Religious Affiliation in the People's Republic of Australatina
Australatina is a communist nation that has always been rather conflicted about religion. Periods of persecution and enforcement of an Atheistic state has simultaneously reinforced the mindset of believers while at the same time promoting a large non-religious population. Roman Catholicism is the main religion practiced in Australatina, being the religion of a large portion of the populace, a legacy of the Spanish rule over the region. Protestantism has been small, but important minority in the region, as the region of Ciscadia was originally a British colony that the nation of Australatina annexed during the Napoleonic Wars. Besides these two religions, West African communities also practiced Santeria, a secretive syncretic religion that combines traditional beliefs with Christianity. Alongside these three religions was also a fairly large community of Jews, primarily Sephardim who escaped from Spain and made new lives in the region.
Indian immigration was often regular to the region throughout the early to mid 20th century, and with them came a variety of religions. Of particular note is the large presence of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, as well as the large Hindu population, including a small outpost of the traditional Bengali Satya Dharma. Islam remains the main growing religion from the region in this age, with Shia immigration causing friction with the larger traditional Sunni population.
Newer religions that came to the region include the Jesus Army, Wicca, Tenrikyo, and the LDS Church. In the case of the Charismatic Movement and Mormons, this was in response to a recent opening of borders commissioned by the nation in an attempt to restore relations with the West in the 1990s. Tenrikyo was primarily the result of the small but important Japanese community in the state, who often wield significant authority, including having one of their own becoming General Secretary of the nation. Wicca on the other hand was the product of the cult of personality around La Pantera, the main military and leading figure figure in the communist regime throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Recently, news of ethnic cleansing and pogroms have leaked out. Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, and Jews have been targeted by the government to extradite or exterminate. This was done on the orders of ultra-nationalist and hardliner Philip Delici, the current strongman behind the country. This has condemned by the UN, and calls for an intervention in the country are increasingly being brought up, with even longstanding allies to the Hermit state Russia and China being muted in response to the situation. Intervention is especially being considered as many Ciscadians, which has long been a rather unruly part of the country, has protested the government and showed solidarity behind the victims of this pogram. Calls for independence have flared up again, much as it did during the Southern Intifada of the 1980s.
Total Population: 81,525,164
Roman Catholic: 54,771,209
-Latin Rite: 54,310,005
-Eastern Rite: 461,204
Non-Religious/Atheist: 17,403,097
Protestantism: 4,449,654
-Episcopal Church: 3,267,306
-Presbyterian Church in Australatina: 821,805
-Evangelical Lutheran Church of Australatina: 295,221
-Charismatic Movement (Primarily Jesus Army): 65,322
Santeria: 2,135,222
Islam: 796,560
-Sunni (primarily Hanbali school): 633,627
-Shia (split between Ismaili and Jafari schools: 117,892
-Mouride Brotherhood: 45,041
Hinduism: 776,375
Buddhism (est.): 500,000
Judaism (est.): 350,000
Oriental Orthodox: 111,617
-Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church: 69,222
-Coptic Orthodox Church: 32,042
-Armenian Apostolic Church: 11,353
Baha'i: 86,992
Wicca: 56,201
LDS Church: 48,791
Tenrikyo: 28,444
Zoroastrianism (est.): 11,000
