Moroccans among the most religious globally, survey reveals

A recent poll by the Pew Research Center, an independent organization based in Washington, D.C., reveals that Moroccans are among the most religious people globally. The survey, conducted over the past 15 years (2008-2023), asked respondents two key questions: «How important is religion in your life?» and «How often do you pray?»

In terms of the importance of religion, Moroccans ranked 13th worldwide and first in the Arab world. They were followed by Palestinians at 26th, Jordanians at 28th, and Iraqis at 30th.

Globally, Indonesians top the list, followed by Senegalese, Pakistanis, Malians, Tanzanians, Sri Lankans, and Guinea-Bissauans. Conversely, Danes, Czechs, Estonians, and Japanese are among those who view religion as less important in their lives.

Sub-Saharan Africa stands out for its high levels of religious significance. At least 90% of adults in Senegal, Mali, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, and Zambia consider religion very important.

In contrast, Europeans generally report lower levels of religious importance. In countries like Estonia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, 10% or fewer adults find religion important.

How often Moroccans pray?

Regarding daily prayer, Moroccans ranked 28th globally, placing fourth in the Arab world behind Iraqis (4th), Jordanians (20th), and Palestinians (21st). Indonesians lead globally in daily prayer, followed by Nigerians, Senegalese, Iraqis, Nigeriens, Chadians, Cameroonians, and Djiboutians. Germans, Austrians, Swiss, and Britons are among those least likely to pray daily.

Latin Americans also show high levels of daily prayer, with 82% of people in Guatemala and Paraguay, and 78% in Costa Rica and Honduras, reporting daily prayer. In contrast, only 21% of adults in East Asia pray daily, including 13% in Hong Kong and 19% in Japan.

The survey highlights that the most religious regions are typically in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa, while Europe and East Asia are among the least religious.