In 2022, Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims worldwide with around 241.5 million. This was followed with around 225.6 million Muslims in Pakistan and 211.16 million Muslims in India.

In 2023, it was estimated that approximately 87 percent of the Indonesian population were Muslim, accounting for the highest share of Muslims in any Southeast Asian country. Indonesia also has the world's largest Muslim population, with an estimated 229 million Muslims.

Demographics of Indonesia

The total population of Indonesia was estimated to reach around 290 million in 2028. The median age of the population in the country was at an all-time high in 2020 and was projected to increase continuously until the end of the century. In 2020, the population density in Indonesia reached its highest value recorded at about 145.7 people per square kilometer.

Shopping behavior during Ramadan in Indonesia

Nearly all Muslims in Indonesia celebrated Ramadan in 2022. During the month of Ramadan, 60 percent of Indonesian users utilized online applications to order food. Many Indonesians planned to shop online or offline during Ramadan, with around 76 percent of online users planning to purchase fashion wear and accessories. Shopee was the most used app for shopping purposes during that period.

Islam is the major religion in many African countries, especially in the north of the continent. In Comoros, Libya, Western Sahara, at least 99 percent of the population was Muslim as of 202. These were the highest percentages on the continent. However, also in many other African nations, the majority of the population was Muslim. In Egypt, for instance, Islam was the religion of 79 percent of the people. Islam and other religions in Africa Africa accounts for an important share of the world’s Muslim population. As of 2019, 16 percent of the Muslims worldwide lived in Sub-Saharan Africa, while 20 percent of them lived in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Together with Christianity, Islam is the most common religious affiliation in Africa, followed by several traditional African religions. Although to a smaller extent, numerous other religions are practiced on the continent: these include Judaism, the Baha’i Faith, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Number of Muslims worldwide Islam is one of the most widespread religions in the world. There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims globally, with the largest Muslim communities living in the Asia-Pacific region. Specifically, Indonesia hosts the highest number of Muslims worldwide, amounting to over 200 million, followed by India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Islam is also present in Europe and America. The largest Islamic communities in Europe are in France (5.72 million), Germany (4.95 million), and the United Kingdom (4.13 million). In the United States, there is an estimated number of around 3.45 million Muslims.

Associated with manuscript titled: Fifty Muslim-majority countries have fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths than the 50 richest non-Muslim countriesThe objective of this research was to determine the difference in the total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths between Muslim-majority and non-Muslim countries, and investigate reasons for the disparities. Methods: The 50 Muslim-majority countries had more than 50.0% Muslims with an average of 87.5%. The non-Muslim country sample consisted of 50 countries with the highest GDP while omitting any Muslim-majority countries listed. The non-Muslim countries’ average percentage of Muslims was 4.7%. Data pulled on September 18, 2020 included the percentage of Muslim population per country by World Population Review15 and GDP per country, population count, and total number of COVID-19 cases and deaths by Worldometers.16 The data set was transferred via an Excel spreadsheet on September 23, 2020 and analyzed. To measure COVID-19’s incidence in the countries, three different Average Treatment Methods (ATE) were used to validate the results. Results published as a preprint at https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/84zq5(15) Muslim Majority Countries 2020 [Internet]. Walnut (CA): World Population Review. 2020- [Cited 2020 Sept 28]. Available from: http://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/muslim-majority-countries (16) Worldometers.info. Worldometer. Dover (DE): Worldometer; 2020 [cited 2020 Sept 28]. Available from: http://worldometers.info

In 2024, Nigeria had the largest Muslim population in Africa, with around 105 million people who belonged to an Islamic denomination. Egypt and Algeria followed with 90.4 million and 39.4 million Muslims, respectively. Muslims have a significant presence in Africa, with an estimated 50 percent of the continent's population identifying as Muslim. The spread of Islam in Africa began in the 7th century with the arrival of Arab traders, and it continued through Islamic scholars and missionaries.

