UNITED KINGDOM
Independent Catholic News
Monday, October 19, 2015
The latest edition of the ‘Church’s Book of Statistics’ was released to coincide with World Mission Sunday yesterday. The book details members of the Church, church structures, healthcare, welfare and education. Increases or decreases, emerging from comparison with last year’s figures, are marked increase + or decrease – in brackets.
World population
To 31 December 2013 the world population was 7.093.798.000 with an increase of 70.421.000 compared with the previous year. Population growth was registered on every continent above all in Asia and Africa followed by America ; Europe and Oceania.
Catholics
On the same date Catholics in the world numbered 1.253.926,000 with an overall increase of 25,305,000 more than the previous year. The increase affects all continents especially America and Africa followed by Asia ; Europe and Oceania.
The world percentage of Catholics increased by 0.09 %, settling at 17.68%. By continent: increases were registered in Africa, America, Asia, Europe. A slight decrease was shown in Oceania.
Persons and Catholics per priest
This year the number of persons per priest in the world increased by 180 units, average 13.752. The distribution by continent: increase in America; Europe and Oceania; decrease in Africa; Asia.
The number of Catholics per priest in the world increased by 54 units, average 3.019. There are increases in America; Europe and Oceania; decrease in Asia and Africa.
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