[Green-Moo]

Are figures kept for Masonic membership worldwide? Where in the world is Masonry most prevalent?

[cemab4y]

I am certain that each Grand Lodge of Masons, keeps a detailed account of their membership. There are even working Masonic lodges in Cuba. There are about 4 million master masons in the USA, affiliated with the various Grand Lodges in each state. (There is no "Grand Lodge" of the United States). I do not have the exact figures, but I would think that the USA has more Masons than any other country.

[Green-Moo]

Originally Posted by cemab4y

I do not have the exact figures, but I would think that the USA has more Masons than any other country.

I'm certain that would be the case, but would it also be true per head of population do you think? American Masons seem to be the most upfront about their membership.

[cemab4y]

There are over 300,000,000 people in the USA (I am a former employee of the US Census Bureau). There are about 4 million Masons in the USA. This works out to about 1.2% of the US population. I am not certain, but the USA probably has the highest number of masons, per capita, in the world. Masonry exists in many countries. It is in nearly all of the British Commonwealth nations.

[Green-Moo]

Originally Posted by cemab4y

This works out to about 1.2% of the US population.

I'm must admit that I'm absolutely astonished by that figure. I really had no idea that FreeMasonry was so prevalent in the US.

So why do you think that it's so popular in the US? I'm guessing those figures are far higher than in the UK for instance. Is it because American Masons are so open about their membership?

[chocoguy]

I think that I can't agree with that because China has the most number of people. I'm sure that China has a lot of Masons living.

[cemab4y]

There is no organized Masonry in the People's Republic of China. The Communists shut down Masonry in mainland China back in 1949. There is some Masonry on the island of Taiwan. Masonry exists, openly, with no problems in Cuba.

There are many reasons for Masonry's popularity in the USA. The overall number of Masons is down, and the average age of Masons (in the USA), is creeping up. For more information about Masonry, please see:

Anti-Masonry: Points of View

Masonry has existed in the UK, in current organized form, since 1717. Masonry keeps a low profile in England, and the requirements for joining (and the entrance fees), are high.

[chocoguy]

Maybe that is the reason why most of the people here aren't from china. I guess that I'm wrong. I never knew that they shut down Masonry there.

[RoughAshlar]

They have shut down anything that encourages freedom of assembly and freedom of speach as a threat to the state. Religon is also forbiden so no one would meet the criteria for becoming masons.

[Green-Moo]

Which is one of the reasons why I can't support the decision to hold the Olympics there.