Religious intolerance is on the rise according to research out today, with restrictions on religion increasing in each of the five major regions of the world.

The report published by Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life looks at the extent to which governments and societies around the world impinge on religious beliefs and practices. The findings suggest a sharp rise in restrictions worldwide. Peter Beaumont writes today:

Three-quarters of the world's 7 billion population live in countries with high levels of government restriction on religion or where there exist serious "social hostilities" involving faith issues, according to researchers, with the US and the UK among countries showing a worrying rise in religious discrimination.

This is the second report by Pew noting a rise in intolerance. The share of countries with high or very high restrictions on religious beliefs and practices has also risen - from 31% in the year ending mid-2009 to 37% the year ending mid-2010.

Also published in the report is a religious restrictions index with scores by country. In the latest year, ending mid-2010, 18 countries recorded very high government restrictions on religion including countries such Egypt, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

The report states that the

"rising tide of restrictions in the latest year studied is attributable to a variety of factors, including increases in crimes, malicious acts and violence motivated by religious hatred or bias, as well as increased government interference with worship or other religious practices."

The percentage of the global population living where levels of restriction are high or very high has risen from 68% in year ending mid-2007 to 75% in year ending mid-2010. The chart below illustrates the rise by year.

Countries recording very high social hostilities involving religion include Pakistan, India, Somalia, Nigeria and Russia amongst others. The table below shows the full Pew religious restrictions index by country. There are two scores; the government restrictions index and the social hostilities index.

The government restrictions index (GSI) measures government laws, policies

and actions that restrict religious beliefs or practices whereas the social hostilities index (SHI) measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals,

organizations and social groups. This includes mob or sectarian violence, harassment over attire for religious reasons and other religion-related intimidation or abuse.

The index plus the data behind the charts above can be found in our downloadable spreadsheet. What can you do with the data?

