“Church Growing in More than 160 Countries,” Ensign, Jan. 2005, 76–77
Church Growing in More than 160 Countries
In 2004, worldwide Church membership reached 12 million, the Church was ranked among the fastest-growing churches in the United States, and Mexico became the first nation outside of the U.S. to top one million members. Brazil is projected to surpass one million members during 2007.
Growth outside of the United States continues to surpass growth within the U.S. More than half of all Church members live outside the United States. Members of the Church are found in more than 160 countries and territories, speaking more than 178 languages.
The accompanying map shows membership distribution around the world.
Countries with Highest Church Membership
|
1. United States |
5,503,192 |
|
2. Mexico* |
980,053 |
|
3. Brazil |
866,988 |
|
4. Chile |
530,739 |
|
5. Philippines |
526,178 |
|
6. Peru |
384,663 |
|
7. Argentina |
330,349 |
|
8. Guatemala |
192,207 |
|
9. Canada |
166,442 |
|
10. Ecuador |
161,396 |
|
Based on 2003 year-end totals. | |
Countries with Highest Percentages of Church Membership*
|
1. Tonga |
46.0 |
(1 out of 2) |
|
2. Samoa |
34.0 |
(1 out of 3) |
|
3. American Samoa |
19.1 |
(1 out of 5) |
|
4. Kiribati |
10.0 |
(1 out of 10) |
|
5. French Polynesia |
7.8 |
(1 out of 13) |
|
6. Chile |
3.4 |
(1 out of 30) |
|
7. Uruguay |
2.4 |
(1 out of 42) |
|
8. New Zealand |
2.3 |
(1 out of 43) |
|
9. Honduras |
1.6 |
(1 out of 62) |
|
10. Bolivia |
1.5 |
(1 out of 64) |
|
Based on 2003 year-end totals. | ||
Languages Most Frequently Spoken by Church Members
|
1. English |
5,828,000 |
|
2. Spanish |
3,681,000 |
|
3. Portuguese |
907,000 |
|
4. Tagalog (Philippines) |
165,000 |
|
5. Cebuano (Philippines) |
126,000 |
|
6. Japanese |
117,000 |
|
7. Ilokano (Philippines) |
109,000 |
|
8. Samoan |
102,000 |
|
9. Tongan |
76,000 |
|
10. Korean |
75,000 |
|
Estimates based on 2003 year-end data. | |