Major Religions of the World
Christianity
Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with over 2.2 billion followers, or 31% of the global population. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and is approximately 2,000 years old. The largest Christian groups are the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox churches, and Protestant churches. 1234 (The Bible)
Islam
Islam is the second-largest religion in the world, with approximately 1.8 billion followers, or 25% of the global population. It started in Mecca (modern-day Saudi Arabia) in the 7th century CE and was spread by the Prophet Muhammad. The two major branches of Islam are Sunni (80% of Muslims) and Shia (15% of Muslims). 1234 (The Quran)
Hinduism
Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world, with approximately 1.2 billion followers, or 15% of the global population. It is one of the oldest religions, with beliefs and practices dating back to at least the 1500s BCE. Hinduism is the dominant religion in India, where about 80% of the population identifies as Hindu. 1234 (The Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita)
Buddhism
Buddhism is the fourth-largest religion in the world, with approximately 500 million followers, or 7% of the global population. It was founded in India nearly 2,500 years ago based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. The two main branches of Buddhism are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. 1234 (The Tripitaka)
Shinto
Shinto is a religion with approximately 104 million followers, or 1.5% of the global population. It is formally established in Japan and promotes the existence of many gods. It is not an organized religion but serves as the foundation for many cultural practices in Japan. 1234
Sikhism
Sikhism has approximately 25 million followers, or 0.4% of the global population. It was founded in India in the 1500s CE and is based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and his nine successors. 1234 (The Guru Granth Sahib)
Judaism
Judaism has approximately 14 million followers, or 0.2% of the global population. It is a monotheistic religion established in the Middle East around the 8th century BCE. The three primary branches are Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reform Judaism. 1234 (The Torah, Talmud):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groups
1: https://research.library.gsu.edu/worldreligion
2: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/religions
3: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-cultures-religions-apah/beginners-guide-religion-in-art/v/five-major-world-religions
4: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/this-is-the-best-and-simplest-world-map-of-religions/