Data summary

Religious restrictions index Click heading to sort table. Download this data COUNTRY Baseline year, ending mid 2007, GRI Baseline year, ending mid 2007, SHI Baseline year, ending mid 2009, GRI Baseline year, ending mid 2009, SHI Baseline year, ending mid 2010, GRI Baseline year, ending mid 2010, SHI Antigua and Barbuda 1.1 0.3 1.4 0.6 1.2 0.4 Argentina 1.7 0.6 2.5 1 1.6 0.5 Bahamas 1.4 0.5 2.3 0 3 0 Barbados 0.8 0.3 0.8 0.4 0.8 0.4 Belize 1.3 0 0.7 0 0.8 0 Bolivia 1 0 0.7 0.4 1 0.3 Brazil 0.4 0.8 1.1 1.7 1 3.3 Canada 1 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.1 Chile 1.2 0.4 1.3 0.8 1.3 1.8 Colombia 1.8 3.3 1.6 3.3 2.8 3.1 Costa Rica 1 0 2.1 0.5 2.6 0.8 Cuba 4.5 0 4 1.3 4.8 0.9 Dominica 0.8 0.3 1 0.4 0.9 0.4 Dominican Republic 0.6 0 1 0 0.6 0 Ecuador 1.1 0.6 0.7 0 0.8 0 El Salvador 0.6 0.4 1.4 0 1.4 0 Grenada 0.5 0 0.5 0 0.8 0.8 Guatemala 1.2 1 0.9 1.2 1 0.3 Guyana 0.7 0 0.5 0 2.1 0 Haiti 1.8 0.6 0.8 0.4 0.8 2.2 Honduras 1.3 0.3 2.7 0.3 1.6 0.8 Jamaica 1 0 1.3 0 1.4 0.4 Mexico 4.7 5.5 4.2 5.1 3.5 3.6 Nicaragua 2 0.5 1.1 0.1 3.1 0.6 Panama 0.7 0 1.1 0 1.1 0 Paraguay 0.6 0.7 1.2 0 1 0.8 Peru 1.8 0 1.5 0 2.6 0 St. Kitts and Nevis 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.4 St. Lucia 0.6 0.3 0.9 0.8 1.3 0.4 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 0.6 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.4 Suriname 0 0 0.7 0 0.9 0.4 Trinidad and Tobago 0.3 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.9 1.2 United States 1.6 1.9 1.6 2 2.7 3.4 Uruguay 0.3 0.6 0.3 0 0.3 0 Venezuela 3.6 0.8 2.5 1.2 3.5 0.8 Afghanistan 5.3 8.5 6.5 8.6 8 7.7 Armenia 3.4 2.7 4.2 3.2 4.7 4.3 Australia 1.3 1.8 0.7 1.8 1.7 2.1 Azerbaijan 5 2.9 5.1 2.8 6.9 2.2 Bangladesh 4 8.3 5.1 8.3 5.6 8.2 Bhutan 4.4 1.9 5 0.5 3.6 0 Brunei 7.2 4.2 5.4 1.8 6.5 3.1 Burma (Myanmar) 7.9 4.9 7.9 4.9 7.3 5.8 Cambodia 2.9 0.8 2.4 0 2.7 2.2 China 7.8 0.9 8.2 3.3 7.5 2 Cyprus 1.2 0.9 1.9 1.1 2.8 3.8 Federated States of Micronesia 0.2 0 0.2 0 0.2 0 Fiji 0.9 2.6 0.9 1.2 3 0.9 Hong Kong 1 0.8 2.4 0 1.2 0 India 4.8 8.8 5 8.8 5.3 9 Indonesia 6.2 8.3 7 8.1 8.6 7.2 Iran 7.9 6 8 6.7 7.9 5 Japan 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.4 2 3.1 Kazakhstan 5.6 3.1 5 2 5.7 1.2 Kiribati 0.3 0.8 0.8 1 0.5 0.8 Kyrgyzstan 3.9 5.5 5.6 2.5 6.5 5.1 Laos 6.3 1 7.1 0.6 5.7 3.1 Macau 1.3 0.3 1.9 0 0.6 0 Malaysia 6.4 1 8.1 1.3 6.4 2.2 Maldives 6.5 2.6 7.3 1.9 8.6 2.7 Marshall Islands 0.2 0 0.2 0 0.2 0.8 Mongolia 1.9 0.6 2.7 2.9 3.4 1.2 Nauru 2 0.3 0.7 0 1.1 0 Nepal 3.4 4.2 3.5 5.3 3.3 