Wider World by CS

How many Roman Catholics are there in the world?

There are an estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world, according to Vatican figures. More than 40% of the world's Catholics live in Latin America - but Africa has seen the biggest growth in Catholic congregations in recent years.

Latin America accounts for 483 million Catholics, or 41.3% of the total Catholic population. Of the 10 countries in the world with the most Catholics, four are in Latin America. Brazil has the highest Catholic population of any country at more than 150 million. Italy has the most Catholics in Europe, with 57 million, while DR Congo has the biggest Catholic population in Africa, ranking ninth in the world with almost 36 million.
Global shift Since 1970, Catholicism has seen a global shift southwards - the proportion of Catholics living in Europe has declined, while Africa has seen a growth in the number of Catholics - from 45 million in 1970 to 176 million in 2012. Asia has also seen a growth in Catholicism and now represents almost 12% of the total Catholic population in the world, or 137 million people.

Voting cardinals There are 117 cardinals eligible to take part in the Conclave - the election of the next Pope, but only 115 will take part.
There were 118 at the time of the Pope's announcement but Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Archbishop Emeritus of Kiev, turned 80 before the resignation takes effect on 28 February so is excluded from voting.
On 21 February, Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, the 78 year-old Archbishop Emeritus of Jakarta, ruled himself out of travelling to Rome due to the "progressive deterioration" of his vision.
The resignation of Britain's most senior Catholic cleric Cardinal Keith O'Brien on 25 February - following allegations he denies of inappropriate behaviour towards priests - also rules him out of the voting, meaning Britain will be unrepresented.
Sixty seven of the cardinal-electors were appointed by Benedict XVI and 60 are European - with 21 of those being Italian.

Church law says that anyone baptised a Catholic is eligible to be elected as Pope - but for the past 600 years the new pontiff has always been chosen from among the cardinals. Ten cardinals have been identified as potential frontrunners - including three from Europe, but there is speculation that the new pontiff may come from among the church's growth areas in Latin America and Africa.

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