Non-Religious People on the Rise in India: Survey


Non-Religious People on the Rise in India: Survey

Bangalore: The number of non-religious people in India has risen as per the latest Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism. In India 81 percent people said they are religious in 2013, which is a drop by 6 percent in seven years. In 2005 the percentage was 87.

It was also noted that there is a 1 percent drop in the number of people calling themselves as an atheist, reported Kounteya Sinha for TNN. 4 percent people said they didn't believe in God in 2005, as against 3 percent in 2012. 

The survey revealed that there was a similar trend around the world. Religiosity saw a decline of 9 percent, while atheism rose by 3 percent.

On the other hand, Pakistan was noted to be among the few countries with an increase in the number of people calling themselves religious. The percentage increase was 6. Countries that witnessed a drop in those calling themselves religious include South Africa (19 percent), U.S. (13 percent), Switzerland and France (21 percent each) and Vietnam (23 percent). Argentina, which is home to the present Pope, witnessed 8 percent decline in people calling themselves religious.

It was also revealed that China has the highest number of atheists (50 percent) living in a single country with the people describing themselves as non-believers in comparison with an average of 13 percent across the globe.

The survey interviewed 51,927 persons from 57 countries across the globe. In each country around 1000 men and women were interviewed.

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