Religion in Portugal: 2021 Census
Every religious group, with numbers, percentages and sources.
The short answer
In Portugal's 2021 Census (INE), 80.2% of people aged 15 and over identified as Catholic, 14.1% said they had no religion and 2.1% identified as Protestant or evangelical. All other religions together add up to 3.6%. The base is the 8,781,900 people who answered the question, which was optional.
In ten years, Catholics lost almost 240,000 people and those with no religion doubled. Evangelicals also grew a lot, but from a very small starting point.
7,043,016 people in 2021; it was 81.0% in 2011.
1,237,130 people in 2021; it was 6.8% in 2011.
186,832 people in 2021; it was 0.8% in 2011.
The full table
People aged 15 and over, by declared religion. A dash in 2011 means the category did not exist yet or was not published on the same base.
| Religion | 2021 | % | 2011 | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholics | 7,043,016 | 80.20% | 7,281,887 | 81.00% |
| No religion | 1,237,130 | 14.09% | 615,332 | 6.84% |
| Protestants/ | 186,832 | 2.13% | 75,571 | 0.84% |
| Other Christian | 90,948 | 1.04% | – | – |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | 63,609 | 0.72% | – | – |
| Orthodox | 60,381 | 0.69% | – | – |
| Muslims | 36,480 | 0.42% | 20,640 | 0.23% |
| Other non-Christian | 24,366 | 0.28% | – | – |
| Hindus | 19,471 | 0.22% | – | – |
| Buddhists | 16,757 | 0.19% | – | – |
| Jews | 2,910 | 0.03% | – | – |
| Total respondents | 8,781,900 | 100% | 8,989,849 |
Source: INE (Statistics Portugal), 2011 and 2021 Censuses (indicator 0011644, religious affiliation). Percentages calculated on each year's respondents.
Religious minorities
Leaving out Catholics and people with no religion, 5.7% of the population remains. This is where evangelicals, Orthodox Christians, Muslims and the other religions are.
How to read these numbers
- Only people aged 15 and over. The Census does not ask children about religion. International estimates, which count all ages, give slightly different figures.
- The question was optional. About 97% answered. The percentages on this page are shares of those who answered, as INE publishes them.
- New categories in 2021. Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddhists and Hindus were counted separately for the first time. The "Protestant" category was renamed "Protestant/evangelical", and part of the evangelical growth may come from that change.
- Identifying is not practising. The Census measures declared affiliation. Among Catholics, only about 20% go to Mass every week (see the analysis).
Every source used by the Observatory, and its limits, is listed in Sources and methodology.
What the numbers mean
80% identify, 20% practise
Why a mostly Catholic country is still a mission field.
Read the analysis No religionThe number doubled in 10 years
Who are the Portuguese who stopped identifying with any religion.
Read the analysis EvangelicalsWhere 7 in 10 live
The evangelical church is concentrated on the coast. The interior has almost no churches.
Read the analysis MapDistrict by district
Where the church is and where it is almost absent, based on the Portuguese Evangelical Alliance.
See the mapFrequently asked questions
What is the main religion in Portugal?
Catholicism. In the 2021 Census by INE, 7,043,016 people aged 15 and over identified as Catholic, 80.2% of those who answered the question. In 2011 the figure was 81.0%.
What is the Muslim population of Portugal?
In the 2021 Census, 36,480 people aged 15 and over identified as Muslim, 0.42% of respondents. In 2011 there were 20,640.
Is Portugal a secular country?
Yes, constitutionally. The 1976 Constitution (Article 41) guarantees freedom of religion and states that churches and religious communities are separate from the State. Most of the population, however, still identifies as Catholic.
Which religious group is growing fastest in Portugal?
People with no religion, who went from 615,332 in 2011 to 1,237,130 in 2021 (from 6.8% to 14.1%). Protestants and evangelicals also grew, from 75,571 to 186,832.
How to cite
Cite INE as the source of the numbers. To cite this compilation, use:
CUNHA, Paulo Henrique P. Religion in Portugal: 2021 Census Data by Religion. Projeto Didasko Portugal, 2026. Available at: https://projetodidaskoportugal.com/religiao-em-portugal_en. Accessed: [date].
Behind every number there are people
More than 1.2 million Portuguese say they have no religion, and many Catholics have never heard the gospel clearly. The Didasko Project trains leaders to reach them.
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