Religion in Latin America is characterized by the historical predominance of Catholicism,[1] and growing number and influence of a large number of groups that belong to Protestantism, as well as by the presence of Irreligion. According to survey data from Statista in 2020, 57% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant.[2]
The majority of Latin Americans are Christians (90%),[1] mostly Roman Catholics.[3] [4] Membership in Protestant denominations is increasing, particularly in Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Puerto Rico.[5] In particular, Pentecostalism has experienced massive growth.[6] [7] This movement is increasingly attracting Latin America's middle classes.[8] Anglicanism also has a long and growing presence in Latin America.
According to the detailed Pew Research Center multi-country survey in 2014, 69% of the Latin American population is Catholic and 19% is Protestant, rising to 22% in Brazil and over 40% in much of Central America. More than half of these are converts.[9] [10] According to the 2014 Pew survey, the 46 countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean comprised, in absolute terms, the world's second-largest Christian population (24%; including U.S., British, Dutch and French territories), after the 50 countries and territories of Europe (26%; including Russia, excluding Turkey), but just before the 51 countries and territories of Sub-Saharan Africa (24%; including Mauritania, excluding Sudan).[11]
Indigenous creeds and rituals are still practiced in countries with large percentages of Amerindians, such as Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. Various Afro-Latin American traditions such as Santería, Candomblé, Umbanda, Macumba, and tribal-voodoo religions are also practiced, mainly in Cuba, Brazil, and Haiti.
Argentina hosts the largest communities of both Jews (180,000-300,000)[12] [13] [14] and Muslims (500,000-600,000)[15] [16] [17] in Latin America.Brazil is the country with more practitioners in the world of Allan Kardec's Spiritism. Practitioners of Judaism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Bahá'í Faith, and Shinto are also present in Latin America.[18]
| 85,5 | 74,7 | 10,8 | 3,5 | 11,0 | |
| 74,0 | 40,5 | 33,5 | 10,4 | 15,6 | |
| 94,4 | 76,0 | 18,4 | 2,5 | 3,1 | |
| 88,7 | 64,6 | 24,1 | 4,3 | 8,0 | |
| 82,1 | 66,2 | 15,9 | 2,5 | 15,4 | |
| 94,7 | 81,7 | 13,0 | 2,3 | 3,0 | |
| 89,9 | 70,7 | 19,2 | 4,0 | 6,1 | |
| 50,1 | 45,8 | 4,3 | 7,2 | 42,7 | |
| 93,1 | 80,9 | 12,2 | 2,3 | 4,6 | |
| 81,8 | 51,7 | 30,1 | 2,2 | 16,0 | |
| 86,8 | 47,1 | 39,7 | 1,7 | 11,5 | |
| 84,3 | 68,8 | 15,5 | 9,8 | 5,9 | |
| 88,8 | 49,8 | 39,0 | 3,2 | 8,0 | |
| 92,0 | 82,9 | 9,1 | 3,4 | 4,6 | |
| 83,5 | 54,4 | 29,1 | 3,8 | 12,7 | |
| 92,7 | 76,0 | 16,7 | 3,3 | 4,0 | |
| 96,1 | 88,2 | 7,9 | 2,3 | 1,6 | |
| 93,6 | 80,6 | 13,0 | 3,0 | 3,4 | |
| 92,2 | 61,5 | 30,7 | 1,4 | 6,4 | |
| 90,2 | 68,9 | 21,3 | 4,0 | 5,8 | |
| 52,4 | 42,8 | 9,6 | 4,6 | 43,0 | |
| 91,4 | 75,8 | 15,6 | 3,3 | 5,3 | |
