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Spain - Religion

No official government census exists based on religion, since the constitution provides that no individual is obligated to answer questions regarding his or her religious beliefs. Sociological data is collected but cannot be categorized as statistically sound. The Center for Sociological Investigation (CIS), an independent government agency, periodically collects survey data on religious trends. An April CIS survey reported that 73.2 percent of respondents consider themselves Catholic; however, 53.1 percent of those persons stated that they almost never attend Mass.

All other Christian groups constitute less than 10 percent of the total population and include: Eastern Orthodox; Protestant and evangelical denominations; Christian Scientists; Jehovah's Witnesses; Seventh-day Adventists; and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Less than 10 percent of the total population follows Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and the Bahai Faith. The Episcopal Conference of Spain estimates there are 35 million Catholics in the country. The Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities (FEREDE) estimates there are 1.2 million evangelical Christians and other Protestants, 800,000 of whom are immigrants.

According to Islamic Commission of Spain and Ministry of Justice (MOJ) reports in 2009, there were an estimated 1.4 million Muslims in the country. Approximately 72 percent are Muslim immigrants without Spanish nationality. The Federation of Jewish Communities (FCJE) estimates that there are 48,000 Jews. In 2009 the Observatorio Andalusí reported that Muslim immigrants came from Morocco (718,000), Senegal (56,590), Algeria (56,201), Pakistan (54,101), and other Arab or Islamic countries. According to a 2010 MOJ report, the largest concentrations of Muslims are in the regions of Catalonia (368,000), Madrid (234,000), Andalucía (160,000), Valencia (160,000), Murcia (74,000), and the Spanish North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

During the year 2010 at least 11 cities, mostly in Catalonia, banned in municipal buildings the burqa, niqab (full length body and head veil), or any type of garment or article that would fully cover a person's face. On 23 June 2010, the largest opposition party, the Popular Party (PP), proposed to the senate's plenary session a nationwide ban on burqas, niqabs, or other face-covering garments or accessories in all public areas. On July 20, the proposal was rejected in the chamber of deputies.

Islamic federations continued to report that obtaining a building permit for new mosque construction could be difficult and lengthy, especially in central urban locations. The Islamic Commission reported that sometimes new mosque construction was forced into less visible suburban areas, due to resistance from neighborhood groups. The lack of a formal mosque remained a significant issue in Catalonia because it had the highest concentration of Muslims, and as of the end of 2010 none of the approximately 200 prayer centers in the region are actual mosques.

Religious entities may voluntarily register with the MOJ; religious freedom is protected regardless of whether or not an entity is registered. An entity is defined as a cultural center or educational center that may in some cases serve as a place of worship. A place of worship is a dedicated church, temple, synagogue, or mosque. As of November the ministry's Register of Religious Entities included 12,329 entities affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. There were 2,057 non-Catholic entities and 3,583 non-Catholic places of worship registered.

In 1992, based on Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic religious groups' notorio arraigo (deeply rooted) status, representatives of those groups were able to enter into bilateral agreements with the government. These agreements provide certain tax benefits and give civil validity to weddings performed by religious groups. They also permit these groups to place their teachers in schools and chaplains in hospitals, prisons, and the military.

Spain's record on religious freedom and equality is a good one, but there is one issue which has captured some U.S. Congressional attention. The US has encouraged Spain to grant tax treatment to Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Buddhists equivalent to those enjoyed by other religions. The regulatory process is complicated, with the first step being a religion's recognition as 'well-known and deeply rooted.' This status is known in Spanish as 'notorio arraigo.' Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Buddhists now have this status, but concession of tax benefits and other privileges was delayed because the Spanish Government was preparing a legal change that will automatically give all notorio arraigo religions the same tax and benefit status rather than requiring each to petition for the benefits individually.

By the end of 2010 some religious groups, including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Buddhists, did not have bilateral cooperation agreements with the government that would provide the same benefits and privileges as other groups with "deeply rooted status." While there are no statutory or legal restrictions, some Muslim and non-Catholic Christian groups claimed that restrictions and policies at the local level inhibited them from assembling to practice their beliefs.

The government observes the following religious holidays as national holidays: Epiphany (January 6), Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Assumption (August 15), All Saints' Day (November 1), Immaculate Conception (December 8), and Christmas. The government recognizes Jewish and Islamic holidays and allows members of both religious groups (upon agreement by their employer) to take Friday afternoons off from work, with pay, to observe the Sabbath.