5.6 New Zealand 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.6 2.7 Pakistan 5.8 8.9 7 9.8 6.3 9 Palau 0.6 0.3 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 Papua New Guinea 0.8 0 1.4 1.5 1.1 3.5 Philippines 1.6 3.7 0.8 3 1.2 3.9 Samoa 0.8 0.4 0.9 0.3 1.4 0 Singapore 4.6 0.2 4 0.2 5 0.2 Solomon Islands 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.3 0.9 0 South Korea 1.6 0 1.2 0 1.9 0 Sri Lanka 4 7.8 3.7 6.2 6 8.3 Taiwan 0.5 0 0.8 0 1 0 Tajikistan 4.5 2.2 7 2.2 6.5 2.3 Thailand 2.6 2.6 3.4 4.6 3.5 5.5 Timor-Leste 0.9 4.2 0 4.2 0.5 2.9 Tonga 2 0 1.6 0 1.8 0 Turkey 6.6 4.7 6.4 4.4 5.8 4.9 Turkmenistan 5.6 1.5 6.7 1.2 5.6 1.2 Tuvalu 1.8 2.1 2.9 2.8 2.9 1.7 Uzbekistan 7.7 3.3 8.2 1.7 7.9 2.2 Vanuatu 1 1 1 0 1 0.4 Vietnam 6.6 1.2 6.3 5 7 4 Albania 0.8 0.2 0.7 0 1.3 0.2 Andorra 0.9 0 0.7 0 0.7 0 Austria 2.6 1.1 3.3 1.7 3.2 1.9 Belarus 5.9 1.4 6.4 3.1 6.8 1.4 Belgium 4 0.9 3.5 1.7 3.7 2.2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 1.5 2.4 1.6 3.1 2 2.6 Bulgaria 4 2.2 4 4 3.3 2.2 Croatia 0.7 2 1.8 1.3 2.7 2.3 Czech Republic 1 1.2 2.2 1.3 1.1 1.3 Denmark 2.5 1.2 3 4.6 3.4 2.1 Estonia 1.1 0.8 0.9 0.3 1.4 0.8 Finland 0.6 0.8 1.3 0.4 1.1 0 France 3.3 3.4 5.3 3 4.1 5.1 Georgia 2.2 4.7 2.4 2.6 2.9 4.1 Germany 3.1 2.1 3 3.7 4 5.3 Greece 5.2 4.4 4 3.1 5.5 4.1 Hungary 0.3 1 0.6 1.2 0.8 2.8 Iceland 2.6 0.4 1.8 1.3 2.8 1.2 Ireland 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.6 0 Italy 2 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.6 3.3 Kosovo 1.9 2.4 1.5 2.8 1.7 3.7 Latvia 2.3 1.4 2 0.6 2 0.8 Liechtenstein 1.3 0.1 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.2 Lithuania 1.6 0.8 2.5 0.8 1.6 1.5 Luxembourg 0.8 0 0.6 0.4 1.2 0 Malta 1.2 0.4 1.3 0 1.7 0 Moldova 4.2 3.8 4.7 4.2 4.8 2.9 Monaco 2.5 0 2.5 0 1.8 0 Montenegro 0.9 2.4 0.9 1.5 0.4 2.4 Netherlands 0.4 1 1 1.2 1.3 1.6 Norway 1.5 1 2 1.5 2.4 1.7 Poland 1 0.9 1.2 2.3 1.7 1.7 Portugal 0.3 0 0.1 0.8 0.8 0.3 Republic of Macedonia 2.2 1.5 1 1.5 2.8 3 Romania 4.8 5.5 3.9 4.1 4.4 4 Russia 5.8 3.7 6.7 5.5 7.2 7.3 San Marino 0.1 0 0.2 0 0.1 0 Serbia 3.1 1.5 4.7 3.1 3.5 4.7 Slovakia 2.8 1.9 3 3.3 2.6 1 Slovenia 0.6 1 0.9 0.9 1 0.4 Spain 2 1.6 1.1 1.9 2.7 2.1 Sweden 1.2 0.7 1.7 3 1.5 2.4 Switzerland 1.2 1.7 1.5 2.5 2.3 2.9 Ukraine 2.6 1.9 2.1 2.1 4 4 United Kingdom 1.6 1.6 2.8 3.8 4.3 6.2 Algeria 5.6 3.6 7.3 5.3 6.9 5.4 Bahrain 4.3 3 4.7 3.3 4.2 3.7 Egypt 7.2 6.1 8.6 7.4 8.7 7.6 Iraq 5.1 10 5.4 9.2 4.6 8.3 Israel 3.9 7.8 4.3 7.8 6.1 7.9 Jordan 4.6 3.5 4.6 5 6.5 5.1 Kuwait 4.8 1.9 5.8 0.4 4.7 1.7 Lebanon 