Less than half the people of Ireland (47%) define themselves as religious, a drop of 22 points in seven years. Ireland used to be one of the most solidly Roman Catholic countries in the world, but no more. The child molestation scandal has gutted support for the church in Ireland.
Support for religion declined across the planet. Vietnam's drop in religious identification (30 points) exceeded even Ireland's.
Identification as "religious" by continent or region: Africa (89%), South America (84%), South Asia (83%), Arab nations (77%), Eastern Europe (66%), North America (57%), Western Europe (51%). East Asia (39%), North Asia (17%).
Reuters noted that religious attachment ran high in what the survey called "global flash-points": Muslim Iraq (88 percent), Pakistan (84 percent), Afghanistan (83 percent) and Palestinian territories (65 percent).
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