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In respect to the '''atheist population''' of the world, there have been many studies in regards to the atheist demographics and in regards to the percentage of atheists in various geographic areas. Concerning the atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations, specific research on atheists conducted in 2006 [http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 suggests] that the true proportion of atheists is 4% in the United States, 17% in Great Britain and 32% in France. However, how one defines atheist can skew the results of polls (see: [[Definition of atheism]]). For example, in 2008, the American Religious Indentification Survey (ARIS) reported 1.6% of Americans self-identified themselves as atheists. <ref>http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf</ref> In 2007, Pew Forum estimated that 1.6% of Americans are atheists.<ref>[http://religions.pewforum.org/reports Pew Forum - 2007 - Key findings on religious belief in America]</ref>
In respect to the '''atheist population''' of the world, there have been many studies in regards to the atheist demographics and in regards to the percentage of atheists in various geographic areas. Concerning the atheist population as a percentage of various countries' populations, specific research on atheists conducted in 2006 [http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1131 suggests] that the true proportion of atheists is 4% in the United States, 17% in Great Britain and 32% in France. However, how one defines atheist can skew the results of polls (see: [[Definition of atheism]]). For example, in 2008, the American Religious Indentification Survey (ARIS) reported 1.6% of Americans self-identified themselves as atheists. <ref>http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/ARIS_Report_2008.pdf</ref> In 2007, Pew Forum estimated that 1.6% of Americans are atheists.<ref>[http://religions.pewforum.org/reports Pew Forum - 2007 - Key findings on religious belief in America]</ref>
[[File:Flag of Sweden.png|thumbnail|200px|right|In Sweden, 45% of the population indicates that they believe in some sort of ultimate force or great spirit.<ref>[http://www.science20.com/writer_on_the_edge/blog/atheism_peaks_while_spiritual_groups_move_toward_convergence-156528 Atheism Peaks, While Spiritual Groups Move Toward Convergence], Science 2.0 website</ref>]]
The website Science 2.0 reported in 2015 about [[secular Europe]]:
The website Science 2.0 reported in 2015 about [[secular Europe]]:
{{Cquote|When we move our strictly-by-the-numbers probe across the rest of Europe, we find it is not the atheistic continent it is painted to be. Surveys across the 27 member countries indicate that 77% of people believe in a God-like higher consciousness.10 Only 20% of people said they did not believe in God or any type of over-arching spirit. And again we see the definition gap: alongside these figures, we get a separate number which tells us that only 7% of Europeans said they were atheists....
{{Cquote|When we move our strictly-by-the-numbers probe across the rest of Europe, we find it is not the atheistic continent it is painted to be. Surveys across the 27 member countries indicate that 77% of people believe in a God-like higher consciousness.10 Only 20% of people said they did not believe in God or any type of over-arching spirit. And again we see the definition gap: alongside these figures, we get a separate number which tells us that only 7% of Europeans said they were atheists....