Mapping the Global Muslim Population
October 2009 Pew Forum Report on Muslim Demographics
Oct 9, 2009
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has released the findings of its latest study in the October 2009 report, "Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Muslim Population."
The report details the most current and comprehensive Muslim demographics available, obtained from Pew's study of 232 countries. Pew's estimates are fully sourced and based on census reports, population surveys and demographic studies.
How Many Muslims Are There in the World?
According to the Pew report on Muslim demographics, there are 1.58 billion Muslims worldwide out of a total population of 6.8 billion people.
These figures suggest that Muslims comprise 23 percent of the world's total population.
Where Do Muslims Live? Are Most Muslims Arab?
Pew's statistics show that most Muslims are not Arab, and that the majority (60 percent) of the world's Muslim population lives in Asia. Only 20 percent of the world's Muslims live in the Middle East and North Africa, but the Middle East and North Africa region has the largest number of countries with Muslim-majority populations.
The first four countries ranked with the highest Muslim populations are all Asian. Indonesia leads the statistics with an estimated 202,867,000 Muslims, followed by Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. An Arab country doesn't make the list until the fifth ranking – Egypt, with an estimated 78,513,000 Muslims.
The list of countries with the largest percentages of Muslims is led by Iran at 99.4 percent, followed by Morocco at 99 percent, and then Turkey and Algeria with 98 percent each.
Other Key Findings from Pew's "Mapping the Global Muslim Population"
Some of Pew's findings reveal surprising Muslim demographics. It estimates, for example, that the Muslim population in the United States is 2.5 million, a figure much smaller than previously cited by American religious organizations and even President Obama, who made mention of "nearly seven million American Muslims" in his June 2009 speech in Cairo.
Other key findings include:
- One-fifth of the world's Muslims live in countries where they are minorities. The largest minority Muslim populations are in India, China and Russia.
- The vast majority of Muslims are Sunni; only 10 to 13 percent of Muslims are Shia.
- Most of the world's Shia population can be found in Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq.
- Europe has 38 million Muslims, which account for about 5 percent of its population. The majority of European Muslims live in Russia.
- France, which has come into the spotlight for its bans on hijab and burka, is home to 3.5 million Muslims, about half as many as live in Jordan.
- Germany is home to 4 million Muslims, more than Lebanon's 2 to 3 million Muslims and almost as many Muslims as in North and South America combined (4.5 percent).
- More than half of the countries in the Middle East-North Africa region have 95 percent or higher Muslim populations.
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, a project of the Pew Research Center, aims to deliver timely, nonpartisan information related to religion and public affairs. Pew's "Mapping the Global Muslim Population" report on Muslim demographics follows reports generated by its 2007 surveys on American Muslim statistics and religious diversity in America. Pew plans to conduct a similar study on Christianity next year.
Related Reading on Islam and Muslims
- American Muslim Statistics - Key findings from the Pew Forum's report, "Muslim Americans: Middle Class and Mostly Mainstream."
- America's Religious Diversity - Statistics from Pew's U.S. Religious Landscape Survey.
- Report on U.S. Relations with the Muslim World - The U.S. Muslim Engagement Project's recommendations for improved relations between the United States and Muslim countries.
 |
 |
 |
