An analysis into estimated population growth trends in the major religions over the next 100 years.

2010 Actual ₃	2020 Est. ₄	2030 Est. ₄	2040 Est. ₄	2050 Est. ₄	2060 Est. ₄
Christianity Average Growth Rate: +1.47 % per year
2262.59 M 32.71 % world pop.	2618.08 M 33.93 % world pop.	3029.42 M 35.96 % world pop.	3505.38 M 38.78 % world pop.	4056.13 M 42.47 % world pop.	4693.41 M 47.13 % world pop.
Islam Average Growth Rate: +2.33 % per year
1552.33 M 22.44 % world pop.	1954.4 M 25.33 % world pop.	2460.61 M 29.21 % world pop.	3097.94 M 34.27 % world pop.	3900.34 M 40.84 % world pop.	4910.58 M 49.32 % world pop.
Hinduism Average Growth Rate: +1.69 % per year
948.95 M 13.72 % world pop.	1122.09 M 14.54 % world pop.	1326.81 M 15.75 % world pop.	1568.88 M 17.36 % world pop.	1855.13 M 19.42 % world pop.	2193.59 M 22.03 % world pop.
No Religion Average Growth Rate: +0.45 % per year
813.12 M 11.76 % world pop.	850.46 M 11.02 % world pop.	889.52 M 10.56 % world pop.	930.36 M 10.29 % world pop.	973.09 M 10.19 % world pop.	1017.77 M 10.22 % world pop.
Buddhism Average Growth Rate: +1.68 % per year
494.89 M 7.16 % world pop.	584.61 M 7.58 % world pop.	690.59 M 8.2 % world pop.	815.78 M 9.03 % world pop.	963.67 M 10.09 % world pop.	1138.38 M 11.43 % world pop.
Chinese Traditional Religion Average Growth Rate: +1.30 % per year
451.14 M 6.52 % world pop.	513.34 M 6.65 % world pop.	584.12 M 6.93 % world pop.	664.65 M 7.35 % world pop.	756.29 M 7.92 % world pop.	860.56 M 8.64 % world pop.
Ethnic Religions Average Growth Rate: +0.88 % per year
242.52 M 3.51 % world pop.	264.73 M 3.43 % world pop.	288.97 M 3.43 % world pop.	315.43 M 3.49 % world pop.	344.31 M 3.6 % world pop.	375.84 M 3.77 % world pop.
African Traditional Religions Average Growth Rate: +0.88 % per year
100 M 1.45 % world pop.	109.16 M 1.41 % world pop.	119.15 M 1.41 % world pop.	130.06 M 1.44 % world pop.	141.97 M 1.49 % world pop.	154.97 M 1.56 % world pop.
Sikhism Average Growth Rate: +1.91 % per year
24.06 M 0.35 % world pop.	29.07 M 0.38 % world pop.	35.13 M 0.42 % world pop.	42.44 M 0.47 % world pop.	51.28 M 0.54 % world pop.	61.96 M 0.62 % world pop.
Juche Average Growth Rate: +0.84 % per year
19 M 0.27 % world pop.	20.66 M 0.27 % world pop.	22.46 M 0.27 % world pop.	24.42 M 0.27 % world pop.	26.55 M 0.28 % world pop.	28.87 M 0.29 % world pop.
Judaism Average Growth Rate: -0.03 % per year
13.95 M 0.2 % world pop.	13.91 M 0.18 % world pop.	13.87 M 0.16 % world pop.	13.82 M 0.15 % world pop.	13.78 M 0.14 % world pop.	13.74 M 0.14 % world pop.
Spiritism Average Growth Rate: +2.35 % per year
13.7 M 0.2 % world pop.	17.28 M 0.22 % world pop.	21.8 M 0.26 % world pop.	27.5 M 0.3 % world pop.	34.69 M 0.36 % world pop.	43.76 M 0.44 % world pop.
Bahai Average Growth Rate: +2.38 % per year
7.31 M 0.11 % world pop.	9.25 M 0.12 % world pop.	11.7 M 0.14 % world pop.	14.8 M 0.16 % world pop.	18.73 M 0.2 % world pop.	23.7 M 0.24 % world pop.
Jainism Average Growth Rate: +1.71 % per year
5.38 M 0.08 % world pop.	6.37 M 0.08 % world pop.	7.55 M 0.09 % world pop.	8.95 M 0.1 % world pop.	10.6 M 0.11 % world pop.	12.56 M 0.13 % world pop.
Cao Dai Average Growth Rate: +0.75 % per year
4 M 0.06 % world pop.	4.31 M 0.06 % world pop.	4.64 M 0.06 % world pop.	5.01 M 0.06 % world pop.	5.39 M 0.06 % world pop.	5.81 M 0.06 % world pop.
Shinto Average Growth Rate: -0.81 % per year
2.76 M 0.04 % world pop.	2.54 M 0.03 % world pop.	2.35 M 0.03 % world pop.	2.16 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.99 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.84 M 0.02 % world pop.
Tenrikyo Average Growth Rate: -0.81 % per year
2 M 0.03 % world pop.	1.84 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.7 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.57 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.44 M 0.02 % world pop.	1.33 M 0.01 % world pop.
Neo-Paganism Average Growth Rate: -0.38 % per year
1 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.96 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.93 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.89 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.86 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.83 M 0.01 % world pop.
Unitarian Universalism Average Growth Rate: +1.47 % per year
0.8 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.93 M 0.01 % world pop.	1.07 M 0.01 % world pop.	1.24 M 0.01 % world pop.	1.43 M 0.01 % world pop.	1.66 M 0.02 % world pop.
Rastafarianism Average Growth Rate: +0.88 % per year
0.6 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.65 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.71 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.78 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.85 M 0.01 % world pop.	0.93 M 0.01 % world pop.
Zoroastrianism Average Growth Rate: +0.87 % per year
0.2 M 0 % world pop.	0.22 M 0 % world pop.	0.24 M 0 % world pop.	0.26 M 0 % world pop.	0.28 M 0 % world pop.	0.31 M 0 % world pop.
Total World Population (in millions) ₅
6916 M	7717 M	8425 M	9039 M	9551 M	9957 M

