There are over 1.8 billion Muslims in the world, making up 24% of the global population. Islam is the world’s second-largest religion after Christianity, which has 2.3 billion followers. Muslims are spread across almost every part of the world, and as many as 29% of Muslims live outside their home countries, with around 300 million living in non-Muslim nations, including India, according to a report.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, approximately 29% of Muslims reside outside their country of birth, with Muslim migration reflecting a global trend observed over the past three decades. The number of international migrants has increased by 83% in the last 30 years, far exceeding global population growth, which is estimated at around 47%.

The report states that 39.9 million Muslims lived outside their home countries in 1990, a number that has surged to 80.4 million by 2020. Saudi Arabia is the top destination for Muslim migrants, accounting for 13% of Muslim migrations, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 8%, and Turkey at 7%.

Other popular destinations for Muslim migrants include the United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), Germany, and France, according to the report. The Pew Research Center study also found that Syria (10%), India (8%), and Afghanistan (7%) are the three major countries from which Muslims migrate to other nations.

The study also revealed a breakdown of the global Muslim population, consisting of 80-90% Sunni Muslims and 10-13% Shia Muslims, with Pakistan, India, Iraq, and Iran having significant Shia populations.

Notably, in contrast to Muslims, only 5% of Hindus migrate to other countries, while Christians are the top migrants in the world, with 72.7 million Christians migrating abroad in 1990, a figure that rose to 130.9 million by 2020. According to the report, the United States (27%), Germany (6%), and Russia (6%) are the top three destinations for Christian migrants.

Islam Poised to Become World’s Largest Religion

Meanwhile, a recent Pew Research Center report has revealed that the global Muslim population is expected to grow by up to 70% in the next 35 years and will surpass the 3 billion mark by the year 2060, making Islam the largest religion in the world, surpassing Christianity.

According to the Pew Research report on the world’s fastest-growing religions, Christianity is currently the world’s largest religion, accounting for 31% of the world’s 7.3 billion population, followed by Islam in second place and Hinduism in third.

Source: India.Com