Christianity is the predominantreligion in Uganda. According to the 2024 census, approximately 82 percent of the population was Christian, while around 13 percent of the population adhered toIslam, making it the largest minority religion.[2]Anglicanism andCatholicism are the mainChristian denominations in the country.
The northern and west Nile regions are dominated byRoman Catholics, andIganga District in the east of Uganda had the highest percentage of Muslims;Good Friday,Easter Monday,Eid al-Fitr,Eid al-Adha, andChristmas are recognized national holidays.[4]
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Uganda Constitution, but religions are expected to be registered with the government and then to secure a five-year license; registered groups are exempt from direct taxation.[5]
In 2023, the country was scored 3 out of 4 for religious freedom byFreedom House.[6]
| Affiliation | 1991 census | 2002 census | 2014 census[8] | 2024 census[9] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian | 85.4% | 85.2% | 83.3% | 81.8% |
| Roman Catholic | 44.5% | 41.9% | 38.7% | 36.2% |
| Church of Uganda (Anglican) | 39.2% | 35.9% | 31.6% | 29.0% |
| Pentecostal | -[note 1] | 4.6% | 10.9% | 14.3% |
| Seventh-day Adventist | 1.1% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 2.0% |
| Baptist | -[note 2] | -[note 2] | 0.3% | |
| Eastern Orthodox Christian | <0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| OtherChristian | 0.6% | 1.2%[note 3] | -[note 2] | 0.2% |
| Muslim | 10.5% | 12.1% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| Traditional | - | 1.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Baháʼí Faith | -[note 1] | 0.1% | -[note 2] | |
| None | -[note 1] | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Other non-Christian | 4.0% | 1.6%[note 4]-[note 2] | 1.5% | 1.6% |
| Others | -[note 2] | -[note 2] | 1.4% | 3.3% |
Notes
| ||||
| Affiliation | Central Region | Eastern Region | Northern Region | Western Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Catholic | 41.2% | 29.6% | 59.2% | 40.6% |
| Anglican/Protestant | 30.1% | 43.0% | 25.3% | 45.2% |
| Pentecostal | 5.9% | 6.1% | 3.1% | 3.4% |
| Seventh-day Adventist | 1.9% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 2.6% |
| Eastern Orthodox Christian | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| OtherChristian | 0.8% | 2.1% | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Muslim | 18.4% | 17.0% | 8.5% | 4.5% |
| Traditional | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 0.1% |
| Other | 0.6% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 2.3% |
According to the national census of 2014, Christians of all denominations comprised 85 percent of Uganda's population.[11] The Roman Catholic Church had the largest number of adherents (39.3 percent of the total population). The largest Protestant church was the AnglicanChurch of Uganda, a part of the worldwide Anglican communion, at 32 percent. The category of Pentecostal/Evangelical/Born Again made up 11.1% of the population, while Seventh-day Adventists made up 1.7%, Baptists 0.3% and Eastern Orthodox 0.1%.,[11] although some sources estimate their numbers to more than 3%[12]
Jehovah's Witnesses operate in Uganda under theInternational Bible Students Association name and are working in a total of ten languages, includingSwahili andLuganda. Followers ofWilliam M. Branham andBranhamism claim numbers in the tens of thousands, thanks in large part to translation and distribution efforts by Voice of God Recordings.[13]
ThePresbyterian Church in Uganda has 100-200 congregations. TheReformed Presbyterian Church in Uganda was a result in a split in the Presbyterian church.
The United Apostolic Church of Uganda, aPentecostal denomination affiliated with theUPCI, has 424,739 constituents in 654 churches.[14]
TheBaptist movement has its origins in American mission of theSouthern Baptist Convention in 1963.[15] TheBaptist Union of Uganda was founded in 1974.[16] According to a denomination census released in 2020, it claimed 1,800 churches and 550,000 members.[17]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims more than 14,000 members in 27 congregations in Uganda. They also have two family history centers.[18]
TheSociety of Friends has twoyearly meetings, Uganda Yearly Meeting, part ofFriends United Meeting andEvangelical Friends Church. There were about 3,000 members between the two in 2001.[19]
A 2015 study estimated some 35,000 believers in Christ from a Muslim background residing in the country at the time.[20]
According to the 2014 National Census, 14 percent of Ugandans adhered to Islam.[21][11] Most Muslims areSunni,[5] with a small minority ofShia Muslims. There was a small group ofAhmadis in the country in 2012.[22]
There are a small community of Ugandan Jews called theAbayudaya, numbering some 2,000-3,000.[23] The group was formed bySemei Kakungulu in the early 20th century.[24]
About 1 percent of Uganda's population followtraditional religions only; however, in 2009, more people practiced traditional religious practices along with other religions such as Christianity or Islam.[4] One survey in 2010 showed that about 27 percent of Ugandans believe that sacrifices to ancestors or spirits can protect them from harm.[25]
Uganda has received media attention for interfaith efforts inMbale. Founded by JJ Keki, theMirembe Kawomera (Delicious Peace) Fair Trade Coffee Cooperative brings together Muslim, Jewish, and Christian coffee farmers. Members of the cooperative use music to spread their message of peace. TheSmithsonian Folkways album "Delicious Peace: Coffee, Music & Interfaith Harmony in Uganda" features songs from members of the cooperative about their interfaith message.[26]
The 2014 Census found that there were 13,905 Hindus, making up less than 0.1% of the population.[2]
TheBaháʼí Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Baháʼís in 80 localities, including 13 BaháʼíLocal Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9Baháʼí pioneers to other African locations.[27] Following the reign of Idi Amin when the Baháʼí Faith was banned and the murder of BaháʼíHand of the CauseEnoch Olinga and his family,[28] the community continues to grow though estimates of the population range widely from 19,000 to 105,000 and the community's involvements have included diverse efforts to promote the welfare of the Ugandan people. One of only tenBaháʼí Houses of Worship in the world, known as the Mother Temple of Africa, is located on the outskirts ofKampala.[29]
The Uganda Buddhist Centre, founded in 2005 by Venerable Buddharakkhita, is an initiative that intends to provide the first stable source of Buddhism in Uganda.[30]
Only 0.2 percent of Ugandans claim no religion. The Uganda Humanist Association is a member of theInternational Humanist and Ethical Union and has been registered since 1996.[31]
