BAY:Datta Nighut
Islam is the world's second-largest religion, with over 1.8 billion followers. The majority of Muslims live in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. However, there are also significant Muslim populations in other parts of the world, such as Europe, China, and the United States.
This Web Story will take you on a visual journey to some countries with the highest Muslim populations.
The U.S. government estimates the total population at 4.2 million (midyear 2022). According to Mauritanian government estimates, Sunni Muslims constitute approximately 99 percent of the population.
Maldives. The population of the Maldives is 100 percent Muslim. Islam is the country's state religion, and citizens are legally required to follow it.
Today Islam is a prominent religion in both Gaza and the West Bank. Most of the population in the State of Palestine are Muslims (85% in the West Bank and 99% in the Gaza Strip).
The U.S. government estimates the total population at 36.7 million (midyear 2022). More than 99 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim, and less than 0.1 percent of the population is Shia Muslim. Groups comprising less than 1 percent of the population include Christians, Jews, and Baha'is.
The U.S. government estimates the total population at 30.4 million (midyear 2021). More than 99 percent of the population is Muslim (2010 estimate), associating their beliefs with either the Shafi'i order of Sunni Islam or Zaydi Islam, a distinct form of Shia Islam.
The Federal Government of Somalia estimates the population to be at least 15.7 million. According to the Federal Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, more than 99 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim.
Islam is the official state religion of Afghanistan, with approximately 99.7% of the Afghan population being Muslim. Roughly 90% practice Sunni Islam, while around 10% are Shias. Most Shias belong to the Twelver branch and only a smaller number follow Ismailism. 38,200,000 (2022 est.)
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.
The U.S. government estimates the total population at 11.8 million (midyear 2021), of which approximately 99 percent is Sunni Muslim. Christians, Jews, Shia Muslims, Baha'is, and nonbelievers constitute less than 1 percent of the population.
The countries with the highest Muslim populations are home to a rich and diverse culture. From the bustling streets of Cairo to the tranquil mosques of Istanbul, there is something for everyone in these amazing countries.