In this article, we look at 25 countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050.
According to PEW Research Center’s projected figures for 2020, Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world, with around 2.4 billion adherents, representing about 31% of the global population. The numbers are forecasted to grow 22.4% to exceed 2.9 billion by 2050, which would remain equivalent to the group’s current share of the world’s overall population (31%). Islam is likely to be the fastest growing religion during this period, with the number of Muslims increasing from 1.9 billion in 2020 to nearly 2.8 billion in 2050.
The United States of America has the largest Christian population in the world, with Christians making up over 70% of the country’s overall population. You can find out more about this and other Christian-majority countries in the world by heading over to our article, 30 Countries with Highest Christian Population in the World.
There are several large corporations in the United States that are known for having deep religious roots. One of them being, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), which embraces spirituality at the workplace and enshrines in its core values the company’s commitment to ‘strive to honor God’. Another way which Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) uses to build religious inclusion into its corporate culture is through its chaplaincy program that offers pastoral care to employees that require it. Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) is one of the largest processors and marketers of beef, pork, and chicken in the world.
Hotel chain Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) is also known for having a dominant influence of religion in its culture. According to a 2018 report by the Washington Post, Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR) has long supplied its hotel rooms with religious texts, including the Bible. Some years back, the company released a statement to The Associated Press on the matter, saying that this tradition is appreciated by most of its guests, as many of them are not digitally connected and prefer having religious books available in their rooms at Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR)’s hotels.
Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) too, for decades, provided prayer cards to travelers with Alaska Airlines’ in-flight meals. The practice continued for about four decades, from the 1970s through till 2012 before the company decided to put it to an end. Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) said it stopped the tradition to respect the diverse beliefs of passengers, as well as of employees who worked for the airline. Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) is the sixth largest airline in the world. You can read more on this in the 20 Largest Airlines in the World in 2024.
Fast food chain Chick-fil-A is another example of a company having deep religious roots. Its restaurants remain closed on Sundays to allow employees a day of rest or worship. The decision was taken by its founder Truett Cathy, a conservative Christian, in 1946 and continues to remain in practice. On the other hand, burger chain, In-N-Out Burger, prints Bible references on its cups and wrappers. The restaurant’s founder was a devout Christian, and made sure to share his religious beliefs through his company. The practice has been carried forward by his family. The burger chain is now being led by his granddaughter, Lynsi Snyder, who recently stated that she turned to God after losing her father as a teenager, and later three failed marriages. Snyder continues to carry on the legacy of her elders by expanding the number of religious references on the packaging.
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Methodology
Countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050 are listed in ascending order of the estimated increase in population of Christian in these countries between 2020 and 2050. Data related to projections have been sourced from the PEW Research Center.
If interested, you can also take a look at the 25 Countries where Muslim Population will Increase the Most by 2050.
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Let’s now head over to the list of countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050.
25. Ivory Coast
Christian Population in 2050: 16.5 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 5.8 million
Percentage Increase: 54.3%
Christians account for 44% of the overall population of Ivory Coast, which is likely to increase from 10.7 million in 2020 to 16.5 million in 2050.
24. Argentina
Christian Population in 2050: 43.2 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 6 million
Percentage Increase: 15.5%
Argentina is a predominantly Christian-majority country, where Christians make up 85% of the country’s population. This figure is likely to increase to 86.6% with the projected increase of another six million Christians between 2020 and 2050.
23. Indonesia
Christian Population in 2050: 33 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 6.27 million
Percentage Increase: 23.3%
Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world, with a sizable Christian minority comprising 10% of the overall population. Between 2020 and 2050, the population of Christians in the country is projected to further increase 23.3%.
22. Peru
Christian Population in 2050: 37.7 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 6.32 million
Percentage Increase: 20.1%
More than 95% of Peru’s population identifies as Christian. This share is likely to hold with the country’s Christian population projected to grow by another 6.32 million between 2020 and 2050.
21. Venezuela
Christian Population in 2050: 36.1 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 6.56 million
Percentage Increase: 22.2%
Venezuela had a little over 29 million Christians in 2020, who made up for 89% of the country’s population. Of these, about 71% identified as Catholics, while the remaining were Protestants.
20. Brazil
Christian Population in 2050: 192.6 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 7.21 million
Percentage Increase: 3.9%
Brazil has the second largest population of Christians anywhere in the world, with over 185 million people in 2020. With a projected increase of another 7.2 million people over the next three decades, it is projected to be among countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050.
19. Colombia
Christian Population in 2050: 57 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 8.41 million
Percentage Increase: 17.5%
Christianity was introduced to Colombia during the 14th century by Spanish colonizers, and has since grown into being the predominant religion in the country. About 79% of the Christians in Colombia identify as Catholics.
18. Cameroon
Christian Population in 2050: 25.8 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 9.07 million
Percentage Increase: 54.2%
Next on our list of countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050, with an estimated growth of over 9 million Christians projected by the PEW Research Center between 2020 and 2050. There are nearly 17 million Christians in Cameroon currently.
