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 CATHOLIC
CHURCH STATISTICS |
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| Vatican City (Fides Service) –
Fides Service statistics offer an overall view of the Catholic Church
in the world as registered on 31 December 2002. Our figures are taken
from the Church’s Annual Book of Statistics (valid to 31 December
2002) and they regard Catholics, church personnel, structures and
activity as well as variations in comparison with previous years. |
| World
population/Catholics |
| Continent |
year |
Population |
Variations |
Catholics |
Variations |
| World |
1997 |
5.820.767.000 |
+ 80.677.000 |
1.005.254.000 |
+ 10.126.000 |
| 1998 |
5.855.623.000 |
+ 34.856.000 |
1.018.257.000 |
+ 13.003.000 |
| 1999 |
5.936.398.000 |
+ 80.775.000 |
1.033.129.000 |
+ 14.872.000 |
| 2000 |
6.047.279.000 |
+ 110.881.000 |
1.045.057.000 |
+ 11.928.000 |
| 2001 |
6.132.190.000 |
+ 85.511.000 |
1.060.840.000 |
+ 15.783.000 |
| 2002 |
6.221.894.000 |
+ 89.704.000 |
1.070.315.000 |
+ 9.475.000 |
| Africa |
1997 |
756.896.000 |
+ 14.978.000 |
112.871.000 |
+ 3.600.000 |
| 1998 |
748.612.000 |
- 8.284.000 |
116.664.000 |
+ 3.793.000 |
| 1999 |
768.999.000 |
+ 20.387.000 |
124.270.000 |
+ 7.606.000 |
| 2000 |
789.455.000 |
+ 20.456.000 |
130.018.000 |
+ 5.748.000 |
| 2001 |
809.105.000 |
+ 19.650.000 |
135.660.000 |
+ 5.642.000 |
| 2002 |
830.516.000 |
+ 21.411.000 |
137.428.000 |
+ 1.768.000 |
| America |
1997 |
788.153.000 |
+ 7.006.000 |
495.756.000 |
+ 4.591.000 |
| 1998 |
799.804.000 |
+ 11.651.000 |
504.787.000 |
+ 9.031.000 |
| 1999 |
810.521.000 |
+ 10.717.000 |
512.153.000 |
+ 7.366.000 |
| 2000 |
826.554.000 |
+ 16.033.000 |
519.391.000 |
+ 7.238.000 |
| 2001 |
842.154.000 |
+ 15.600.000 |
528.103.000 |
+ 8.712.000 |
| 2002 |
857.783.000 |
+15.629.000 |
534.339.000 |
+ 6.236.000 |
| Asia |
1997 |
3.562.142.000 |
+ 59.241.000 |
105.294.000 |
+ 2.064.000 |
| 1998 |
3.592.965.000 |
+ 30.823.000 |
105.742.000 |
+ 448.000 |
| 1999 |
3.641.696.000 |
+ 49.530.000 |
107.044.000 |
+ 1.302.000 |
| 2000 |
3.698.043.000 |
+ 56.347.000 |
107.302.000 |
+ 258.000 |
| 2001 |
3.747.739.000 |
+ 49.696.000 |
108.168.000 |
+ 866.000 |
| 2002 |
3.800.110.000 |
+52.371.000 |
110.234.000 |
+ 2.066.000 |
| Europe |
1997 |
684.421.000 |
- 874.000 |
283.313.000 |
- 102.000 |
| 1998 |
684.384.000 |
- 37.000 |
283.023.000 |
- 29.000 |
| 1999 |
684.909.000 |
+ 525.000 |
281.704.000 |
- 1.319.000 |
| 2000 |
702.661.000 |
+ 17.752.000 |
280.144.000 |
- 1.560.000 |
| 2001 |
702.115.000 |
- 546.000 |
280.589.000 |
+ 455.000 |
| 2002 |
702.083.000 |
-32.000 |
279.915.000 |
- 674.000 |
| Oceania |
1997 |
29.155.000 |
+ 326.000 |
8.020.000 |
- 27.000 |
| 1998 |
29.858.000 |
+ 703.000 |
8.041.000 |
-21.000 |
| 1999 |
30.273.000 |
+ 415.000 |
7.958.000 |
- 83.000 |
| 2000 |
30.566.000 |
+ 293.000 |
8.202.000 |
+ 244.000 |
| 2001 |
31.077.000 |
+ 511.000 |
8.320.000 |
+ 511.000 |
| 2002 |
31.402.000 |
+ 325.000 |
8.399.000 |
+ 79.000 |
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At
the end of 2002 the world’s population was 6.132.190.000, this meant
85.511.000 more than in 2000. By continent the increase was as follows:
+ 19.650.000 in Africa, + 15.600.000 in America, + 49.696.000 Asia, +511.000
in Oceania but less - 546.000 in Europe,
At the same date the number of Catholics was 1.060.840.000, an increase
of 15.783,000 compared to 2000, by continent as follows: increase of 8.712.000
in America, 5.642.000 in Africa, 866.000 in Asia, 511.000 in Oceania,
455.000 in Europe. Note discreet increase of Catholics in Europe despite
decrease in the population.
Note 2 : statistics of Catholics are incomplete, since certain countries
are unable to provide information in this regard. |
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