| Country | Catholic (%) | Protestant (%) | Unaffiliated (%) | Other (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Paraguay | 89 | 7 | 1 | 2 | |
 Mexico | 81 | 9 | 7 | 4 | |
 Colombia | 79 | 13 | 6 | 2 | |
 Ecuador | 79 | 13 | 5 | 3 | |
| Bolivia | 77 | 16 | 4 | 3 | |
 Peru | 76 | 17 | 4 | 3 | |
| Venezuela | 73 | 17 | 7 | 4 | |
 Argentina | 71 | 15 | 12 | 3 | |
 Panama | 70 | 19 | 7 | 4 | |
 Chile | 64 | 17 | 16 | 3 | |
 Costa Rica | 62 | 25 | 9 | 4 | |
 Brazil | 61 | 26 | 8 | 5 | |
 Dominican Republic | 57 | 23 | 18 | 2 | |
 Puerto Rico | 56 | 33 | 8 | 2 | |
 El Salvador | 50 | 36 | 12 | 3 | |
 Guatemala | 50 | 41 | 6 | 3 | |
 Nicaragua | 50 | 40 | 7 | 4 | |
 Honduras | 46 | 41 | 10 | 2 | |
 Uruguay | 42 | 15 | 37 | 6 | |
| Latin America | 69 | 19 | 8 | 4 |
| Countries | Population Total | Christians % | Christian Population | Unaffiliated % | Unaffiliated Population | Other religions % | Other religions Population | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 44,830,000 | 85.4% | 38,420,000 | 12.1% | 5,320,000 | 2.5% | 1,090,000 | [20] | |
| 11,830,000 | 94% | 11,120,000 | 4.1% | 480,000 | 1.9% | 230,000 | [21] | ||
| Brazil | 210,450,000 | 88.1% | 185,430,000 | 8.4% | 17,620,000 | 3.5% | 7,400,000 | [22] | |
| Chile | 18,540,000 | 88.3% | 16,380,000 | 9.7% | 1,800,000 | 2% | 360,000 | [23] | |
| Colombia | 52,160,000 | 92.3% | 48,150,000 | 6.7% | 3,510,000 | 1% | 500,000 | [24] | |
| Costa Rica | 5,270,000 | 90.8% | 4,780,000 | 8% | 420,000 | 1.2% | 70,000 | [25] | |
 Cuba | 11,230,000 | 58.9% | 6,610,000 | 23.2% | 2,600,000 | 17.9% | 2,020,000 | [26] | |
| Ecuador | 16,480,000 | 94% | 15,490,000 | 5.6% | 920,000 | 0.4% | 70,000 | [27] | |
| El Salvador | 6,670,000 | 88% | 5,870,000 | 11.2% | 740,000 | 0.8% | 60,000 | [28] | |
| Guatemala | 18,210,000 | 95.3% | 17,360,000 | 3.9% | 720,000 | 0.8% | 130,000 | [29] | |
 Guyana | 850,000 | 67.9% | 580,000 | 2% | 20,000 | 30.1% | 250,000 | [30] | |
 Haiti | 11,550,000 | 87% | 10,040,000 | 10.7% | 1,230,000 | 2.3% | 280,000 | [31] | |
| Honduras | 9,090,000 | 87.5% | 7,950,000 | 10.5% | 950,000 | 2% | 190,000 | [32] | |
| Mexico | 126,010,000 | 94.1% | 118,570,000 | 5.7% | 7,240,000 | 0.2% | 200,000 | [33] | |
| Nicaragua | 6,690,000 | 85.3% | 5,710,000 | 13% | 870,000 | 1.7% | 110,000 | [34] | |
| Panama | 4,020,000 | 92.7% | 3,720,000 | 5% | 200,000 | 2.3% | 100,000 | [35] | |
| Paraguay | 7,630,000 | 96.9% | 7,390,000 | 1.1% | 90,000 | 2% | 150,000 | [36] | |
| Peru | 32,920,000 | 95.4% | 31,420,000 | 3.1% | 1,010,000 | 1.5% | 490,000 | [37] | |
| Dominican Republic | 11,280,000 | 88% | 9,930,000 | 10.9% | 1,230,000 | 1.1% | 120,000 | [38] | |
 Suriname | 580,000 | 52.3% | 300,000 | 6.2% | 40,000 | 41.5% | 240,000 | [39] | |
| Uruguay | 3,490,000 | 57% | 1,990,000 | 41.5% | 1,450,000 | 1.5% | 50,000 | [40] | |
| 33,010,000 | 89.5% | 29,540,000 | 9.7% | 3,220,000 | 0.8% | 250,000 | [41] | ||
| Latin America | 653,390,000 | 89.7% | 585,850,000 | 8% | 52,430,000 | 2.3% | 15,110,000 | [42] |