https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/02/12/religious-diversity-around-the-world/
The latest Pew Research Center study ranks Singapore as the world’s most religiously diverse country as of 2020, using 7 religious categories to calculate a Religious Diversity Index (RDI) score. Higher scores on the RDI reflect a more even distribution of the 7 religious categories studied, namely Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, religiously unaffiliated, and other religions.
Based on research as of 2020 (Pew Research Center), Singapore’s population comprise of 31% Buddhist, 20% religiously unaffiliated, 19% Christians, 16% Muslims, 5% Hindus, & 9% adherents of all other religions. This corroborates with the Singapore Statistics department last census in 2020, although a large portion of the 9.4% others includes 8.8% Taoists (including Chinese traditional beliefs).
In fact, a more recent Pew 2022 study shows updated statistics in Singapore as 26% Buddhists, 18% Muslims, 17% Christians, 8% Hindus, 10% other religions (including 6% Taoists & Chinese traditional religions + 4% others, including indigenous religions), & 22% with no religion (or atheists, or religiously unaffiliated).
I chose the photo above as a reflection of this multi-religious landscape, where you see along Moulmein Road in central Singapore, a Buddhist temple (Kuang Chee Tng 寬濟堂), a Christian church (Church of Christ Moulmein), & an Indian neo-Hindu religious centre (Sathya Sai Baba centre) literally side-by-side next to each other.
More reflections down the road, but in preparation for a recent seminary missions unit, I was tasked to share on “Who is my neighbour?” in the Singapore context, & I touched on cultural enclaves/quarters in Singapore’s history, the formation of Housing Development Board (HDB) & Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP), the Religious Harmony & Sedition Acts, the almost 2 out of 6 million non-residents (expatriates + migrant workers), missions at our doorstep, & the concept of Singapore as an Antioch of Asia.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/02/12/religious-diversity-around-the-world/
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In Singapore, religious diversity & tolerance go hand in hand (Pew, 6 Oct 2023)
Singapore Census of Population 2020
