List of Countries with the Highest Number of Christians

List of Countries with the Highest Number of Christians: Christianity is the official religion in 15 countries in various forms. For example, Argentina follows the Catholic Church, Armenia follows the Armenian Apostolic Church, and Tuvalu has the Church of Tuvalu. Other countries, like Denmark, England, and Greece, have their national branches of Christianity. In Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, and Vatican City, the Catholic Church is the state religion. Additionally, Zambia also recognizes Christianity as a state religion.

Christians comprise the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories, about two-thirds of the world’s countries and territories. Christianity is the largest religion in the world and about one-third of the global population adheres to it.

In this article, we will look into the list of countries that adopted Christianity as their state religion and the current population of Christians in these countries.

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life, death, and teachings of Jesus. It is the largest religion in the world, with about 2.4 billion followers, or 31.2% of the world’s population. Christianity is the major religion in Europe, North and South America and Australasia. Today there are three main historic and theologically distinctive streams of Christianity – Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox. The sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament. According to a 2023 report, the global Christian population will reach 3.3 billion by 2050.

List of Countries with the Highest Number of Christians

Below is the list of countries with the highest number of Christians:

Countries	Christians
United States	230,000,000
Russia	80,000,000
Philippines	86,500,000
Nigeria	88,400,000
Mexico	107,780,000
Italy	53,230,000
Ethiopia	52,580,000
DR Congo	63,150,000
China	48,220,000
Brazil	180,770,000

List of Countries with the Highest Percentage of Christians

Below is the list of the countries with the highest percentage of Christians:

Countries	Christians
Vatican City	100%
Timor Leste	99.1%
American Samoa	98.3%
Romania	98%
Greece	98%
Armenia	97.9%
Grenada	97.3%
Papua New Guinea	97%
Puerto Rico	97%
Greenland	96.6%
Haiti	96%

List of Countries Officially Adopted Christianity as their State Religion

Below is the list of the countries officially adopted Christianity as their state religion:

Countries	Christains
Vatican City	825
Armenia	2,826,000
Greece	10,000,000
Zambia	12,939,000
Argentina	34,940,108
Tuvalu	10,000
Costa Rica	4,000,000
Denmark	4,400,754
England	25,585,000
Georgia	3,241,000
Iceland	272,200
Liechtenstein	30,000
Malta	400,000
Monaco	30,000

Vatican City

Vatican City is the world’s smallest country, with an area of 0.49 square kilometers. The population of Vatican City is predominantly male, with only 5.5% female. As of 2024, with a population of around 825 citizens Vatican City is 100% Christian. It the country with the highest percentage of Christians relative to its population. 

• The Vatican is the headquarters of the Catholic Church and the pope lives in the Vatican. 
• As of February 1, 2024, the population of the Holy See is 523, which is 1.0E-5% of the world’s population.
• The majority of its citizens are priests and nuns of various nationalities.
• Since, the 4th century Vatican city has been the permanent seat of the Popes.
• It’s also home to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums.

Armenia

According to the World Population Review Armenia’s population is 2,777,975 and 97.9% of Armenia’s population is Christian (February 3, 2024). For over 1,700 years Christianity has been a significant part of Armenian identity and history. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D. In the 1st century, the church originated in the missions of Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus of Edessa.

• Founded in the 1st century AD, the Armenian Apostolic Church, is one of the oldest Christian churches.
• In the early 4th century, the first church in the world was built in Armenia, the church is called Holy Etchmiadzin. It is the headquarters of all Armenian churches.
• The Armenian Apostolic Church is the official name of the Armenian church, and it is named after the apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew.
• Armenia’s population was 95.2% Armenian Apostolic Christian, 1.6% other Christian, 0.9% other, 0.6% none, and 1.7% unspecified.
• Due to the country’s ethnic homogeneity, non-Christian religions like Yazidism and Islam have few adherents. 

Greece

Officially Greece is a secular state, but its religious and social landscape is deeply influenced by the Greek Orthodox Church. Greece and Russia are the only countries to have such a great proportion of the Orthodox population. Greece was the first European region to accept the gospel of Christ.

• In Greece Christianity is the dominant religion, with the Greek Orthodox Church representing 90% of the population.
• 90% of Greece’s population identifies as Greek Orthodox, 3% as other Christians, 2% as Muslim, 1% as other religions, and 4% as unaffiliated. 
• The Greek Orthodox Church is part of the larger Eastern Orthodox Church.
• In the first century In Greece Christianity was preached primarily by St. Paul.
• Other major religions in Greece include: Catholicism, Hellenic Neopaganism, Judaism, Protestantism, Islam.

