Select Language:
Countries That Pray the Most in 2025: A Global Perspective
Image Credit: Pew Research Center, World Bank
Prayer plays a vital role across diverse cultures and societies. In 2025, an analysis of global prayer habits reveals significant insights into how various nations incorporate spiritual practices into their daily lives. Here is a detailed list of countries with the highest prayer populations and percentages of their citizens who pray daily.
Indonesia Leading Worldwide in Daily Prayer Engagement
Indonesia stands out as the country with the highest number of daily prayer practitioners, with approximately 269 million individuals praying regularly. This accounts for a staggering 95% of its population, highlighting the deeply rooted religious traditions, particularly Islam, that are prevalent throughout the nation. The country’s commitment to faith influences many aspects of daily life, shaping societal norms and cultural practices.
Kenya and Nigeria: Africa’s Pacesetters in Prayer
Kenya and Nigeria are notable African nations where prayer is woven into the societal fabric. With 84% of their populations praying daily, both countries have over 47 million Kenyans and nearly 196 million Nigerians engaging in regular spiritual practice. This shared spiritual intensity reflects strong communal bonds and religious traditions that have persisted across generations.
Southeast Asia’s Devout: Malaysia and the Philippines
Malaysia, with roughly 28.5 million prayerful citizens (80%), and the Philippines, with 91.5 million (79%), showcase the region’s devout faith culture. In Malaysia, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity coexist, and daily prayer forms an integral part of individual and community routines. Similarly, the predominantly Catholic Philippines emphasizes prayer as a cornerstone of daily life and community cohesion.
Latin America’s Faith-Filled Countries
Brazil, with over 161 million praying individuals (76%), and Colombia, with 37.6 million (71%), reflect the strong influence of Christianity across Latin America. The cultural fabric heavily emphasizes prayer, religious festivals, and community religious activities that reinforce social bonds and shared values.
South Asia’s Religious Deep-Rootedness: India and Bangladesh
India’s sizable population with approximately 1 billion praying individuals (71%) underscores the importance of faith across diverse religious groups, including Hindus, Muslims, and others. Similarly, Bangladesh boasts 75% of its 130.2 million population engaging in daily prayer, primarily driven by the Muslim majority, emphasizing religious devotion amid rapid modernization.
Developed Nations with Notably Devout Populations
While countries like the United States and Canada have lower percentages—44% and 30%, respectively—they still represent large absolute numbers of praying individuals (149.6 million and 12.4 million). These figures illustrate that prayer remains significant even in secularized societies, often serving as a source of personal comfort and community connection.
European Countries: Moderate Prayer Engagement
In Europe, prayer participation varies significantly. Greece leads with 37% (3.8 million of its population praying daily), while nations like the United Kingdom and France hover around 21-18%. Although the overall percentages are lower compared to other regions, prayer continues to play a meaningful role in social and personal spheres.
The Global Outlook in 2025
The data underscores the vast diversity of prayer habits worldwide. While some nations display almost universal participation, others indicate more secular tendencies. Nevertheless, the enduring nature of prayer signifies its importance as a universal human practice, bridging cultural, religious, and social differences.
Key Takeaways:
- The majority of prayerful populations are concentrated in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
- Countries with strong religious traditions tend to have higher percentages of daily praisers.
- Developed nations have significant absolute numbers, even if their population percentages are lower.
- Prayer remains a vital aspect of life, providing spiritual sustenance and community cohesion around the globe.
As the world continues to evolve politically and socially in 2025, faith and prayer remain constant sources of comfort and strength for billions, illustrating their timeless relevance across cultures.
Source: Pew Research Center, World Bank, 2025
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
