Catholics in the World

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The world population in December 2014 was 7 160 739 000 with an increase of 66 941 000 persons compared with the previous year. On the same date, Catholics in the world numbered 1 272 281 000 with an overall increase of 18 355 000 more than the previous year. The world percentage of Catholics increased by 0.09 %, settling at 17.77%.

The number of dioceses in the world is 3 007. The number of bishops is 5 237. The number of priests in the world is 415 792, diocesan priests accounting for 281 297 and religious order priests accounting for 134 495 priests. The number of Catholics per priest in the world increased to an average of 13,882. The number of women religious stands at 682 729.

In the field of education, the Catholic Church runs 73 580 kindergartens with 7 043 634 children, 96 283 primary schools with 33 516 860 pupils and 46 339 secondary schools with 19 760 924 pupils. The Church also cares for 2 477 636 high school pupils and 2 719 643 university students.

The Church administers 5 158 hospitals, most of them in America (1 501) and Africa (1 221), 16 523 dispensaries, mainly in Africa (5 230); America (4 667) and Asia (3 584), 15 679 homes for the elderly, the chronically ill, people with a disability, mainly in Europe (8 304) and America (3 726), 9 492 orphanages, mainly in Asia (3 859) and 12 637 crèches, mainly in Asia (3 422) and America (3 477).