17. United States
Christian Population in 2050: 262 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 9.1 million
Percentage Increase: 3.6%
Christians comprised 90% of the overall population in the US in 1990. That figure has come down to 75.5%. Despite that, it has the largest Christian population anywhere in the world, with nearly 253 million people practicing the religion in 2020.
16. Ghana
Christian Population in 2050: 33.5 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 11.16 million
Percentage Increase: 50%
Ghana is a Christian-majority country in Africa, with Christians making up nearly three-fourths of the overall population. This share is likely to drop by around six percentage points by 2050 due to a projected increase in the population proportion of Muslims from 17.5% to 22.3%.
15. Rwanda
Christian Population in 2050: 25 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 11.4 million
Percentage Increase: 86%
Rwanda’s Christian population was estimated to be 13.2 million in 2020. It is projected to nearly double over the next three decades to touch the 25 million mark in 2050.
14. Guatemala
Christian Population in 2050: 29 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 11.54 million
Percentage Increase: 66.4%
Guatemala is next on our list of countries where Christian population will increase the most by 2050. The group’s population is projected to increase by 66.4% from 17.4 million in 2020 to around 29 million in 2050.
13. Mexico
Christian Population in 2050: 130.2 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 11.58 million
Percentage Increase: 9.8%
More than 118 million Mexicans identify themselves as Christians, with a large majority of them being Catholics. It ranks third among countries with the highest population of Christians in the world.
12. Mozambique
Christian Population in 2050: 29.4 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 12.64 million
Percentage Increase: 75.4%
Mozambique is a Christian-majority country, with a sizable Muslim minority who make up 17% of the country’s population. There are 16.7 million Christians in Mozambique, representing 60% of the country.
11. Angola
Christian Population in 2050: 37.6 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 15.36 million
Percentage Increase: 69.2%
Angola’s Christian population is projected to grow by over 15 million people between 2020 and 2050, which will raise the group’s proportion of the overall population from 89.5% to 90.5% during the time period.
10. Madagascar
Christian Population in 2050: 44.4 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 21.2 million
Percentage Increase: 91.4%
We begin our list with Madagascar, where the number of Christians is projected to nearly double between 2020 and 2050. Despite that, the share of Christians in the country is forecasted to slightly dip from 84.7% to 82.8%, driven by an increase in followers of folk religions.
9. Ethiopia
Christian Population in 2050: 84.8 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 22.16 million
Percentage Increase: 35.4%
The history of Christianity in Ethiopia dates way back to 4th century AD. It was among the first regions to adopt the religion. The country is home to over 62 million Christians, who account for 62% of the overall population.
8. Malawi
Christian Population in 2050: 41.9 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 24.6 million
Percentage Increase: 142%
Malawi is a landlocked country in East Africa, where about 83.4% of the population identifies as Christian. The country’s Christian population is projected to grow by a whopping 142% between 2020 and 2050.
7. Zambia
Christian Population in 2050: 43.2 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 25.6 million
Percentage Increase: 147%
Zambia is a Christian-majority country, where the religious group accounts for 97.4% of the overall population. Christians are forecasted to more than double in population size in the country by 2050.
6. Kenya
Christian Population in 2050: 79.8 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 35 million
Percentage Increase: 79.5%
Christianity is the predominant religion in Kenya, with Christians making up 84.5% of the country’s overall population in 2020. There is also a sizable population of Muslims, which is equivalent to 10.5% of the population.
5. Philippines
Christian Population in 2050: 143.6 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 41.2 million
Percentage Increase: 40.3%
The Philippines has the fourth largest Christian-majority country in the world, with an estimated 102 million Christians in 2022. Most of them identify as Catholics.
4. Uganda
Christian Population in 2050: 81 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 41.6 million
Percentage Increase: 105.7%
Next on our list is Uganda, where about 86% of the population is Christian, divided between Catholics and Protestants. The number of Christians is projected to cross the 81 million mark by 2050, more than doubling from 2020’s figure of 39 million.
3. Tanzania
Christian Population in 2050: 93.6 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 54.8 million
Percentage Increase: 141.5%
The population of Christians in Tanzania is set to rise by nearly 55 million people between 2020 and 2050, the third largest projected rise in the world during the period.
2. Nigeria
Christian Population in 2050: 154.8 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 58.8 million
Percentage Increase: 61.16%
According to projections by the PEW Research Center, there were more than 96 million Christians in Nigeria in 2020. The figure is forecasted to grow significantly over the next three decades to cross the 155 million by 2050.
1. Democratic Republic of the Congo
Christian Population in 2050: 141.8 million
Estimated Increase in Population between 2020 and 2050: 60.3 million
Percentage Increase: 73.93%
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a high birth rate of 6.16 births per woman. The country is projected to have the largest increase in Christian population between 2020 and 2050.
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Disclosure: None. 25 Countries where Christian Population will Increase the Most by 2050 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
