Singapore Most Religious Diverse: Global Faith Trends 2026
- Singapore has been identified as the world’s most religiously diverse country, according to a new study released in February 2026 by the Pew Research Center.
- With a Religious Diversity Index (RDI) score of 9.3, Singapore stands out for its relatively even distribution of faiths.
- The findings reflect broader global trends in religious demographics.
Singapore has been identified as the world’s most religiously diverse country, according to a new study released in by the Pew Research Center. The study, which examined 201 nations, assessed religious diversity based on how evenly populations are distributed across seven major religious groups: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, adherents of other religions, and the religiously unaffiliated.
With a Religious Diversity Index (RDI) score of 9.3, Singapore stands out for its relatively even distribution of faiths. Buddhists comprise the largest single group at 31% of the population, but are closely followed by those with no religious affiliation (20%), Christians (19%), Muslims (16%), Hindus (5%), and adherents of other religions (9%). No single religious group holds a majority within the city-state.
The findings reflect broader global trends in religious demographics. Globally, Christians remain the largest religious group, numbering 2.3 billion, though their share of the world’s population has slightly decreased. Muslims are the fastest-growing major religion, having expanded by 347 million over the past decade. The Hindu population also grew significantly, increasing by 126 million to reach 1.2 billion, maintaining a steady 14.9% of the global population. Conversely, Buddhists are the only major faith to have experienced a decline in absolute numbers.
The study also highlights a growing number of people identifying as religiously unaffiliated, now accounting for 24.2% of the global population – making them the third-largest category worldwide. This growth is attributed in part to religious “switching,” particularly among those disaffiliating from Christianity, despite the group’s generally lower fertility rates and older average age.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Somalia are among the least religiously diverse nations, with Muslims constituting 99.8% or more of their respective populations. The Middle East and North Africa region as a whole exhibits the lowest diversity score, at 1.3, with Muslims representing 94% of the population.
The Pew Research Center’s analysis, part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, utilized data synthesized from over 2,700 censuses and surveys. The rankings are based on demographic estimates published in a report detailing changes in the global religious landscape from to . Each country included in the study had a population of at least 100,000 residents in either or , collectively representing 99.98% of the global population in .
Beyond Singapore, Suriname ranks second in religious diversity, particularly notable as the only Latin American country in the top 10. Its population is comprised of 53% Christians, 22% Hindus, 13% Muslims, and 8% religiously unaffiliated, a demographic shaped by the historical presence of indentured laborers from British India.
Most other countries in the top 10 most diverse are located in the Asia-Pacific region – including Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia – or in sub-Saharan Africa, with Mauritius, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, and Benin also featuring prominently. France is the only European nation to make the top 10, with a diversity score of 6.9.
Among the ten most populous countries – those with populations exceeding 120 million – the United States is the most religiously diverse. Christians make up 64% of the US population, while roughly 30% are religiously unaffiliated, with the remaining 6% identifying with various other faiths. Nigeria is the second-most diverse among these large nations, with a near-even split between Muslim and Christian populations. Pakistan, in contrast, is the least diverse, with Muslims accounting for 97% of its population.
The Asia-Pacific region overall demonstrates the highest level of religious diversity, with an RDI score of 8.7. No single religious group dominates the region, with the largest segment being those with no religious affiliation. North America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe are classified as highly diverse, all maintaining Christian majorities. Latin America and the Caribbean are considered moderately diverse, with a strong Christian majority and a smaller proportion of unaffiliated residents.
The Pew Research Center’s study provides a detailed snapshot of the global religious landscape, highlighting both the increasing diversity in some regions and the continued dominance of specific faiths in others. The findings underscore the complex interplay of demographic shifts, historical factors, and socio-political influences shaping religious affiliation worldwide.