S.Arabia most restrictive

US ALLIES Saudi Arabia and Egypt are among 10 mostly Muslim nations whose governments impose the most curbs on religion, according to a report on Wednesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Afghanistan's government also ranked poorly, highlighting a potentially sensitive diplomatic flashpoint as President Barack Obama sends more US troops to the Central Asian country to quell a growing insurgency. The Pew report says nearly 70 per cent of the world's 6.8 billion people who live in countries that have severe restrictions on religion.

The report ranked countries by two measures: government restrictions on religion and restrictions from violence or intimidation by private individuals or groups. Saudi Arabia was the only country to rank 'very high' in both measures.

The first index ranked 10 mostly Muslim countries as 'very high'. No. 1 oil exporter and US Middle East ally Saudi Arabia was ranked the most restrictive, followed by US adversary Iran. Pew noted both impose limits on minority faiths and 'enforce strict interpretations of Islamic law.'

Egypt was also in the 'very high' list and several of the countries, including Saudi Arabia, are routinely cited in the US State Department's annual International Religious Freedom Report under 'restrictions, abuses and concerns.' China was cited for restrictions on Buddhism in Tibet and on Uighur Muslims, its ban on the Falun Gong movement and its pressure on religious groups not registered by the government.

By region, the Middle East and North Africa were the most restrictive, while the Americas were the least.