Religion in Kiribati
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According to 2005 government statistics, major religious groups include: the Roman Catholic Church, 55 percent; Kiribati Protestant Church, 36 percent; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 3 percent; the Baha'i Faith, 2 percent; and the Seventh-day Adventists, 2 percent.[1] Several of the smaller Christian churches claim to have higher numbers of adherents, but there is no independent confirmation.[1] Persons with no religious affiliation account for less than one percent of the population.[1] Members of the Catholic Church are concentrated in the northern islands, while Protestants are the majority in the southern islands.[1]
Missionaries introduced Christianity into the area in the mid-19th century.[1] Missionaries are currently present and operate freely.[1]
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.[1] Societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice occur, but are relatively infrequent.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Kiribati. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (September 14, 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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