Growth of Religions in Australia and New South Wales 1986-1996

Prepared by the Buddhist Council of New South Wales from census data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics

AUSTRALIA

Religion

1986 adherents

1991 adherents

1996 adherents

% growth 91-96

% of population

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anglican

3,723,400

4,018,770

3,903,324

- 2.9

 

Baptist

196,800

279,220

295,178

+ 5.7

 

Catholic

4,064,400

4,606,644

4,798,950

+ 4.2

 

Church of Christ

88,500

78,039

75,023

- 3.9

 

Jehova’s Witness

66,500

74,551

83,414

+ 11.9

 

Lutheran

208,300

250,844

249,989

- 0.3

 

Pentecostal

107,000

150,665

174,720

+ 16.0

 

Presbyterian

560,000

732,227

675,534

- 7.7

 

Salvation Army

77,800

71,984

74,145

+ 3.0

 

Uniting Church

1,182,300

1,387,646

1,334,917

- 3.8

 

Orthodox

427,400

474,921

497,015

+ 4.7

 

 Other Christian

677,514

338,142

418,559

+ 2.4

 

CHRISTIANITY

11,381,900

12,465,644

12,582,764

+ 0.9

70.3%

BUDDHISM

80,387

139,847

199,812

+ 42.9

1.1%

HINDUISM

N/A

N/A

67,279

 N/A

N/A

ISLAM

109,500

147,507

200,885

+ 36.2

1.1%

JUDAISM

69,100

74,386

79,805

+ 7.3

0.4%

 

NEW SOUTH WALES

Religion

1986 adherents

1991 adherents

1996 adherents

% growth 91-96

% of population

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anglican

1,519,806

1,567,328

1,521,675

- 2.9

 

Baptist

67,187

90,947

96,445

+ 6.0

 

Catholic

1,529,176

1,692,646

1,756,372

+ 3.8

 

Church of Christ

15,147

14,518

13,521

- 6.9

 

Lutheran

31,890

39,206

37,640

- 4.0

 

Orthodox

165,659

180,649

189,096

+ 4.7

 

Presbyterian

227,663

270,666

251,339

- 7.1

 

Uniting Church

327,360

371,974

362,508

- 2.5

 

Other Christian

-

-

236,330

 

 

CHRISTIANITY

-

-

 

73.9%

BUDDHISM

35,114

58,743

81,908

+ 39.4

1.4%

HINDUISM

N/A

N/A

35,576

N/A

0.6%

ISLAM

57,551

77,845

102,288

+ 31.4

1.7%

JUDAISM

N/A

29,614

32,652

+ 10.3

0.5%