Zambia

Christianity has been a central part of Zambia’s religion since the mid-19th century, when European explorers entered the Africa. Christianity is the predominant religion in Zambia, and the country’s constitution recognizes it as the state religion. Christianity has been a significant factor in national social and political matters before and after the independence struggle against British colonialism.

• According to the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats), 95.5% of Zambia’s population is Christian. Of those, 75.3% identify as Protestant and 20.2% as Roman Catholic.
• Christianity and African religion have been the major religions in Zambia for decades.
• The Roman Catholic Church is the most influential denomination in the country.+

Argentina

Roman Catholicism is the official religion of Argentina, but the constitution protects freedom of religious choice. Although 92% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, less than 20% are actively practicing. The country’s constitution gives the Roman Catholic Church preferential legal status, but there is no official state religion. The constitution also requires that the president and vice president of the Union belong to the Roman Catholic Apostolic religion. However, the country’s constitution also protects freedom of religious choice.

• In the 17th century, Christianity was introduced to Argentina by Jesuit missionaries from Spain.
• According to the World Christian Database, 88.77% of Argentina’s population is Christian. 
• The World Christian Database reports that 88.77% of Argentines are Christian, with 6.9% identifying as agnostic, 2% identifying as Muslim, 0.4% identifying as Jewish, and 0.9% identifying as atheist.
• In Argentina, The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral is the main Catholic church.

Tuvalu

Tuvalu is a small island country made up of three reef islands and six atolls. In Tuvalu Christianity is the most prevalent religion, with Calvinism being the largest denomination. The Church of Tuvalu, also known as Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT), is the state church. The church is Calvinist in orientation.

• 86% of the population is affiliated with the Church of Tuvalu, while 8.8% identify as other Christians.
• in Tuvalu, Christianity is the dominant religion with 94.8% of the population identifying as Christian. 
• In 2022, 86% of the population belonged to the Church of Tuvalu.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a predominantly Christian country, with 76.3% of the population identifying as Catholic. The country’s constitution recognizes freedom of religion, but Catholicism is the official religion. Christianity first arrived in Costa Rica in 1502, when Fray Alejandre became the first priest to set foot on the continent. After 1508, Christianity slowly spread along the Pacific coasts.

•  76.3% of Costa Ricans identify as Catholic, 13.7% are Evangelical Christians, 1.3% are Jehovah’s Witness, and 0.7% are Protestant Christian. 
• The remaining 8% either have no religion (3.2%) or are of other faiths (4.8%), including Mormonism, Judaism, and Islam.
• Costa Rica has about 50 Churches of Christ, which range in size from 20 to 250 members. 

Denmark

Denmark officially converted to Christianity in the 10th century, during the reign of King Harald Bluetooth. According to the Danish constitution, the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, and Lutheran beliefs are taught in schools. However, only a small percentage of the population are active participants.

• Christianity is the largest religion in Denmark, with 72.5% of the population registered members of the Church of Denmark.
• Approximately 85% of the Danish population is Evangelical Lutheran, 3% are Roman Catholic, and approximately 5% of the population is Muslim.
• Most Danish cities have a range of churches, including the Lutheran Evangelical state church, Catholic, and Pentecostal congregations. However, few Danes go to church regularly.

England

In England, Christianity is the largest religion, with the Church of England being the established state church. Other Christian traditions in England include Roman Catholicism, Methodism, and the Baptists. According to the 2021 census, 46.2% of people in England and Wales identified as Christian. This is a decrease from 53.9% in 2011 and 59.3% a decade earlier.

• England is a Christian country, with the Anglican Church as the state religion. This gives the Church of England certain privileges that other religions do not have.
• The King is the Head of the Church.
• The Church of England upholds many Roman Catholic customs, but also embraces ideas from the Protestant Reformation.
• The largest Christian denominations in London are Catholicism (35%), Anglicanism (33%), Pentecostals (7%), and Orthodox Christians (6%).

Georgia

Officially Georgia has been a Christian state since the 4th century. However, the country is secular and welcomes people of all major religions. Christianity is the predominant religion in Georgia, with about 85.84% of the population identifying as Christian in 2020. The Georgian Orthodox Church is the most influential religious institution in the country, with most of the population belonging to it. The church was founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew and is one of the world’s oldest Christian churches.

