Ten countries with the most Catholics

The ten countries with the most Catholics account for more than half of the world’s Catholics. According to the Vatican figures, they are Brazil (172.2 million), Mexico (110.9), Philippines (83.6), USA (72.3), Italy (58.0), France (48.3), Colombia (45.3), Spain (43.3), Democratic Republic of Congo (43.2) and Argentina (40.8).

The number of Catholics in the world was about 1,285 billion at the end of 2015.

According to global data, the number of Catholics worldwide increased, from 1,272 million in 2014 to 1,285 million in 2015.

Of every 100 baptized, 49 are from America, 22.2 from Europe, 17.3 from Africa, 11 from Asia, and 0.8 are from Oceania.

Viewed as continents, 64% of Americans are Catholics, 40% of Europeans, 19% of Africans, 26% of Oceanians and 3% of Asians.

To serve them, there are 5,304 bishops, 415,656 priests, 670,320 nuns, and 45,255 permanent deacons.

The most painful figures are in the fall of the number of women religious, which in only five years has gone from 721,935 to 670,320.