The most Athiestic/Agnostic country?

[San Sarin]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands

34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”

All three countries have no official Religion.

The US has no official religion either but 96% of people here believe in the good old god crutch. Sweden has an 85% atheism rate, so I think they win.

[Takaram]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands

34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”

All three countries have no official Religion.

The US has no official religion either but 96% of people here believe in the good old god crutch. Sweden has an 85% atheism rate, so I think they win.

Wow, people still can't agree on how many atheists are in the US. I've heard everything from 3% to 15%. Personally, I think it seems to be closer to 15%

[San Sarin]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands

34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”

All three countries have no official Religion.

The US has no official religion either but 96% of people here believe in the good old god crutch. Sweden has an 85% atheism rate, so I think they win.

Wow, people still can't agree on how many atheists are in the US. I've heard everything from 3% to 15%. Personally, I think it seems to be closer to 15%

I was basing my numbers on last year's poll. I just checked and this year is at 15%. That is a fast loss of faith. Anyways, sorry for not checking for updated info prior to posting.

[Tunizcha]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands

34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”

All three countries have no official Religion.

The US has no official religion either but 96% of people here believe in the good old god crutch. Sweden has an 85% atheism rate, so I think they win.

Wow, people still can't agree on how many atheists are in the US. I've heard everything from 3% to 15%. Personally, I think it seems to be closer to 15%

3% outright atheist, but closer to 15% if you include agnostic, technically atheist (Buddhists and the such), and possible margin of error.

[South Lorenya]

It's not so simple. In Iran, for example, they actually have a law that declares converting from islam to another religion a capital offense. Therefore, if someone decides that islam is an abomination but can't gte out of the coutnry, they have to either keep a facade of practicing islam so they don't get executed.

[NERVUN]

1. Sweden
2. Vietnam
3. Denmark
4. Norway
5. Japan
6. Czech Republic
7. Finland
8. France
9. South Korea
10. Estonia

http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/23/least-religious-countries/

Japan is problematic. As the old saying goes, 78% are Buddhist, 78% are Shinto, and 78% profess no belief at all.

[The Archregimancy]

Buddhists don't believe in God. So one of the predominantly Buddhist countries would be predominantly "non-theistic," which is different than athiestic. Non-theistic is like saying, "We don't have an opinion on whether or not God exists, but we don't have anything to do with God." I think Buddhists go an extra step and say that belief in God is problematic. Atheistic is saying "God doesn't exist" So maybe you could consider Buddhists as being more agnostic when it comes to God. So a country like Tibet, which is still a country whether or not China recognizes it, would be one of the most agnostic countries. In Communist countries, they forbid belief in God, but they can't prevent it..

I strongly disagree that predominantly Buddhist 'nations' (though not necessarily nation states - which allows me to include Tibet) are atheistic or agnostic in the sense that you mean.

In both Tibet and Bhutan, for example, Buddhism and Bön continue to co-exist in a complex interrelationship that runs a scale from total syncreticisation through to totally separate practice. At the risk of vastly oversimplifying for a quick one-paragraph answer, Buddhism and shamanistic polytheism co-exist in the traditionally Buddhist Himalayan kingdoms. Gods and demons are therefore an integral part of the Himalayan worldview. It would be fair to note that neither gods nor demons in this approach are necessarily omniscient nor omnipotent, but for many people in Tibet and Bhutan they are an important presence in everyday life.

Even in nations, like Thailand, which practice a more conservative Therevada Buddhism, the situation can often be complex. Thai Buddhism often works alongside, and has absorbed elements of, Hinduism. In Thai architecture, that elaborate curl at the end of roofs is a stylised naga, the king's formal title - Rama IX - is directly taken from Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu.

I certainly agree that Buddhists don't believe in a single monotheistic God, but whether they believe in gods is very much coloured by their local cultural context. As a result, Western converts to Buddhism are far more likely to be non-theistic than people brought up in traditionally Buddhist nations.



But addressing the OP, if we take the premise of 'most atheistic country' literally (as opposed to meaning 'most secular'), then that would have been Albania under communist dictator Enver Hoxha. From 1967, the authorities engaged in a campaign (often violent) to suppress all manifestations of Islam and Christianity in Albania; this culminated in the government declaring that Albania had become the world's first entirely Atheistic state, which Hoxha often declared to be his finest achievement.

