A Demographic Profile of Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Christianity, Islam, and ethnoreligions (African traditional religions) are the largest religions in sub-Saharan Africa. Christianity and Islam have increased their shares since 1970, while ethnoreligions have declined. However, many people observe elements of African traditional religion alongside Christian or Muslim practices. Overall, Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa has been growing. From 1970 to 2015, demographics show that the region’s Christian population grew from 47.5% (134 million) of the total population to 58.7% (565 million), an average annual growth rate of 3.2%. Most Christians are concentrated in the South, Middle and East, while the West is more closely affiliated with Islam.