SOURCE:
The above figures are rough estimates based on various assumptions. Where appropriate, the data sources are referenced below.
₁ Wikipedia: List of religious populations
₂ Christianity Global Context: (PDF pg.13, Rate 1970-2020)
₃ Christianity Global Context: (PDF pg.13, 2010 Adherents)
₄ Estimates for 2020-2060 extrapolated using 2010 Actual figure multiplied by compound Avg. Growth rate
₅ Wikipedia: UN World population estimates

Similar Articles

Pew Forum - The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050
The Guardian - Muslim population in Europe to reach 10% by 2050, new forecast shows
RT News - Global Muslim population to surpass Christians by 2070
CNN - The world's fastest-growing religion is ...
The Atlantic - Islam Could Become the World's Largest Religion After 2070
USA Today - Islam projected to be world's largest religion by 2070
Arab News - Islam fastest-growing major faith in coming decades
Hindustan Times - India will have biggest Muslim population by 2050, Islam could catch up with Christianity

41-population-trend

Author: Guest • Updated: 06 Sep 2026 • 2,655 views | 7 hrs ago

Say, We believe in God and what was sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses, Jesus and all the Prophets by their Lord
Quran 2:136

Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
John 14:6

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I
John 14:28

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord
Deuteronomy 6:4

The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He has made for you mates from yourselves, and for the cattle (also) mates. By this means He creates you (in the wombs)
Quran 42:11

O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah
Quran 3:64

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me
John 5:30

Indeed, We have revealed to you, (O Muhammad), as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book (of Psalms)
Quran 4:163

Blessed be He Who has placed in the heaven big stars, and has placed therein a great lamp (sun), and a moon giving light. And He it is Who has put the night and the day in succession
Quran 25:61

He (Jesus) Himself stood in their midst and said to them, Peace be to you
Luke 24:36

O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of God. Indeed, God forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful
Quran 39: 53

Indeed, man is in loss, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and advise one another to truth and patience
Quran 103:1-3

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord
Mark 12:29

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God
John 20:17

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Matthew 27:46

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
John 13:16

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind
Matthew 22:37

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
John 5:30

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:19

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:21

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me
Isaiah 49:9