Comprising 22 countries; 15% of the world’s land area. This continent can be divided into three almost equal areas in terms of population and land area: Central America, Spanish South America and Brazil.
In 1900, almost the entire Spanish and Portuguese-speaking population was considered Catholic, although much of it had syncretistic influences from pre-Columbian ethnic religions. The changes since then have been dramatic – from a narrow traditionalism, with strong opposition to Protestant missionary activity, to freedom of religion and the continued rapid rise of evangelicals.