the in Latin America religious identity in Latin America % of the region's adult population raised in each each group
In Latin America, where nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics live, Protestant populations have risen sharply. In a survey conducted in the region in 2014, 9% of respondents across 19 Latin American countries said they were raised as Protestants, while 19% identified Protestant (or evangelical) Christianity as their current religion. Net gains for Protestants in Latin America have meant net losses for Catholics. While 84% of respondents were raised as Catholic, only 69% identified their current religion as Catholic. Protestants across Latin America also are significantly more religious than Catholics. And they are more likely to take conservative positions on issues such as divorce, abortion, gay marriage and gender norms.
One relatively recent and distinctive Protestant movement that has gained ground globally is Pentecostalism. While practices vary, Pentecostal churches often emphasize the “gifts of the Holy Spirit,” such as divine healing, speaking in tongues and receiving direct revelations from God. These practices are common among Protestants in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and even in Asia. For example, in a survey conducted in 2014, the majority of churchgoing Protestants across 19 Latin American countries said they have at least occasionally witnessed speaking in tongues, prophesying and praying for a miraculous healing in church.
the in Latin America religious identity  | in Latin America  | % of the region's adult population raised in each  | religious group vs. % currently identifying with  | each group  | Raised  | 84%  | Catholic  | Curre ntly  | 69%  | Protestant  | 19  | Unaffillated  | 8  | Note: Results based on aggregated survey data from  | 18 Latin American countries and the U.S territory of Puerto  | Rico, taking into account diffe rences in the population size  | of each country/ territory.  | "Re ligion in Latin America, November 2014  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 