A Gallup worldwide opinion poll has established that 87 per cent of people consider themselves part of some religion, with 13 per cent saying they belong to none.
God is least important to the lives of people in Scandinavia and the Czech Republic, while 64 per cent of those surveyed in Hong Kong do not believe in any religion.
The poll, conducted between mid-August and mid-October this year, was part of the largest survey of world opinion undertaken and involved questioning 50,000 people in 60 countries, representing a population of 1.25 billion.
Irish Marketing Surveys (IMS) conducted the research on behalf of Gallup in Ireland. The IMS findings have not yet been made available to the media.
Nearly a third (32 per cent) of those surveyed internationally claimed to attend religious services at least once a week. 46 per cent believe there is "more than one true religion".
As regards what mattered most in life to those surveyed, health was top of the list, with a "happy family life" next. Health was the first choice in 37 of the 60 countries, with family first in 16.
Meanwhile, 17 per cent believed the millennium bug would cause loss of life in their country. 44 per cent worried about the problem, with greatest concern in south-east Asia.
Among the 11 most worried countries were Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Korea, and Singapore. Other very concerned states are the Czech Republic, Solvakia, Ghana, and Paraguay. Three-quarters of those surveyed were aware of the bug problem.
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