[GetBert]

Does the Church of England believe in God, I'm not sure?

[Kobrania]

Does the Church of England believe in God, I'm not sure?

Yes, but the religion is agnostic at best.

[Ryadn]

1. Sweden
2. Vietnam
3. Denmark
4. Norway
5. Japan
6. Czech Republic
7. Finland
8. France
9. South Korea
10. Estonia

http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/23/least-religious-countries/

Vietnam? Really? I thought Catholicism still had a stronghold there. Hmm.

[The Tofu Islands]

[snip]

Ugh, pet peeve here. Atheism isn't believing "there is no god" -- it's simply not believing there is a god. So what you call non-theists are a type of atheist. Agnostic is also different. Agnosticism is about whether it's possible to know whether or not there is a god.

Does the Church of England believe in God, I'm not sure?

Depends on who you ask. According to some of it's members, yes. According to Yes, Prime Minister (series one, episode seven, "The Bishop's Gambit"), no.

[The Alma Mater]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands
All three countries have no official Religion.

The current government of the Netherlands consist of a coalition of three parties:
- Christian Democratic Appeal
- Christian Union
- Labour

Notice anything ?

[Pope Joan]

I think it's either France, Estonia, or The Netherlands

34% of French citizens responded that “they believe there is a god”, whereas 27% answered that “they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force” and 33% that “they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force”. One other study shows 32% of people in France declaring themselves to be atheists, and another 32% declaring themselves “sceptical about the existence of God but not an atheist”

All three countries have no official Religion.

America has no official religion.

Yet we remain amazingly religious, in our pluralistic way.

"Here are the Top 10 least religious countries in the world:

[what Kim Jong ilia said]

The one that surprised me was Israel, ranking 19th, with up to 37% claiming to be non-believer, atheist, agnostic."

http://www.gadling.com/2007/08/23/least ... countries/

That source ranks America at 44th.

[Discount Liquor World]

Uruguay is the most atheist nation in the Western Hemisphere., with about 20% being atheist and only 40% claiming to be Roman Catholics, with deists and other christians in the middle.

Other then that, I'd guess China, since the government insists the religious portion of the population is 0% of the population or less.

[RoI3]

Why does it matter?

[GetBert]

Does the Church of England believe in God, I'm not sure?

Depends on who you ask. According to some of it's members, yes. According to Yes, Prime Minister (series one, episode seven, "The Bishop's Gambit"), no.

Anyone who can quote Yes, Prime Minister is all right in my book

[St Mertkan]

I heard that Estonian atheism rate is 75%.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

It isn't bad for a country to have no official religion because sometimes it can mean tolerance. Here in Britain we still do have an official religion to a limited degree because of historical traditions, in the days before multiculturalism, yet we now tolerate all religions. Like, today it is possible to affirm rather than swear an oath of allegiance.

[The imperian empire]

I read somewhere that the Czech Republic has the highest % of Atheists in its population.

[LOL ANARCHY NUBZ]

Probably somewhere Buddhist or European...

[Charlotte Ryberg]

I may like to point out that North Korea is among the most Athiestic country in the world, in practice, because according to the CIA, autonomous religious activities now almost non-existent. In fact, to give an illusion of religious freedom, the government sponsors and control their own "religious" groups.

[Kamsaki]

Presumably, the most Atheistic country is the one with the fewest Religious people in it? With that in mind, I would suggest that the Pitcairn Islands is the most Atheistic country, as:

In recent years, the church has declined, with only about eight islanders worshipping regularly...

[Chetssaland]

Well juding by NSG I'd say the UK, but the facts support France and those other ones.

[Greed and Death]

USA

[Orenge]

[snip]

Ugh, pet peeve here. Atheism isn't believing "there is no god" -- it's simply not believing there is a god.

that's like distinguishing between subtracting 1 and adding negative 1... it's the same thing. arguing that it's not is just a tactic we use because it's too hard to explain to simpletons the difference between a strong atheist (There is absolutely no God) and a weak atheist (I don't particularly believe in any God). At least that's my experience.