• In 2020, 85.84% of Georgia’s population identified as Christian, with 11% identifying as Muslim, 0.1% identifying as Jewish, 0.04% identifying as Baha’i, and 3% identifying as having no religious beliefs.
• Georgia’s population is predominantly Orthodox Christian, with most Ossetians, Russians, Greeks, Abkhazians, Assyrians, Udis, and some Armenians also identifying as Orthodox Christians.
• The majority of Armenians in Georgia are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Iceland

Christianity has been present in Iceland since the Early Middle Ages, when Irish hermits settled there. Christianity began to spread among the Icelanders in the late 10th century. The country officially converted to Lutheranism during the Reformation.

• According to the World Population Review, 76.8% of Iceland’s population is Christian.
• Of those, 60.9% identified as members of the Church of Iceland, and 11.5% identified as other Christians. 25.2% of Iceland’s population identified as having no religion.
• Church attendance in Iceland is low, with only 10% of Icelanders attending church once a month or more.
• As of 2022, 14,723 people in Iceland identify as Catholic, which is 3.91% of the population. The number of Catholics in Iceland is growing rapidly.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is a small, landlocked country in the Alpine region of Europe. According to the World Population Review, 84.4% of Liechtenstein’s population is Christian. Liechtenstein’s official national religion is Roman Catholic Christianity. Until the 1970s, immigration from eastern and southeastern European countries brought Orthodox Christians to Liechtenstein.

• According to World Population Review, Liechtenstein is one of the most Christian countries in 2024, along with Portugal, Ireland, and Lithuania.
• Liechtenstein also has a small Muslim population, mainly made up of immigrants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey.
• 84.4% of Liechtenstein’s population is Christian that breaks down to 84.4% Christian and 8.5% Protestant.

Malta

Christianity has a history of almost 2,000 years in Malta. Around 60 A.D, The Apostle Paul brought Christianity to the island. Malta is a deeply religious country with a rich history of Christian traditions and festivals.

• According to the World Population Review, 91.6% of Malta’s population identifies as Christian in 2024. 
• The country’s official religion is Roman Catholicism, with over 90% of the population nominally Catholic.
• There are many other religious denominations in Malta, including Anglican, with small but active communities.
• The church has been a strong influence on the country’s politics and culture, and it still influences Maltese lifestyle and government decisions today.

Monaco

Monaco’s constitution states that Roman Catholicism is the state religion. The country has one cathedral and five parishes of the Catholic Church. The cathedral is the Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the archbishop of Monaco is based there.

• Monaco is 86% Christian, with 80.9% of the population identifying as Catholic and 5.1% identifying as other Christian. 11.7% of the population has no religion.
• According to Pew Research Center, in 2020, Monaco had 34,300 Christians.
• Monaco’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese has five parish churches and three chapels:
  • Parish churches: Saint-Charles Church, Church St. Devote, Saint Martin Church, and Saint Nicholas Church
  • Chapels: Chapel of Mercy, Chapel of the Sacred Heart, and the Carmelite Chapel
• Monaco has six Catholic churches, two Protestant churches, and one synagogue.

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Summary – List of Countries with the Highest Number of Christians

Christianity is the world’s largest religion, with about 2.4 billion followers and make up the majority of the population in 157 countries and territories. Christianity is the state religion of 15 countries, including Argentina, Armenia, Tuvalu, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Greece. The United States has the highest number of practicing Christians, with a population of 253 million. Christianity is the predominant religion in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Southern Africa. There are more than 45,000 Christian denominations globally, with more than 200 in the U.S. In 2023, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity reported that there will be over 2.6 billion Christians worldwide by mid-2023, and around 3.3 billion by 2050.

FAQs – List of Countries with the Highest Number of Christians

How many Christian countries are there?

Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories, which is about two-thirds of all countries and territories in the world. 13 countries officially adopted Christianity as their state religion, and 28 countries legally favor or prefer it.

Which country has the largest Christian population?

The United States has the largest Christian population in the world, with 70% of its population identifying as Christian. 

Name the three countries with largest Christain population.

The three countries with the largest Christian populations, the United States, Brazil, and Mexico, account for nearly one in every four Christians in the world.

What religions are in China?

China has many religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam. The Chinese government recognizes five official religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism.

Where is Christianity growing?

Christianity is growing the fastest in Africa and Asia, with growth rates of 2.77% and 1.50% respectively.

Who is the founder of Christianity?

Christianity began in Israel over 2,000 years ago. and Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity. Jesus was a Jewish man who taught his disciples about a new concept of the Judaic religion.

Where is christianity practiced most?

The United States has the largest Christian population in the world, followed by Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and the Philippines.