The global count of people who identify as believers in Allah rose by one percent since 2016, reaching 72 percent, while beliefs about an afterlife hovered around 60 percent. These figures come from the joint research conducted by Romir Holding and Gallup International and reported by TASS. The trend line suggests a broad continuity in religious identification across diverse regions, with lingering questions about the nature and permanence of existence beyond this life.
According to the survey results, roughly six in ten people on Earth, and about 39 percent of Russians, hold beliefs regarding some form of life after death. When asked about heaven and hell, a larger share affirmed heaven (69 percent) than hell (63 percent), a gap of six percentage points. The results also show that a majority of respondents consider themselves religious, while a smaller segment identifies as atheists, accounting for about nine percent. These numbers illustrate a nuanced landscape of belief, where personal faith, cultural heritage, and education intertwine to shape how people imagine the beyond.
In Russia specifically, 63 percent of respondents reported belief in God, whereas 11 percent identified as atheists. Additionally, 41 percent of participants admitted they did not hold a definite view on the afterlife. About 34 percent expressed belief in heaven, with 32 percent affirming belief in hell. These local patterns reflect a mix of traditional religious influence and secular questioning that characterizes contemporary Russian public opinion.
When the survey dives into the links between socioeconomic factors and religiosity, it uncovers a clear trend: higher income and higher education correlate with a lower likelihood of identifying as religious. Yet the data also reveal that religiosity remains particularly prominent among younger generations, suggesting that faith continues to be a meaningful force despite rising socioeconomic indicators. The study involved a substantial sample size, with 60.7 thousand participants across 64 countries, including Russia, underscoring a broad, cross-cultural canvas for these beliefs and attitudes.
Earlier reporting noted unusual anecdotes that punctuate the broader discussion about belief and religious expression. For instance, a resident of the Philippines reportedly prayed to a Shrek statuette for four years before discovering that it did not represent the Buddha. Such stories illustrate how personal practice and cultural narratives can diverge from doctrinal expectations, highlighting the diverse ways people seek meaning, guidance, and reassurance in their daily lives (Romir Holding & Gallup International, cited by TASS). These individual cases remind scholars and observers that belief systems are not only about doctrinal assertions but also about lived experiences and symbolic acts that resonate across communities.