism A religion based on the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhists believe in four noble truths: life is full of suffering; suffering is caused by desire; suffering can end if we put a stop to desire; there is a path to a state of peace, called nirvana.

Catholic Church A branch of Christianity in which the Pope has supreme authority. The Pope lives in Vatican City in Rome, Italy.

Christianity A religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, and the worship of one God. Christians believe God created Heaven and Earth and that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, to save people from sin by sacrificing his own life.

Church A place of worship for Christians, often built in the shape of a cross.

Five Ks Five items worn by Sikhs as symbols of their faith. These are: kesh, uncut hair held in a kanga (comb), kara (wrist band), kachera (underpants) and kirpan (sword).

Five pillars of Islam Five duties that Muslims must perform. These are: to declare faith to Allah (God) and the Prophet Mohammed; to pray five times a day; to give to charity; to fast during the month of Ramadan; to make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Guru Nanak (1469–1539) An Indian spiritual teacher who was the founder of Sikhism. He was the first of ten gurus (leaders).

Guru Granth Sahib The Sikh holy book, containing nearly 6000 hymns written by 10 Sikh gurus (leaders).

Heaven In some religions, the destination for a person’s soul after death, if they have followed the codes of that religion.

Hinduism A religion based on a set of ideas called the dharma, the truth—that all living things have souls that are reborn many times. Hindus believe the actions (karma) of people in this life will decide their fate in the next. The Hindu religion has many gods who are all different appearances of the supreme spirit, Brahman.

Islam A religion based on the word of God, as revealed to the Prophet Mohammed and written down in the Qur'an. The followers of Islam, called Muslims, believe in one God, Allah. Muslims follow the five pillars of Islam.

Jainism A religion founded in India in around the 9th–7th century BC. Its central beliefs are non-violence to all living things and self-control over physical pleasures and desires.

Jesus Christ A Jewish spiritual leader, born 2000 years ago, whom Christians believe to be the Son of God. Officials feared he would stir an uprising, so he was crucified (nailed to a cross to die). Christians believe he rose from the dead and into Heaven.

Judaism The religion of the Jewish people, who believe in one God who created Heaven and Earth and made the Jews his chosen people.

Mecca A city in Saudi Arabia where the Prophet Mohammed was born. All Muslims pray facing the direction of Mecca and vow to make a pilgrimage there, the Hajj.

Meditation The act of concentrated thought on spiritual matters. Meditation is an important part of all religions.

Mohammed (570–632) The Prophet of the Islamic religion. He was meditating when an angel told him there is only one God, Allah, and that he should become the prophet of Allah. Muslims believe Mohammed is the last in a line of prophets sent by Allah.

Mosque A Muslim place of worship, with a domed roof and towers called minarets, from which Muslims are called to prayer.

Nirvana A state of peace that Buddhists strive to achieve through meditation and good actions.

Orthodox Church A branch of Christianity in which followers believe that their bishops are supreme. Orthodox Christians live mainly in Eastern Europe and Greece. Also known as Eastern Orthodox Church.

Pilgrimage A journey to a sacred place, inspired by religious devotion.

Prophet A person who speaks to followers of a religion as the messenger of God.

Protestant Church A branch of Christianity in which the Bible is the only authority.

Qur’an The holy book of the Islamic faith. Muslims believe it is a record of the words spoken by Allah to the Prophet Mohammed through the angel Gabriel.

Religion   A collection of beliefs that help people attempt to understand the world. Most religious people believe in a god, or several gods. There are many different religions in the world. Some of the most widely practised are: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Though different, they have some features in common. People follow rituals and celebrate holy days, they go to a place of worship to pray, and most religions have priests who conduct religious worship.

Saint   An extremely holy person. In Roman Catholicism, the title of Saint refers to someone who has been canonized (officially recognized) by the Catholic Church. Saints are also recognized in other religions. A saint is a tzadik in Judaism, a mu'min in Islam, a guru in Hinduism or a bodhisattva in Buddhism.

Shi’a Islam   A branch of Islam with followers concentrated mostly in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Bahrain. Followers reject the first three Sunni caliphs (leaders of Islam) and believe that Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law who eventually became the fourth caliph, was the rightful leader. In matters where the Qur'an does not offer guidance, they follow the religious writings of the Prophet's family and others close to him.

Shinto   The traditional religion of Japan, founded in around 660 BC. Shinto means "Way of the Spirits". It is a set of practices and rituals that form a connection between the spirits—including nature spirits and the spirits of ancestors—and the everyday world.

Sikhism An Indian religion that follows the teachings of Guru Nanak. Sikhs believe in one God who created the Universe.

Sunni Islam A branch of Islam containing the majority (up to 90%) of the world's Muslims, who recognize all of the first four caliphs (leaders of Islam). In matters where the Qur'an does not offer guidance, they draw on a large body of religious writings, based on the Prophet's sayings and actions.

Synagogue A Jewish place of worship.

Taoism Also called Daoism. A philosophy (set of beliefs about life) and religion based on following the Tao (the "way" or "path"). This means living a simple, natural and kind life. Taoism is based on the philosophy of Laozi, who lived in China in around the 6th century BC.

Torah The Jewish holy text, containing the first books of the Jewish Bible, a history of the Jews and the laws that Jews follow. The words of the Torah are written in Hebrew on scrolls that are kept in each synagogue's ark (special closet). The Torah is read to the congregation during synagogue services.

Tripitaka The Buddhist holy texts, containing a set of rules for monks and nuns, the experiences of Buddha and an explanation of Buddha’s teaching.

Zoroastrianism A religion taught by Zoroaster, who lived in Iran in the 7th century BC or earlier. It is based on the conflict between a spirit of light and good, and a spirit of darkness and evil.