A global survey by Gallup in 2017 – a firm specializing in data and market analysis – attempted to calculate how important religion is in the lives of citizens in more than 66 countries around the world. The global average of adults who considered faith to be something essential in their lives was 62%, not surprising for a global society that defines itself as 87% believers and just 13% atheists.
However, differences were visible between the material conditions of the most and least believing countries in the entire study:
The 6 countries that considered faith the least important in their daily lives were Estonia (16%), Sweden (17%), Denmark (19%), Japan (24%), Hong Kong (24%), and the United Kingdom ( 27%). They all have in common a high Human Development Index (greater than .86) and are recognized for their quality of life and health services. At the other extreme, the 6 most religious countries were Thailand (the undisputed winner with 98% religiosity), followed by Nigeria (97%), India, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Papua New Guinea (all with 94%), nations that are considered developing or countries with no economic growth, where income and wealth are less distributed.
What is the reason for such disparity? Why do poorer countries have more according to statistics? Different scientific studies have tried to elucidate the factors that influence the relationship between religiosity and the income level of a country. Most explanations suggest that poverty is the factor that directly affects faith and not vice versa: given greater deprivation, lack of access to education, and worse material conditions, the strength that countless people find in faith seems to be an incentive that helps them carry out their daily lives better.
Learn more possible solutions to this correlation after reading “What happens to your mind when you stop believing in God, according to science”, “Will religion ever disappear?” and “Does being an atheist make you a bad person?”
This story was originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