This statistic shows the estimated number of Muslims living in different European countries as of 2016. Approximately 5.72 million Muslims were estimated to live in France, the most of any country listed. Germany and the United Kingdom also have large muslim populations with 4.95 million and 4.13 million respectively.

This statistic shows the estimated Muslim share of the population in different European countries as of 2016. With a Muslim population that makes up around a quarter of it's population, Cyprus has the highest estimated share of Muslims living in its borders. The Muslim share of the Bulgarian and French populations is also quite high with 11.1 and 8.8 percent shares respectively. Portugal, Romania, Czechia and Poland have the lowest Muslim shares of the population at under one percent.

In 2024, Nigeria accounted for 7.08 percent of the global Muslim population, the highest share among African countries. Egypt and Algeria followed, with shares of 6.12 percent and 2.67 percent, respectively. Islam has a significant presence in Africa, with an estimated 50 percent of the continent's population identifying as Muslim. The spread of Islam in Africa began in the 7th century with the arrival of Arab traders, and later continued through Islamic scholars and missionaries.

India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data was reported at 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 49,393,496.000 Person for 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 59,066,957.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68,740,419.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 49,393,496.000 Person in 2001. India Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE001: Census: Population: by Religion.

This statistic displays the projected Muslim population proportions in selected European countries in 2050, by scenario. In 2010 the proportion of Muslims in the population of Germany was 4.1 percent, compared with 6.3 percent in the UK and 7.5 percent in France. Depending on the different migration scenarios estimated here, Germany's share of Muslims in the population could rise up to 19.7 percent of it's population by 2050, higher than both the UK and France, with projected Muslim populations of 17.2 and 18 percent respectively.

Mali is a predominantly Muslim country with 94.84 percent of the population belonging to Islam. Of that 94.84 percent, only 0.8 percent is Shi’a versus the greater majority of Sunni Muslims in the country. While most of the population is Muslim, a small minority practice other religions as well; 2.37 percent Christianity, 2.02 percent Animist, 0.04 percent Other, 0.45 percent Atheist/Agnostic, and 0.28 percent Undeclared. Of the 2.37 percent of Christians in Mali, the majority of those are Roman Catholic. The Catholic Church has six dioceses that make up less than two percent of Mali’s population. Mali is typically defined as a secular state, with a constitution and code of laws that protect the public’s right for religious freedom and practice.

While the Malian government is officially secular, it frequently consults the moderate High Council of Islam (HCIM) and the Committee of Wise Men on controversial social issues of national scope. The HCIM is an umbrella organization with representatives from all significant Muslim organizations in-country as well as over 160 non-governmental organizations. The Committee of Wise Men includes the Catholic Archbishop and prominent Malian Protestant and Muslim leaders. In an effort to enshrine its commitment to multi-faith democracy, the Malian government has declared a diverse set of religious holidays as national holidays, including Mawloud, the Prophet’s Baptism, Easter Monday, Eid al- Fitf, Tabaski, and Christmas.

Religion is not taught in any public school in Mali. There are some private schools and madrasas that do offer both Christian and Islamic teachings in addition to the state-mandated secular curriculum. In Mali, most madrasas are located in the south in areas such as Sikasso (600), Segou (428), and Bamako (268). In the northern regions of Mali there are a little over 300 madrasas.

In recent months, a loose coalition of militant Tuareg and Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), has taken over northern Mali with the goal of forming an Islamic state in the Trans-Sahara region. Areas under militant control have seen the imposition of strict Sharia law, including bans on music and severe restrictions on women and practitioners of non-Islamic faiths. In Timbuktu and other northern urban centers, different Islamic groups have destroyed numerous ancient Sufi mosques, tombs, and other artifacts in an effort to purge the region of “heretical” faiths.

As of 2021, approximately 98.6 percent of the population in Aceh, Indonesia were Muslims. Despite being the largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is a multi-faith country by the constitution and officially recognizes six religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.

