There are approximately between 4,000 and 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, depending on the source and classification criteria.
- One estimate states there are nearly 4,000 recognized faiths globally, with about 75% of people following one of the five main religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam
- Another source estimates around 10,000 distinct religions worldwide, though most have relatively small, regional followings. The four largest religions-Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism-account for over 77% of the global population
- A comprehensive demographic study by Pew Research Center found over 400 million people practice various folk or traditional religions, and about 58 million belong to other religions such as Baha’i, Jainism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Taoism, and others
- Wikipedia also notes roughly 4,200 religions, denominations, and spiritual traditions exist
In summary, while the number varies by definition, the number of distinct religions worldwide is generally estimated to be in the thousands, with a handful of major religions dominating the global population.
