New Vatican figures show Africa has surpassed Europe as the continent with the second-largest Catholic population, reflecting a long-term shift in global religious demographics.

The Catholic Church Statistics 2026 dossier, compiled by the Vatican’s Fides News Agency and released October 16, reports 288.31 million Catholics in Africa as of June 30, 2024, compared with 287.24 million in Europe. The Americas continue to lead with 678.87 million Catholics, followed by Asia at 156.17 million and Oceania at 11.56 million. Worldwide, the total reached 1.422 billion, or 17.8 percent of the global population, an increase of 16.69 million from the prior year.

Africa accounted for the largest share of that growth, adding 7.58 million Catholics. Europe gained 911,000. This marks the first time Africa has edged ahead, moving its share of global Catholics from 19.9 percent to 20.3 percent while Europe slipped from 20.4 percent to 20.2 percent.

The change aligns with broader global population trends. Africa’s youthful demographics and higher fertility rates have driven rapid expansion across the continent, outpacing slower growth in Europe, where aging populations and lower birth rates prevail. Similar patterns appear in other faith communities, as Christianity and other religions gain ground in developing regions while facing stagnation or decline in traditional Western strongholds.

The statistics also reveal vitality in African Church structures. Africa was the only continent to increase both women religious and major seminarians. Worldwide, the number of priests rose for the first time in five years, reaching 407,421, with gains in Africa, Asia, and the Americas offsetting losses in Europe.

These developments underscore the Catholic Church’s evolving geographic center. Historical European dominance is giving way to stronger presence in Africa and the Global South, consistent with worldwide shifts toward multipolar religious influence driven by population dynamics rather than institutional changes alone.