Halal Ingredients Market size was valued at USD 356.37 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 447.98 Billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 3.20% from 2024 to 2031.

Halal Ingredients Market Drivers

Growth of the Global Muslim Population:

Large and Increasing Consumer Base: The Muslim population is projected to reach nearly 3 billion by 2050, representing a substantial and growing consumer base for Halal products.

Rising Disposable Income: Economic growth in many Muslim-majority countries is leading to increased disposable income, allowing consumers to spend more on premium Halal food products.

Increased Demand for Halal Food Products:

Religious Dietary Requirements: Muslims adhere to specific dietary guidelines outlined in Islamic law (Sharia), which necessitates the use of Halal ingredients in food production.

Growing Awareness and Preference: There’s a rising global awareness of Halal food, and even non-Muslim consumers are increasingly seeking Halal products due to perceived quality and ethical sourcing.

Focus on Health and Safety:

Association with Cleanliness: Halal food production emphasizes cleanliness and ethical treatment of animals, which resonates with consumers seeking safe and healthy food options.

Traceability and Transparency: The Halal certification process often involves stricter regulations and traceability systems, potentially offering consumers greater assurance about the ingredients and origin of their food.

Market Expansion and Innovation:

Product Diversification: The Halal food market extends beyond meat products and encompasses a wide range of ingredients like beverages, confectionery, and nutraceuticals. This diversification creates new opportunities for Halal ingredient manufacturers.

Technological Advancements: Innovations in food science and technology are leading to the development of new Halal ingredients and processing methods, catering to evolving consumer preferences.

Other Market Drivers:

Growing Demand for Convenience Foods: The increasing demand for convenient food options is driving the development of ready-to-eat and processed Halal food products that require readily available Halal ingredients.

Islam and Christianity form the two dominant religions in Nigeria. Since colonialism, approximately 90 percent of the Nigerian people identify themselves as Islamic or Christian. The northern region of Nigeria is predominately Islamic, while the southern region is predominately Christian.

Nigeria’s contact with Islam predated that of Christianity and European colonialism; its spread was facilitated into Sub-Saharan Africa through trade and commerce. The northern part of Nigeria is symbolic to the history of Islam, as it penetrated the area through the Kanem-Borno Empire in the 11th century before spreading to other predominately Hausa states. Islam was then introduced into the traditional societies of the Yoruba-speaking people of south-west Nigeria through their established commercial relationship with people of the north, particularly the Nupe and Fulani.

Christianity reached Nigeria in the 15th century with the visitation of Catholic missionaries to the coastal areas of the Niger-Delta region. Christianity soon recorded a boost in the southern region given its opposition to the slave trade and its promotion of Western education.

The distinct religious divide has instigated violence in present-day Nigeria, including the Sharia riot in Kaduna in 2000, ongoing ethno-religious violence in Jos since 2001, and the 2011 post-election violence that erupted in some northern states, particularly in the city of Maiduguri. Nigerians’ continued loyalty to religion compared to that of the country continues to sustain major political debate, conflict, and violent outbreaks between populations of the two faiths.

ISO3-International Organization for Standardization 3-digit country code

NAME-Name of religious institution

TYPE-Type of religious institution

CITY-City religious institution is located in

SPA_ACC-Spatial accuracy of site location 1- high, 2 – medium, 3 - low

SOURCE_DT-Source creation date

SOURCE-Primary source

SOURCE2_DT-Secondary source creation date

SOURCE2-Secondary source

Collection

This HGIS was created using information collected from the web sites GCatholic.org, Islamic Finder, Wikimapia, and BBBike.org, which uses OpenStreetMap, a crowd-source collaboration project that geo-locates sites throughout the world. After collection, all education institutions were geo-located.

The data included herein have not been derived from a registered survey and should be considered approximate unless otherwise defined. While rigorous steps have been taken to ensure the quality of each dataset, DigitalGlobe Analytics is not responsible for the accuracy and completeness of data compiled from outside sources.

