The 10 Most Devout Countries in the World, Indonesia Ranked No. 1
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Indonesia has been crowned the most devout country in the world, not only during Ramadan, but consistently throughout the year. Data released by the Pew Research Center and compiled using population figures from the World Bank show that 95% of Indonesians pray daily. The figure equates to 269.3 million people, placing Indonesia not only at the top in percentage terms but also leading in the total number of people who pray daily.
Prayer is one of the most common forms of spiritual expression worldwide. Yet the frequency of prayer varies greatly across cultures, religions and regions.
The habit of praying is not only a reflection of faith but also part of daily life and cultural values in many countries. The data also show that religiosity still plays an important role in global society, particularly in economically developing regions.
Here are the top 10 countries by the share of the population who pray daily:
Indonesia — 269.3 million people who pray; 95% of the population prays daily
Kenya — 47.4 million – 84%
Nigeria — 195.5 million – 84%
Malaysia — 28.5 million – 80%
Philippines — 91.5 million – 79%
Brazil — 161.1 million – 76%
Bangladesh — 130.2 million – 75%
Ghana — 25.1 million – 73%
Sri Lanka — 15.8 million – 72%
Colombia — 37.6 million – 71%
This phenomenon suggests that spirituality tends to be high in developing countries, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In contrast, Western countries that are more secular show much lower levels of daily religious practice.
For example, while the United States is widely recognised as a religious nation, only 44% of its population prays daily — well below Indonesia, Kenya, or even Bangladesh.
India stands out in this report. Although only 71% of its population prays daily, the absolute number is very large, at more than one billion people, the highest in the world.
Source: Pew Research Center; World Bank population data