Brazil - Religions
The 2000 census indicates that about 74% of the population are affiliated with the Roman Catholic church. Protestants constitute roughly 15% of the population, the majority of whom (about 85%) are Pentecostal/evangelical; Lutherans and Baptists account for most of the remaining Protestants. The Assembly of God and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God are also represented. About 427,000 respondents to the census are members of oriental religions, which include several branches of Buddhism, Messianism, Seicho No-le, Perfect Liberty, Hare Krishna, Oshoo Disciples, Tenrykyo, Mahicari, Baha'i, Shintoism, and Taoism. There are about 500,000 Muslims, primarily of the Sunni and Shi'a branches. About 100,000 Brazilians are Jewish.
Followers of Spiritism and traditional African and syncretic religions make up about 4% of the populace. Candomble, which focuses on traditional African deities, is a predominant religion among Afro-Brazilians. Xango and Macumba include practices of animism as well as the veneration of Catholic saints and African deities.
