Singapore - Religions



There is complete separation of state and religion in Singapore. Freedom of religion is both constitutionally guaranteed and honored in practice. However, a 2002 report indicated that Jehovah's Witnesses and the Unification Church had been banned by the government. The Chinese for the most part adhere in varying degrees to Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. According to a 2000 census, these faiths, as well as traditional ancestor worship, are practiced by about 51% of the population. Malays and persons with origins in the Pakistani and Bangladeshi portions of the Indian subcontinent are almost exclusively Muslim. About 15% of the population practice Islam. About 15% of the population is Christian, with Protestants outnumbering Roman Catholics by about two to one. Most of the Indian minority (4%) are Hindus. There are also small Sikh, Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Jain communities.

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