Islam Across the World - Population By Country
Islam is the world’s second-largest religion, with approximately 2 billion followers, trailing Christianity's 2.3 billion. However, projections suggest that Islam will surpass Christianity as the world's most popular religion by 2050. This map provides a visualisation of Islam across the world, showing the number of Muslims per country, along with the percentage of Muslims relative to the country's total population. The figures are accurate as of 2024.
Global Distribution:
The Muslim population is not evenly distributed across the world. Certain regions, particularly in Asia and Africa, have higher concentrations of Muslims. For instance, Pakistan, Indonesia, and India are the top countries in terms of the Muslim population size, with Pakistan and Indonesia having Muslim majorities of over 80%.
Regional Dominance:
In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the majority of the countries, such as Egypt, Iran, and Algeria, have predominantly Muslim populations. This is in line with the historical and cultural development of the region where Islam originated and rapidly expanded.
Sub-Saharan African countries like Nigeria, Niger, and Senegal also have significant Muslim populations, showcasing the spread of Islam into central and western parts of Africa.
Minority Populations:
In countries like India and China, Muslims make up a smaller percentage of the total population due to the large total population size, yet in absolute numbers, they represent large communities.
In Western countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany, Muslims constitute a minority, often ranging from less than 1% to around 5% of the total population. This is indicative of the religious diversity in these countries and also points to patterns of immigration.
Percentage Versus Population Size:
The percentage of the Muslim population does not always correlate with the absolute number of Muslims in a country. For example, India has a relatively small percentage (13.872%) of Muslims, yet in absolute terms, it has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world.
High Percentage Populations:
Several countries have Muslim populations that constitute over 90% of their total population. These countries, such as Somalia, Tunisia, and Morocco, are likely to have Islamic traditions deeply integrated into their social, political, and legal systems.
Countries with Near-Total Muslim Populations:
Demographic Trends: