In this piece, we will take a look at the 20 most atheist countries in the world. For more countries, head on over to 20 Most Atheist Countries in the World.
5. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
Religiously Unaffiliated Population: 54.7%
Hong Kong SAR is a Chinese territory in South China. It has a separate immigration policy from China and its own legislature. Hong Kong is also one of the most prosperous regions in the world, with a $544 billion GDP and a per capita income of $74,598. Most of its population is irreligious, but large portions also believe in Buddhism or folk religions.
4. Japan
Religiously Unaffiliated Population: 60%
Japan is one of the most developed and technologically advanced nations on Earth. Its GDP of $4.3 trillion in nominal terms is the third largest in the world, which lends it a per capita income of $33,822. Japan is known for its vibrant car manufacturing and robotics industries, with Japanese firms being among the world leaders in these domains. At the same time, most of the Japanese population is irreligious, with a high number of Buddhists and the least number of Christians. Japanese philosophies such as Zen Buddhism have also often created curiosity among Westerners – with one notable follower being Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s late co founder, Mr. Steve Jobs.
3. Republic of Estonia
Religiously Unaffiliated Population: 60.2%
The Republic of Estonia is a Baltic Northern European country. It has one of the smallest economies in the world, which currently sits at $61.8 billion in purchasing power parity terms. Estonia has a GDP per capita of $31,207 – relatively high by global standards. Its people have also consistently polled as having no religious affiliation, with Pew’s latest estimate sitting at 60.2%. Apart from irreligion, Christians are the largest group in Estonia, coming in second place as they account for 39.3% of the population.
2. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Religiously Unaffiliated Population: 71.3%
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, occupies one half of the Korean Peninsula, and shares borders with South Korea, China, and Russia. North Korea has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world and is also often called a rogue state that has been ruled by an autocratic family for decades.
1. Czech Republic
Religiously Unaffiliated Population: 78.4%
The Czech Republic is a landlocked Central European country. It has a $509 billion GDP and a relatively high per capita income of $47,527 in purchasing power parity terms. While the Czech Republic is a part of the European Union, it uses its own currency. The Czech company Skoda is one of the world’s biggest car companies, and the country also generates a large portion of its electricity from nuclear power plants.
Disclosure: None. You can also take a look at 20 Best Countries to Retire Overseas Where English is Spoken and Top 20 Countries with Lowest Crime Rates.
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