Sources (HGIS)

BBBike, "Nigeria." Last modified 2013. Accessed March 19, 2013. http://extract.bbbike.org.

GCatholic.org, "Catholic Churches in Federal Republic of Nigeria." Last modified 2013. Accessed April 4, 2013. http://www.gcatholic.org/.

Islamic Finder, "Nigeria." Last modified 2013. Accessed April 4, 2013. http://islamicfinder.org/.

Olanrewaju, Timothy. The Sun, "oko Haram attacks church in Maiduguri." Last modified 2013. Accessed April 9, 2013. http://sunnewsonline.com/.

Wikimapia, "Nigeria:Mosques/Churches." Last modified 2013. Accessed April 4, 2013. http://wikimapia.org/

World Watch Monitor, "Muslim Threat to Attack Church Raises Tensions." Last modified 2012. Accessed April 9, 2013. http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/.

Sources (Metadata)

Danjibo, N.D. "Islamic Fundamentalism and Sectarian Violence: The "Maitatsine" and "Boko Haram" Crises in Northern Nigeria." manuscript., University of Ibadan, 2010. http://www.ifra-nigeria.org.

Olanrewaju, Timothy. The Sun, "oko Haram attacks church in Maiduguri." Last modified 2013. Accessed April 9, 2013. http://sunnewsonline.com/.

Onapajo, Hakeem. "Politics for God: Religion, Politics, and Conflict in Democratic Nigeria." Journal of Pan African Studies. 4. no. 9 (2012): 42-66. http://web.ebscohost.com (accessed March 26, 2013).

World Watch Monitor, "Muslim Threat to Attack Church Raises Tensions." Last modified 2012. Accessed April 9, 2013. http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/.

This study explores the nature and conceptualisation of mental health and well-being among Indonesians living in an urban environment. Little is known about the nature of mental health and well-being in the everyday living context in developing countries. In Indonesia, as one of the most populous countries and the largest Muslim population in the world, the incidence of mental health problems has increased immensely in the last decade. However, there is a very limited number of studies that incorporate relevant cultural contexts into the understanding of mental health and well-being in Indonesia. This study aims to elucidate the relationship of specific psychosocial factors, as protective and risk factors, to mental health and well-being in the everyday urban living contexts experienced by a growing middle class in Indonesia in the perspective of Keyes' model of mental well-being. The data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analysed using Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological approach.

According to the latest census data, Lakshadweep, the island union territory had the highest share of Muslim population in the country, where 97 percent of its population identified as followers of the Islamic faith. Jammu & Kashmir ranked second at 68 percent during the same time period. With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Islam makes up the highest share among minority faiths in the country.

Middle East and Africa Halal Food & Beverage Market was valued at USD 60 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 110 Billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 7.87% from 2025 to 2032.

Middle East and Africa Halal Food & Beverage Market Drivers

Large and Growing Muslim Population: The MEA region has a large and predominantly Muslim population, for whom Halal certification is a religious requirement for food and beverage consumption. This is the primary driver of the market.
Increasing Religious Observance: There’s a growing trend of religious observance among Muslims in the MEA region, further increasing the demand for Halal-certified products.
Rising Disposable Incomes: Increasing disposable incomes in many MEA countries enable consumers to purchase a wider variety of food and beverage products, including Halal-certified ones.
Growing Awareness of Halal Standards: Consumers are becoming more aware of what Halal certification entails, including not only the permissibility of ingredients but also ethical sourcing and hygiene standards.

Spain has a long history of Islamic tradition under its belt. From cuisine to architecture, the southern European country has been linked to the North of Africa through many common elements. At the end of 2023, there were approximately 2.41 million Muslims in Spain, most of them of Spanish and Moroccan nationality, with upwards of eight hundred thousand believers in both cases. With a Muslim population of more than 660,000 people, Catalonia was home to the largest Muslim community in Spain as of the same date.

