Fundamentals of Human Geography Chapter 6 The Geography of Religion

Chapter The Geography of Religion Today Religions Religion is a core component of an individual identity that can one behaviors ( dress , diet ) social interactions ( gender roles , employment ) and moral standards . It can also cause perpetual , persecution , and political instability . According to the World Population Review , about 85 of the world population identify with a religion in 2020 . The two religions with the largest number of followers are Christianity and Islam . Folk religions include ancestor worship in China , indigenous religions practiced by Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians , and animist practices found in Africa , for example . Other religions include newer religions such as Scientology , as well as smaller faiths with long histories such as and . There are also nearly billion people who are in the unaffiliated category , which includes those who are atheistic ( do not believe in god )

and those who are agnostic ( do not confirm or deny the existence of god ) Major Religions of the World ( 2020 ) 31 . uteri I Christianity billion I billion I billion Buddhism 507 million I Folk Religions 430 million I Other Religions 61 million I Unaffiliated billion Major religions of the world and their approximate number of followers as of 2020 ( Data source World Population Review . Analysis by the Pew Research Center found that more than one in five countries ( 22 ) have an official state religion that is specified in the law of the country . It also found that countries with official state religions are most likely to be found in the Middle East and North Africa region . An example of a country with an official state religion is Afghanistan , where Islam is stated as the official state religion in its constitution . A country that is entirely controlled by religious leaders and religious law is known as a theocracy . It is important to note that just because a country ( United Kingdom ) has an official state religion , it does not necessarily make it a theocracy . Most countries in today developed world have a clear separation between religion and politics , the

governments of these countries are described as being religious or secular . MAO , NORA 1000 la Powered by The map shows the predominant religious adherents in around the world . Please note that the minority religious adherents of each are not shown on this map . Data source World Religion Database and the National Intelligence Agency ) Classification of Religions Given the number of different religions in the world , we can group religions that share one or more characteristics ( as described below ) into the same general category . Ethnic and religions Ethnic religions are those that are associated with an ethnic group of people , and people are associated with them by birth rather than through conversion . An example is Judaism , which requires a follower to have a Jewish mother . religions , also known as religions , are those ( Christianity ) that actively seek converts from all ethnic groups . For this reason , religions tend to have more followers than ethnic religions .

. Polytheistic , monotheistic , and syncretic religions Monotheistic religions such as Islam believes in only one god , and prevent their followers from worshiping other gods . Whereas , polytheistic religions such as many African folk religions believe in and worship many gods or spirits . Syncretic religions are those that combine elements of two or more religions . This may occur when a religion evolves over time with its followers voluntarily accepting new beliefs . However , it may also occur as conquerors impose their religions on the conquered population , forcing the conquered to blend their native religions ( Native American folk religions , West African animism ) with the symbols , icons , and beliefs of the conquerors religion ( Catholicism ) to avoid persecution . An example would be voodoo in the French Caribbean and New Orleans , which consists of elements of West African animism that were brought to North America by slaves , and the Catholic beliefs and rituals of many European landowners . Highlights of Today Major Religions Christianity Monotheistic religion centered on the teachings of of . Derived from , includes the Hebrew Bible as part of its holy book ( Old Testament ) Split into three major branches Orthodox ( covering mainly Russia , Eastern and Southern Europe ) Catholic ( covering mainly Western Europe and former European colonies ) and Protestant ( covering mainly Northern Europe and former European colonies )

Islam a Monotheistic religion centered on the teachings of Muhammad . Derived from , partly shares common scriptures and holy figures ( Moses , Jesus ) with Christianity and Judaism . Split into two main branches over who should succeed the Islamic Empire left behind by the Prophet Muhammad ( over 80 of Muslims worldwide are ) and ( majority of Muslims in Iran , Iraq , and are ) share parallels The Origins Of The Split listen 2007 A podcast explaining the 1400 years that split Islam between and . Source ) Polytheistic religion with the many manifestations of one supreme god , being worshiped . of preservation , of destruction , of wisdom ) It preaches four goals of human life A look at the life and by members ( dharma ( for each ofthe lowest social class in India caste system ( Source Vox ) caste or social class in the society )

artha ( kama ( and ( moksha ( liberation from samsara or the cycle of life and death ) Buddhism Polytheistic religion centered on the teachings of , also known as The Buddha . Derived from , and shares some similar beliefs such as liberation from cycles of rebirth ( samsara ) Split into three main branches ( found mainly in Southeast Asia , and stays closest to Buddhism original form ) found mainly in China and , and fused with native religions in those places ) and ( found mainly in Tibet and ) Judaism Monotheistic religion that worships , the national god of ancient Israel . a The oldest of the three religions , which are Judaism , Christianity , and Islam . Split into three branches based on the degree that followers adhere to Jewish customs Orthodox ( strictest , will not use electricity or operate a car at all on Shabbat or the Jewish day of rest ) Conservative ( less strict , will use electricity or a car only for purposes related to worship on Shabbat ) Reform ( least strict , will drive a car and use electronic devices for any reasons on Shabbat ) Diffusion of Religions Religions may spread to places far from their through all forms of diffusion . For example , a religion may spread to other continents through missionary activities , but it may be simultaneously replaced by a new religion at its birthplace as recent immigrants bring new ideas to the region .

For example , Buddhism originated near the current Indian border , and spread to North America through relocation diffusion as immigrants moved from Vietnam to the United States . As another example , Christianity was founded in the eastern Mediterranean , but its early followers were persecuted for more than 300 years . It underwent hierarchical diffusion in the Roman Empire starting with Emperor Constantine I ( conversion to Christianity , followed by its legalization and adoption by other Roman leaders and citizens . As the last example , Islam originated in Mecca , Saudi Arabia , and it spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula by contagious diffusion as the Prophet Muhammad converted and conquered neighboring tribes during his lifetime . Religious Landscapes Different religions preach different values , which in turn often leave very different marks on the landscape . For example , it is reported that there are more than five million stray street cows wandering in the streets of major cities and the fields of villages in India because cows are sacred animals in ( nearly 80 of India population are Hindus ) As another example , the churches and cemeteries of Protestant Christians , who value efficiency and thrift , tend to be much more modest in appearance compared to the colors and decorations found in many Catholic churches and cemeteries .

Compare the level of decoration and details between cemeteries found in a predominantly Catholic country like Mexico on the left ( Mexico ) and a predominantly Protestant country like the Us on the right ( Butler , Ohio , US ) Source Photo by Adam jones on Hannah an ) Cemeteries , places of worship , and any natural or made places that carry religious meaning for worshipers are known as sacred spaces . Some religions may require their followers to undertake pilgrimages or religious journeys to sacred spaces that are of great importance to those religions . For example , one of the five pillars of Islam requires followers to undertake the , a holy pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca , Saudi Arabia at least once in their lifetime . A look at the scale of the hay in Mecca and past incidents during the ( Source News )

Religious Conflicts can take different forms . One form is sectarian violence between followers of the same religion with different beliefs ( Muslims , Catholic Protestant Christians ) Some of this Violence may be perpetuated by religious fundamentalists , who may be tolerant of other religions , but seek to encourage their to strictly follow the founding principles of their religion , and purify their religion of followers that they consider not pious enough . Another form of is between followers of different religions ( Jews Muslims in , Muslims Hindus in India ) However , it is important to remember that many of these are caused by other factors including ethnic differences , power struggles , or economic competition . A simple history of the , and its political , economic , and religious roots ( Source Vox ) By Wing Cheung , College Keeping the world interesting one map at a time

Fundamentals of Human Geography by Wing Cheung is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International ( BY )