Decline In The Number Of Believers

The number of Icelanders who identify as religious has fallen in recent decades, with the exception of the youngest age group, where levels have remained largely unchanged, RÚV reports, citing a new Gallup national poll. Notably, there is a significant difference between the responses of young men and women.

According to the survey, four in ten respondents described themselves as believers, down from 53 percent when the question was last asked in November 2014.

Despite recent discussions about a revival of faith and churchgoing among younger people, the data does not support such claims. It should also be noted that the poll did not include those under 18.

Among 18-29-year-olds, 29 percent said they were religious — a similar figure to a decade ago. Within this group, 34 percent of men identified as believers compared with 21 percent of women.

The survey did not ask about specific faiths or denominations. Respondents could choose between three options: religious, not religious, and atheist. Over the same period, the share of those identifying as atheists has grown, reaching 23 percent this year compared with 15 percent in 2014 and 11 percent in 2011.

The poll was carried out between 20 June and 9 July, and again from 16 to 30 July. A total of 1,799 people took part, with a response rate of 44.7 percent. Participants were randomly selected from Gallup’s panel.