Mapping insights
Islam as the fastest-growing religion
Islam is the religion with second most adherents in the world with approximately 1.6 billion (23.2 percent of the world's population). It is considered the world’s fastest-growing religious group and will most likely surpass Christianity as the largest religious group after 2050, according to the Pew Research Center.
Not affiliated, but not without belief either
1.1 billion people (16 percent of the world's population) are not affiliated to any particular religion. This number also includes people who understand themselves as atheists and agnostics. The Pew Research Center found that while religiously unaffiliated, some have some kind of religious belief "like the existence of a god or higher power in general".
Religious and non-religious states
By definition, secular states do not have a state religion and are officially neutral in matters of religion. However there are states that are ambiguous when it comes to secularism: Bangladesh, Argentina, Malaysia and Norway for example have a state religion, but also aim to be secular states. Although there are various views on this, being secular does not equal being atheist.
Freedom of speech, expression and information
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers," reads article 19 of the UN human rights law. Although freedom of speech, expression and information is considered a fundamental right, not everyone can make use of it.