A demographic report from the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American research organization, tracking changes in the size of the world's major religious groups between 2010 and 2020, including the rise in the Muslim population share and the size of the religiously unaffiliated population. Pew's established methodology and reputation as a research institution place this at this atlas's middle tier, a reputable secondary source rather than peer reviewed academic scholarship in the strict sense. It is a strong source for global demographic trend figures, stated with whatever caveats Pew itself attaches, such as its own noted uncertainty around figures for China. It is not a source on the religious content or lived experience behind the numbers.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
Established survey research organization with a stated, published methodology (over 2,700 national censuses, surveys and population registers across 201 countries); a reputable secondary demographic source rather than peer reviewed academic scholarship, this atlas's middle tier. NotesMuslims 1.7 billion (2010) to 2.0 billion (2020), 24 to 26 per cent of the world; religiously unaffiliated about 1.9 billion in 2020, with the China caveat stated in the entry.
Citation
AuthorPew Research Center
PublisherPew Research Center
Publication Year2025
URLhttps://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/06/09/how-the-global-religious-landscape-changed-from-2010-to-2020/
Source Typereference
Connections
Associated With
This source names China directly: "noted uncertainty around figures for China."
Source Religious Composition of the World, 2010-2020Pew Research Center
This source names Global directly: "It is a strong source for global demographic trend figures, stated with whatever caveats Pew itself attaches, such as its own noted uncertainty around figures for China."
Source Religious Composition of the World, 2010-2020Pew Research Center
Authored By
Source Pew Research Center: Our HistoryPew Research Center
Claims Backed By This Source (971 claims)
This source backs 971 claims across the atlas. As facts: 443 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate, 3 open question. As cited relationships: 246 holds, 37 connected. Plus 238 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Countries, 633 claims: 189 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate, 3 open question, 243 holds, 194 general references.
- Articles, 269 claims: 210 well-attested, 29 connected, 30 general references.
- Open Questions, 32 claims: 21 well-attested, 8 connected, 3 general references.
- Religions, 22 claims: 15 well-attested, 1 holds, 6 general references.
- Sources, 10 claims: 8 well-attested, 2 holds.
- Denominations, 3 claims: 3 general references.
- Religious Organization & Structure, 1 claims: 1 general references.
- Secular Organizations, 1 claims: 1 general references.
Well-attested
443Showing 1 to 50 of 291 entities carrying this claim.
Holds
246Showing 1 to 50 of 153 entities carrying this claim.
General References
238Showing 101 to 150 of 238 entities carrying this claim.
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