Guinea-Bissau Religion
Cattedrale Bissau - Guinea-Bissau
An estimated 50 percent of the population of Guinea-Bissau is Muslim, and 5 to 13 percent is Christian. The remainder of the population follows traditional indigenous or animist religious practices. There are few atheists.
Islam is practiced most widely by the Fula and Mandinka ethnic groups, and Muslims generally live in the north and northeast. Virtually all Muslims are Sunni. The number of Ahmadi is extremely small and not confined to any particular geographic region.
When the Government in 2005 attempted to ban Ahmadi activities, many adherents returned to practicing the same form of Sunni Islam that other Muslims in the country practice. Guinea-Bissau is the only Portuguese-speaking nation with a Muslim majority, wherein others are mostly Christian. Practitioners of traditional indigenous religious beliefs generally live in all but the northern parts of the country. Christians belong to a number of groups, including the Roman Catholic Church (including Portuguese Guinea-Bissauans) and various Protestant denominations. Christians are concentrated in Bissau and other large towns.
Foreign missionaries operate in the country without restriction.
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. In 2007, the US government received no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice.
Islam is practiced most widely by the Fula and Mandinka ethnic groups, and Muslims generally live in the north and northeast. Virtually all Muslims are Sunni. The number of Ahmadi is extremely small and not confined to any particular geographic region.
When the Government in 2005 attempted to ban Ahmadi activities, many adherents returned to practicing the same form of Sunni Islam that other Muslims in the country practice. Guinea-Bissau is the only Portuguese-speaking nation with a Muslim majority, wherein others are mostly Christian. Practitioners of traditional indigenous religious beliefs generally live in all but the northern parts of the country. Christians belong to a number of groups, including the Roman Catholic Church (including Portuguese Guinea-Bissauans) and various Protestant denominations. Christians are concentrated in Bissau and other large towns.
Foreign missionaries operate in the country without restriction.
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. In 2007, the US government received no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice.
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