Since becoming a communist nation in 1949, China has discouraged religion. Many Chinese practice the teachings of Confucius, which is a political movement rather than a religious faith. Taoism is another philosophy centered in China. Shinto is the religious faith of most Japanese people. Indigenous religions continue to be popular around the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Indigenous faiths tend to be animistic.
Animism is the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself posses souls or consciousness. This is also similar to the traditional beliefs of Native Americans in North and South America. There are many other religious faiths practiced throughout the world, but a student can generalize those faiths into three groups. The nations west of the Indian partition generally practice the monotheistic religions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The philosophies of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shinto, and Confucianism are observed east of that partition.