The Muslim population worldwide has been experiencing rapid growth and is expected to continue this upward trend. While Christianity currently holds the title for the largest religious group, Islam is quickly closing the gap. Research indicates that Islam is the fastest-growing religion, and by 2070, the number of Muslims is expected to surpass the Christian population globally.
Currently, Indonesia has the largest Muslim population, but this is set to change in the next few decades. India, which has a significant Muslim community, is projected to overtake Indonesia by 2025, becoming the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
Muslim Population Statistics – Current and Projected
According to a Pew Research Center report, Muslims make up about 25% of the total global population, which translates to approximately 1.9 billion people. This makes Islam the second-largest religion worldwide, after Christianity.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to the majority of the Muslim population, with nearly 62% of Muslims living in this part of the world. This region includes countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, and India, where Muslim communities are growing rapidly.
Indonesia’s Decline as the Leading Muslim Population
At present, Indonesia holds the title for the largest Muslim population, accounting for around 12.7% of the global Muslim population. However, by 2050, India will take the lead, with the Muslim population in India expected to exceed 300 million. Although India will have the largest Muslim population, Hindus will remain the majority in the country.
Following Indonesia, countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria also have large Muslim populations. However, by 2050, Pakistan and Indonesia will be surpassed by India in terms of the number of Muslims.
Current Muslim Population in India
As of the 2011 Census, India had around 17.22 crore (172 million) Muslims. Given the growth trends, the current Muslim population in India is likely to have surpassed 20 crore. In 2023, Smriti Irani, the then Minister of Minority Affairs, noted that the Muslim population in India would rise from 17.2 crore (as per the 2011 Census) to approximately 19.7 crore by 2023.
Projected Muslim Population in India by 2050
Looking ahead to 2050, the Muslim population in India is projected to exceed 31 crore (310 million). This would make India the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, surpassing Indonesia and Pakistan. Currently, Muslims make up about 14.2% of India’s population, but by 2050, this figure is expected to rise to 18.4%.
Despite this growth, Hindus will remain the majority population in India, as the Hindu community is also expected to grow significantly in the coming decades.
The global Muslim population continues to rise, and India’s role as the new leader in Muslim population size is an indication of the significant demographic shifts that will take place in the near future.