The not so Catholic Spain

Believers of a religion other than Catholicism accounted for approximately 3 percent of the Spanish population, according to the most recent data. Although traditionally a Catholic country, Spain saw a decline in the number of believers over the past years. Compared to previous years, when the share of believers accounted for slightly over 70 percent of the Spanish population, the Catholic community lost ground, while still being the major religion for the foreseable future.

A Catholic majority, a practicing minority

Going to mass is no longer a thing in Spain, or so it would seem when looking at the latest statistics about the matter: 50 percent of those who consider themselves Catholics almost never attend any religious service in 2024. The numbers increased until 2019, from 55.5 percent of the population never attending religious services in 2011 to 63.1 percent in 2019. The share of population that stated to be practicing believers and go to mass every Sunday and on the most important holidays accounted for only 15.5 percent.

Abstract

The World Values Survey (www.worldvaluessurvey.org) is a global network of social scientists studying changing values and their impact on social and political life, led by an international team of scholars, with the WVS association and secretariat headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The survey, which started in 1981, seeks to use the most rigorous, high-quality research designs in each country. The WVS consists of nationally representative surveys conducted in almost 100 countries which contain almost 90 percent of the world’s population, using a common questionnaire. The WVS is the largest non-commercial, cross-national, time series investigation of human beliefs and values ever executed, currently including interviews with almost 400,000 respondents. Moreover the WVS is the only academic study covering the full range of global variations, from very poor to very rich countries, in all of the world’s major cultural zones. The WVS seeks to help scientists and policy makers understand changes in the beliefs, values and motivations of people throughout the world. Thousands of political scientists, sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists and economists have used these data to analyze such topics as economic development, democratization, religion, gender equality, social capital, and subjective well-being. These data have also been widely used by government officials, journalists and students, and groups at the World Bank have analyzed the linkages between cultural factors and economic development.

Geographic coverage

This survey covers the Philippines.

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual

Universe

The WVS for the Philippines covers national population, aged 18 years and over, for both sexes.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample size for the Philippines is N=1200 and covers national population, aged 18 years and over, for both sexes.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Some special variable labels have been included, such as: V56 Neighbours: Muslims and V149 Institution: ASEAN. Special categories labels are: V167 Least liked groups: 1 stands for Muslims, 3 for Hard Lined Communists and 7 for Extreme Rightists. V179 Religion has many categories that have been recoded to 8 (Other) except for 4 (protestant) recoded to 2, 7 (Islam) recoded to 5, 19 (Pentecostal) recoded to 11 and 21 (Evangelist) recoded to 10. V203/ V204: Geographical affinity, 3 stands for ‘Philippines’ and 4 stands for ‘Asia’. Country Specific variables included are: V232 Size of the town is missing (but present in printed questionnaire); V208: Ethnic identification: 1. Hispano Filipino, 2. American Filipino 3. Chinese Filipino 4. Japanese Filipino, 5. Filipino then ethnic and 6. Ethnic then Filipino; V209: Language at home. The variables political parties V210 a V212; Ethic group: V 233; Region: V 234 and V235 Interview language are also included as country specific variables.

Sampling error estimates

+/- 2,9%

In 2020, around 98.5 percent of the Iranian population identified as Muslim. Around 81 percent identified as Shia Muslims in the same year, while a much smaller share followed the Sunni Muslim religion. In Iran, most Sunni Muslims belong to ethnic minority groups.

Iran’s demographics
The total population in Iran has grown steadily and is expected to surpass 90 million in 2028. The vast majority of the population in the country was between 15 and 64 years of age. At the same time, the share of people aged above 64 increased in recent years and constituted over seven percent of the total population.

Muslim population worldwide

In Europe, it was estimated that the Muslim population could triple by the middle of the century. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia had the largest share of Muslims as a proportion of its population. On the African continent, the highest number of Muslims was estimated in Nigeria, with close to a hundred million Islam followers. In the United States, less than one percent of the population identified as Muslims.