Which Country Believes in God Most?

The Philippines, but the US is high on the list
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 18, 2012 11:23 AM CDT
Which Country Believes in God Most?
Hooded penitents flagellate themselves in front of wooden cross in a reenactment of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, April 6, 2012 at San Pedro Cutud, Philippines.   (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

If religion were a contest, the Philippines would be winning. A whopping 94% of people in the Philippines believe in God, making it the most faithful country on the planet, or at least, among the 30 countries included in a new University of Chicago study. But almost all the nations in the study had Christian majorities, the AFP reports, so it's hardly entirely inclusive. Still, the Philippines' dominance might explain something like this.

The countries with the highest percentage of the faithful tended to be predominantly Catholic, with one major exception: The US, which came in third on the list at 84%, behind Chile at 88%. Belief was lowest in former Soviet states, with East Germany (13%) and the Czech Republic (20%) bringing up the absolute rear. The study also found that belief was stronger among the elderly than the young; overall, only 23% of those under age 27 believe. Click for the full details of the study. (More Philippines stories.)

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