All skills Social Studies

Learn Index · Cultures and Society Grade 6–8

World regions, religions and belief systems

Major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism, along with Indigenous spiritual traditions, shape values, holidays and ways of life, and understanding them builds respect.

Illustrated topic card: World regions, religions and belief systems — Billions of people follow religions or belief systems that shape their values, celebrations and communities; studying them helps us understand our neighbours.
Illustrated topic card: World regions, religions and belief systems — Billions of people follow religions or belief systems that shape their values, celebrations and communities; studying them helps us understand our neighbours.

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Understanding religions and beliefs

Religions and other belief systems shape how billions of people live: their values, holidays, food, art, laws and communities. Learning about them helps us understand the world’s cultures and history, and respect our neighbours.

This lesson describes beliefs as their followers understand them. Each religion includes many different branches and ways of practising.

Major world religions

Religion Followers (approx.) Founded / origin Main beliefs Sacred texts Place of worship
Christianity about 2.3 billion 1st century CE, Middle East one God; Jesus is the Son of God and saviour the Bible church
Islam about 2 billion 7th century CE, Arabia one God (Allah); Muhammad is the final prophet; Five Pillars the Qur’an mosque
Hinduism about 1.2 billion developed over thousands of years in South Asia Brahman (ultimate reality) expressed through many deities; karma, dharma, reincarnation the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita mandir (temple)
Buddhism about 300–500 million about 5th century BCE, India the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha); Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path; ending suffering the Tripitaka and other sutras temple, monastery
Sikhism about 25–30 million 15th century CE, Punjab one God; equality of all people; service; teachings of ten Gurus Guru Granth Sahib gurdwara
Judaism about 15 million about 4,000 years ago, Middle East one God; covenant with the Jewish people; following God’s laws the Torah and the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), Talmud synagogue

About one-quarter of the world’s people describe themselves as non-religious. Many people are secular, meaning they live without religion, while some describe themselves as spiritual.

Monotheism and polytheism

  • Monotheism: belief in one God, as in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are called Abrahamic religions because they trace their history to Abraham.
  • Polytheism: belief in many gods, as in ancient Greek and Roman religions. Hinduism is often described as having many deities, though many Hindus see them as forms of one ultimate reality.

Other belief systems

  • Indigenous spiritualities: many First Nations, Inuit, Métis and other Indigenous peoples emphasize connection to the land, ancestors, community and the Creator; practices vary greatly from nation to nation.
  • Confucianism: Chinese teachings about respect, family duty, education and good government.
  • Daoism (Taoism): Chinese philosophy about living in harmony with the Dao (the Way) and nature.
  • Shinto: Japan’s traditional religion, honouring kami (spirits) in nature and ancestors.
  • Humanism: a non-religious belief system emphasizing reason, ethics and human well-being.

Religions and world regions

Religions spread through migration, trade, missionary work and conquest. Today, each world region has a different religious mix.

World region Most common religions
North America Christianity; growing non-religious population; diverse minorities
Latin America Christianity, especially Catholicism
Europe Christianity; large and growing non-religious population; Islam
Middle East and North Africa Islam; also Christianity and Judaism (Israel)
Sub-Saharan Africa Christianity and Islam; traditional African religions
South Asia Hinduism (India, Nepal), Islam (Pakistan, Bangladesh), Buddhism (Sri Lanka), Sikhism
East Asia Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto; large non-religious population (China)
Southeast Asia Buddhism (Thailand, Myanmar), Islam (Indonesia, Malaysia), Christianity (Philippines)

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.

Shared values and differences

Many religions share values such as compassion, honesty, generosity, care for others and a version of the "Golden Rule": treat others as you want to be treated. They also differ in beliefs about God, the afterlife, rituals and how to live.

Religion, rights and respect

In Canada and the United States, freedom of religion is protected by law. People can practise any religion or none. Respecting religious diversity means:

  • learning about beliefs without making fun of them
  • recognizing that people within one religion can have different views
  • rejecting hate and discrimination, such as antisemitism and Islamophobia

Try it yourself

  1. Create a comparison chart of three religions: founder or origin, beliefs, sacred text, place of worship and a major holiday.
  2. Find the "Golden Rule" in different religious traditions.
  3. On a world map, colour regions by their most common religion.
  4. Research how a religious festival is celebrated in your community.

Quick recap

  • Religions and belief systems shape values, cultures and history.
  • Major religions include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Judaism.
  • Monotheistic religions believe in one God; polytheistic traditions honour many gods.
  • Different world regions have different religious mixes.
  • Freedom of religion and respect for diversity are important values.