Ales

If you look to the World Fact Book

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

you will find utterly confounding or misleading information about the predominance of religious affiliations in the countries of the world. You can find there that France is almost totaly catholic with less than 4% of religiously unaffiliated, the North of Europe is almost totaly Christian protestant and other nonsenses.

Take the example of Czech Republic. In the 2001 census it was found that there are 59.1% nondenominational, 32.1% believers, 8.8% not identified. These are the most authoritative numbers but CIA doesn't know themj.

I am interested in what is the real religious affiliation in other countries. I suggest that II create a more reliable source of information of this kind. The fact book also claims that there is 10% without religion in USA, although it seems that this number is higher.

lpetrich

I think that they are counting people by affiliation rather than practice -- thus France is mostly Catholic, even if many French people are indifferent to religion.

Kintaro

Like Quebec is 85 % catholic when less than 2 % attend church even monthly.

saut

I thought that France had a fairly large Muslim demographic as well.

Cutter

I've heard that France has the largest Muslim population of any European country. The exact figure, however, I've no idea.

Ales

The CIA fact book states there is 5-10% muslims in France, which could indeed be the most in Europe. As I browse this fact book I have an impression that nonbelievers are rare deviant creatures. I think it would be a good idea to create a source of information that would contain more realistic information about religious affiliation and church attendance in various countires using cenuses, opinion polls etc. I could cover Czech Republic and Slovakia. As to Slovakia, CIA is again ignorant of the lates 2001 census.