Africa now has more Catholics than Europe

Africa has overtaken Europe in the ranks of the Catholic Church. Long lagging behind the old continent, Africa has just taken first place among the continents with the most faithful.

There are now 288,3 million Catholics living in Africa, compared to 287,2 million in Europe. This shift confirms the growing importance of the African continent within the Church.

The latest Vatican statistics count a total of 1,422 billion Catholics worldwide. This represents 17,8% of the world's population. The Americas, however, remain the primary center of Catholicism, with nearly 679 million faithful.

While Africa is gaining ground, not all vocations are following the same trend. Globally, the number of nuns has decreased by more than 9,000.

Established mainly at the end of 2024, these statistics outline the contours of a Catholicism in full recomposition, whose future is increasingly being played out on the African continent.

Cheick Omar Ouedraogo