CLASSIFICATION OF RELIGION

The basis for this classification is "what groups are a subset of what other groups." Answering this question results in a branching hierarchy. There are other types of classification, based on such criteria as the size of a group, level of social acceptability, level of political power, theology, number and nature of deity, history, etc. Religious traditions fall into super-groups in comparative religion, arranged by historical origin and mutual influence. Abrahamic religions originate in the Middle East, Indian religions in India and Far Eastern religions in East Asia. Another group with supra-regional influence are African diasporic religions, which have their origins in Central and West Africa.

The main Religions of the World, mapped without denominations.
. In summary, religious adherence of the world's population is as follows: "Abrahamic": 53.5%, "Indian": 19.7%, irreligious: 14.3%, "Far Eastern": 6.5%,tribal religions: 4.0%, new religious movements: 2.0%.

• Abrahamic religions is the largest group by far, and it consist primarily of Christianity, Islam and Judaism and Baha’I faith is also included They are named for the patriarch Abraham, and are unified by the practice of monotheism. 3.4 billion people today are followers of Abrahamic religions and are spread widely around the world..

• Indian religions originated in Greater India and they share a number of key concepts like dharma and karma. They influenced people across the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, South East Asia, as well as many parts in Russia. Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism are the main religions. These religions mutually influenced each other. Sikhism was also influenced by the Abrahamic tradition of Sufism.

• Far Eastern religions consist of several East Asian religions which make use of the concept of Tao (in Chinese) or Do (in Japanese or Korean). They include Taoism, Shinto, Chondogyo, Caodaism, and Yiguandao. Far Eastern Buddhism and Confucianism (which by some categorizations is not a religion) are also included.

• Iranic religions originated in Iran and include Zoroastrianism, Yazdanism and historical traditions of Gnosticism (Mandaeanism, Manichaeism). It has significant overlaps with Abrahamic traditions, e.g. in Sufism and in recent movements such as Bábísm and the Bahá'í Faith.

• African diasporic religions practiced in the Americas, imported as a result of the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 18th centuries, building of traditional religion of Central and West Africa.

• Indigenous tribal religions, formerly found on every continent, now marginalized by the major organized faiths, but persisting as undercurrents of folk religion. Includes African traditional religions, Asian Shamanism, Native American religions, Austronesian and Australian Aboriginal traditions and arguably Chinese folk religion (overlaps with Far Eastern religions). Under more traditional listings, this has been referred to as "Paganism" along with historical polytheism.

• New religious movements, a heterogeneous group of religious faiths emerging since the 19th century, often syncretizing, re-interpreting or reviving aspects of older traditions (Bahá'í, Hindu revivalism, Ayyavazhi, Pentecostalism, polytheistic reconstructionism), some inspired by science-fiction (UFO religions).