Paysage religieux

Despite a steep decline in membership, the majority of the Austrian population are Roman Catholics. There are increasing Muslim and Christian-Orthodox minorities in Austria, as well as a well-established small Protestant minority (Lutheran and Reformed). The group of religiously unaffiliated persons has been growing steadily for years.

According to the last census in 2001, 73,7% of the Austrian population identified as Roman Catholic. Lutheran and Reformed Protestants (4,7%), Muslims (4,2%), and members of different Christian-Orthodox churches (2,2%) constituted the largest religious minorities in 2001. 12% of the Austrian population declared themselves to be religiously unaffiliated, whereas 2% did not declare their religious affiliation.

Demographic projections based on these numbers, as well as migration movements, fertility rates, and secularisation tendencies estimate for 2018 that the Austrian population is now divided into approximately 63% Catholics, 8% Muslims, 5% Orthodox Christians, 5% Protestants, 2% affiliated with other religious traditions (e.g. Buddhism, Judaism, other Christian Churches), and 18% unaffiliated people.

Source :
Goujon Anne, Reiter Claudia, Potančoková Michaela, Religious affiliations in Austria at the provincial level : Estimates for Vorarlberg, 2001-2018, VID Working Papers 13/2018. Vienna, 2019.