I had an argument with a friend yesterday. He disagreed with my assertion that the most religious nations are the least developed, mentioning the US, Germany, China, and India as countries that are very religious but developed. There are exceptions to every rule. There can be outliers, of course. That got me thinking, all the same. I love being wrong. It is an opportunity to learn more and get better at this. Are the most religious nations the least developed? Is that just the statement of somebody seeking to crucify religion or it is factual?
Here are the numbers.
In a Gallup Poll research conducted in 2009 involving 148 nations to find out which countries are most religious and which care less about religion, the top 15 least religious countries are Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Norway, Japan, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Finland, Vietnam, France, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Belgium. Estonia gets a 15% religious score.
Ghana is at number 115 with a 95% religious score. The list ranks countries from the least religious to the most. Out of the 74 countries making up the lower part of the table, 34 are African. That is they identify as religious or very religious with scores ranging between 60 and 100%.
Here are some interesting ones. Italy, the home of Catholicism, is at number 53 with a 72% religious score. The Netherlands is number 13 with 33%. Singapore scores 70% with Jamaica at 49, Togo at 69, Nigeria at number 126 with a 96% most religious score, and Niger as Africa’s lowest-ranked country with a100% religious score. Germany is at 24 with a 40% religious score. Canada at 27 with 42%. Israel is 36th with 51% and the US at 44 with 69%.
Here is another pair of lists for you to ponder; the most developed countries and the least developed.
According to the United Nations Human Development Index Report, 2020, the 10 most developed countries are Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Iceland, Hong Kong, China, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, Singapore, Finland, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Belgium, Canada. No mainland African country makes it into the top 66. The only African country on the list is Mauritius at number 66.
The list of least developed countries in the world reads like an African Poverty World Cup. Out of 46 countries listed, 31 are African. Of all the most religious countries in the world, 70-80 percent are also the least developed. Italy is at number 29 on the list of developed nations and India does not make the cut. Italy and Greece are very religious compared with other European countries, but they are no match for the religious African countries. And these two countries were among those affected most during the financial crisis or recession of the late 2000s. And they don’t make it into the list of Top 15 most developed countries.
Development here is not just about GDP or economic indicators. It encompasses everything and most importantly human development and quality of life. Easy access to food and opportunities for all, security, education, health, quality employment, etc. The Human Development Index is composite. Note that the US despite its great wealth and economic might does not appear in the top 15. Researches did by other organizations and academics also reveals similar data. Most of the least developed countries are to be found in Africa, and they also happen to be among the most religious.
Why? Indulge me.
Before the advent of the Europeans, we were already religious and our religious practice was cultural. It was just not possible to meet an Ewe speaker or an Akan man in say 1407 saying that he believes in himself, not in some deity. We were 100% religious and Christianity took advantage of that. Everybody was either a Muslim or a Traditional Religious believer. All the missionaries did was to convince people that their object of worship and style of worship was wrong. We were very impressionable. We still are.
Centuries later, more and more churches are getting closed in Europe while more and more are getting opened in Africa. Keta, for instance, has more churches than schools. Maybe the problem was the way I phrased that statement. The data backs it, all the same. And I will tell you why. There is a raft of reasons for the most religious countries being the least developed.
Let’s do this.
By Stan Dugah
StantheStoryTeller
18/09/2021