1.4 5.1 2.8 2.6 3.7 4.9 Libya 5.1 1.4 6.9 1.5 5.8 0.2 Morocco 4.9 3.7 5.2 2.6 6.2 1.2 Oman 3.9 0.3 4.7 0 5.3 0.6 Palestinian territories 3.3 6.4 3.5 6.9 3.5 7.7 Qatar 3.3 0.3 5 0.4 5.6 0.4 Saudi Arabia 8 7.2 7.9 6.2 8.6 7.2 Sudan 5.7 6.5 5.3 5.6 5.4 5 Syria 4.5 5.3 7.1 5.1 7.3 3.3 Tunisia 4.8 3.8 5.2 1.5 7.7 1 United Arab Emirates 3.9 0.1 4.2 0.8 4.3 0.8 Western Sahara 4.8 3.3 5.2 2.6 5.9 0 Yemen 4.3 6.2 6.4 7.3 7 7.8 Angola 3.3 3.7 2.4 1.2 3.7 2.3 Benin 0.3 0 0.3 0 0.5 0.4 Botswana 0.9 0.1 0.6 0 1.2 0 Burkina Faso 0.3 1.5 0.6 1.3 1.3 1.5 Burundi 0.4 0.9 0.2 0.8 0.7 2.2 Cameroon 1.1 1.4 1.3 0.4 0.6 0.4 Cape Verde 0.3 0.1 0.3 0 0.3 0 Central African Republic 3.7 3.3 4.6 2.3 4.4 4.5 Chad 4.2 3.3 3.8 0.3 6 2.6 Comoros 5.4 6.2 4.3 4.9 3.6 1 Democratic Republic of the Congo 1.3 2.6 0.7 3.1 2.8 2.9 Djibouti 2.4 1.8 1.6 1.3 2.1 0.5 Equatorial Guinea 2.6 0 1.7 0 2.4 0 Eritrea 7 0.4 7.9 0.6 7.7 0.6 Ethiopia 2.6 5.3 3.5 5.1 4.3 4.9 Gabon 1.7 0.1 1.8 0.3 1.9 0.8 Gambia 0.5 0.8 1.1 0.3 1.8 0.5 Ghana 1.2 4.9 0.8 3.5 1 2.6 Guinea 1.5 1.7 1.6 0 2.9 1.9 Guinea Bissau 1.5 0 0.3 0 0.3 1.2 Ivory Coast 1.9 3.1 2 0.8 2 3.7 Kenya 2.9 2.4 3.8 3 4.7 6.7 Lesotho 0.4 0 0.5 0 0.6 0.4 Liberia 1.7 3.8 0.5 0.5 1.7 1.8 Madagascar 1.8 0 2.4 0.1 3.3 0.4 Malawi 0.4 0.3 1.2 0 1 0.4 Mali 0.9 0.3 0.6 0.4 0.9 1.3 Mauritania 6.5 0.9 6.2 1 6.2 1.5 Mauritius 1.4 0.3 1.4 1.3 1.2 2.8 Mozambique 1.1 0.3 1.2 1 1.1 0.3 Namibia 0.3 0 0.3 0 0.7 0 Niger 1.7 1.5 2.2 0.6 3 1 Nigeria 3.7 4.4 4.5 8 5.8 7.8 Republic of the Congo 0.7 0.4 0.7 0.1 1 0 Rwanda 2 0 2.8 0 3.8 0.8 Sao Tome and Principe 0.2 0 0.2 0 0.2 0 Senegal 0.5 0 1.3 0.3 1.6 0.2 Seychelles 1.3 0 1 0 1.3 0 Sierra Leone 0 0 0 0.9 0 0.5 Somalia 4.4 7.4 6.2 8.5 5.2 8.1 South Africa 0.6 2.2 1 0.7 0.7 4.4 Swaziland 1.5 0 1.6 1.8 2.4 0.5 Tanzania 2.1 3.5 2.4 0.9 3.9 5.1 Togo 2.8 0 1.2 0 1.4 0.3 Uganda 2.4 0.4 4.1 0.3 3.4 5.8 Zambia 2 0 1.7 1.8 2.5 2.3 Zimbabwe 2.8 1.2 3.7 1.5 4.4 2.2

• DATA: download the full spreadsheet

NEW! Buy our book

• Facts are Sacred: the power of data (on Kindle)

More open data

Data journalism and data visualisations from the Guardian

World government data

• Search the world's government data with our gateway

Development and aid data

• Search the world's global development data with our gateway

Can you do something with this data?

• Flickr Please post your visualisations and mash-ups on our Flickr group

• Contact us at data@guardian.co.uk

• Get the A-Z of data

• More at the Datastore directory

• Follow us on Twitter

• Like us on Facebook