Around the World, Many People Are Leaving Their Childhood Religions
In many places surveyed, 20% or more of all adults have left their childhood religious group. Christianity and Buddhism have had especially large losses.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Middle East & North Africa
Comparing Levels of Religious Nationalism Around the World
We asked people in three dozen countries how they see religion’s role in society, government and national identity.
Majority in U.S. Say Israel Has Valid Reasons for Fighting; Fewer Say the Same About Hamas
57% of Americans express some sympathy with both Israelis and Palestinians, including 26% who say their sympathies lie equally with both groups.
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The Iraq War continues to divide the U.S. public, 15 years after it began
Fifteen years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the American public is divided over whether using military force was the right decision.
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Negative views of democracy more widespread in countries with low political affiliation
Across 35 nations, a median of 26% do not identify with any political party in their country. In countries where more people are unaffiliated with any political party, popular support for representative democracy is also lower.
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Most displaced Syrians are in the Middle East, and about a million are in Europe
Nearly 13 million Syrians are displaced after seven years of conflict in their country. No nation in recent decades has had such a large percentage of its population displaced.
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Many people in other countries closely follow news about the U.S.
Across 37 countries surveyed in the spring of 2017, a median of 48% say they closely follow news about the U.S., compared with 50% who do not. Interest in news about the U.S. is highest in Canada, where 78% say they track it closely. Next highest is the Netherlands (75%), followed by some of America’s closest allies: Japan, Germany and Australia. Across 10 European nations, a median of 51% say they follow news about America closely.
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5 facts about Iran
The public unrest that swept across Iran starting in late December began as a protest against poor economic conditions, but it quickly turned into a call for an end to the country’s theocratic regime.
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Key Middle East Publics See Russia, Turkey and U.S. All Playing Larger Roles in Region
A median of 53% in five Middle Eastern and North African countries also see Iran playing a more important role, but fewer say Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have gained influence.
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Afghans who worked for U.S. government make up growing share of special immigrant visa recipients
More than two-thirds of special immigrant visas have gone to Afghans (48,601) since fiscal 2007. Iraqis have received 21,961 such visas.
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Despite apparent coup in Zimbabwe, armed takeovers have become less common worldwide
Since the end of World War II, there have been 225 successful coups (counting the events in Zimbabwe) in countries with populations greater than 500,000, according to the Center for Systemic Peace, which maintains extensive datasets on various forms of armed conflict and political violence. Most coups occurred during the height of the Cold War, from the 1960s through the 1980s.
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Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century
Concentrated in Europe, Orthodox Christians have declined as share of the global Christian population, from 20% in 1910 to 12% today. But the Ethiopian community is highly observant and growing.
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U.S. Resettles Fewer Refugees, Even as Global Number of Displaced People Grows
In the last few years, the number of refugees annually resettled by the U.S. has not consistently grown in step with a worldwide refugee population that has expanded nearly 50% since 2013.
