This is a survey of the origins, development, and distribution of the world's religions. The work is organized in three major sections, opening with an assessment of the state of religion in the world at the end of the millennium, followed by a survey of the historical geography of religion, illustrating key stages in the development of world religions from the birth of religion to the end of the 20th century, bringing with it the decline of colonialism and the emergence of ideological religions, new religions, and globalization. The third and main part of the Atlas consists of 10 chapters organized by religious tradition, covering Hinduism, Buddhism, East Asian traditions, and traditions of the Pacific region, religions of the Ancient Near East and Ancient Europe, the three religions of the Book - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - and African and North American indigenous traditions.