A new map has revealed the most common religion in every African country, showing a clear divide between Christianity and Islam across the world’s second largest continent. The map, shared on YouTube by SaphriX, who has over 70,000 subscribers, uses colour coding to show religious majorities.
Countries such as Zambia, South Africa, and Ghana are shown as majority Christian, while Egypt, Algeria, and Somalia are predominantly Muslim. Some countries, including Nigeria and Eritrea, have a more even split between the two religions. According to Statista, Christianity is the main religion in several African nations. Zambia has the highest percentage, with 96% of its population identifying as Christian. Seychelles and Rwanda follow closely, with 95% and 94%, respectively. South Africa is also largely Christian, with 85% following the faith, while Ghana has a Christian majority of 71%.
Islam dominates North Africa, where more than 90% of people in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya identify as Muslim.
The US State Department’s 2022 report on International Religious Freedom also indicated that in countries like Sudan and Somalia, Islam is followed by nearly the entire population.
Experts at Visual Capitalist add that Africa’s religious landscape has changed dramatically over the past century.
Between 1900 and 2000, Africa’s Muslim and Christian populations grew rapidly, largely due to population increases. Today, 33% of Africans are Muslim, while around 50% follow Christianity.
However, some countries have a more balanced religious makeup. Nigeria is roughly split between Christianity and Islam, with a slight Muslim majority.
In absolute numbers, Nigeria, due to its size, has the largest Muslim population in Africa, with about 115 million followers.
Eritrea is another country where estimates suggest a near-even divide between Christians and Muslims.
One unique case is Mauritius, the only African country where Hinduism is the most common religion. This is due to Indian indentured labourers who were brought to the island during colonial times.
Africa’s religious divisions are rooted in history. Christianity arrived in North Africa in the 1st century AD but spread more widely into sub-Saharan Africa in the 15th century during European colonial missions.
Islam expanded through North Africa in the 7th century, following the conquests of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.
But despite the dominance of Christianity and Islam, many Africans still practice traditional religions or blend indigenous beliefs with their faith.