Muslims in Europe: Country-wise population and percentage

Islam is not a new religion for Europe. For over a 1,000 years Muslims have been living in different parts of Europe. During the Ottoman-era Muslims settled in different regions that were spread across Albania, Bulgaria and Austria. In neighbouring countries in Caucasus, Muslims have a strong presence.

But Muslims appeared on the European street in mid-20th century. Later due to immigration from Turkey, North Africa and Asian countries like India, Pakistan & Bangladesh, the percentage of Muslims grew fast after 1980s.
Following is the list of European countries and their estimated 2010 Muslim Population with the percentage of population which professes Islam.

Cities like Belgium's capital Brussels, Malmo Stockholm [Sweden], Amsterdam [Holland], Cologne [Germany], Utrecht and Rotterdam [also Holland], Hague, Denmark's Copenhagen, London, Birmigham, Bradford, Leicester, Luton [UK] have 10-20% Muslim population.

The percentage may be higher in Rotterdam, Malmo, Amsterdam, Brussels and Marseilles where Muslims constitute20-30%. In Paris Muslims are almost 10% but Paris being a metropolitan city, their population is too high. Moscow also has an estimated 20% Muslim citizens.

Muslim countries in Europe

Europe has three Muslim majority nations: Albania [70% Muslim], Bosnia Herzegovina [50%] and Kosova [90%]. Among other countries with large Muslim population is Macedonia [33%], Montenegro [17%], Bulgaria [15%], Cyprus [22%], Georgia [12%] and Russia [12%]. Turkey is considerd in Asian country. Some breakway republics of former USSR including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan are also Muslim dominated countries but are closer to Asian countries though some consider them as European nations.

For population of Muslims in other countries of Europe. See the table below:

Country Muslim Population Percentage

Austria 475,000 5.7

Belgium 638,000 6.0

Denmark 226,000 4.1

Finland 42,000 0.8

France 3,574,000 5.7

Germany 4,119,000 5.0

Greece 527,000 4.7

Ireland 43,000 0.9

Italy 1,583,000 2.6

Luxembourg 13,000 2.7

Netherlands 914,000 5.5

Norway 144,000 3.0

Portugal 22,000 0.2

Spain 1,021,000 2.3

Sweden 451,000 4.9

Switzerland 433,000 5.7

United Kingdom 2,869,000 4.6

Total: 17,094,000 [17 million]

The rise in Muslim population is not as fast and as dramatic as it is projected. The growth in Muslim population was due to immigration and larger families [more children] but recently the birth rate has fallen among Muslims and their population is not increasing as speedily as right-wing parties, politicians and press claim.

All European countries' figures are not mentioned in the above list.

Another link for Muslim Population in European Cities

Source: Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life • Forthcoming Pew Forum Report, 2010 Website link

Muslim majority district in North India

Apart from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), there is no state in North India that has over 20% Muslim population.

But the lone Muslim-majority district exists not in UP, which has a strong Muslim concentration in Oudh and Rohailkhand. Instead, the district is located in Haryana. Mewat that has a population of nearly 1 million or 9.9 lakh has over 70% Muslims.

Though Haryana has just 6% Muslims, the Mewat region has a predominant Muslim population. In the year 2005, Mewat was constituted as the 21st district of the state. Earlier it was part of the Gurgaon district, which is close to Delhi.

Mewat is populated by Meos (Mev) who for centuries remained Muslims but also followed Hindu practices. This area was a battle field between Shuddhi movement workers and the Tablighi Jamaat activists before and after independence.

While Uttar Pradesh has around 19% Muslims followed by Bihar (17%), Rajasthan (8%), Madhya Pradesh (7%), Delhi (12%), the lone district that has such a large Muslim population exists in Haryana. UP's Rampur has also nearly 50% Muslims.

Bihar's Kishanganj has even higher percentage but geographically it lies in Eastern India, on the border of West Bengal state. Mewat has been a backward region and educational levels are low here. Efforts are on to improve literacy rate in this district.

Indian cities with highest Muslim population: Population and percentage in major Indian cities, metros and towns

The distribution of Muslim population in India is a unique demographic phenomenon.

Though Muslims form nearly 14% of India's vast population, they are a highly urbanized religious community.

Scattered across the length and breadth of country, Muslims are present in large numbers in North, the Indo-Gangetic belt, Eastern region and parts of South India.

Among big Indian cities, the highest Muslim percentage is in Hyderabad (40%). If State capitals are included then, Sri Nagar (90%), Bhopal (35%) and Lucknow (30%) also have a predominantly Muslim character.

In Kerala, Kozhikode which was earlier known as Calicut also has more than 35% Muslim population. Maharashtra's Aurangabad has over 40% Muslim concentration.

Muslim population in Metro Cities

When we talk of metros, Mumbai has the highest percentage (22%), followed by Kolkata (21%) and Delhi (around 15%). Bangalore (Bengaluru)  has 14% Muslims. Chennai has slightly less Muslim population at around 10%.

If middle-level cities are  included in the list, then the list will go far. Aligarh has 40% Muslim population. Meerut has around 32% Muslims. Kanpur and Allahabad have around 22-25% Muslim presence. Varanasi is also close.

Some of the cities with nearly 30% Muslims include Karnataka's Bidar, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad, Maharashtra's Parbhani, Nanded, Nalanda (Bihar), Bhagalpur and Firozabad. There are many such cities in different states of India.

Muslim majority Cities

In cities with population between 0.5-1 million (5-10 lakh), some cities have a clear Muslim majority. They include Moradabad, Malegaon and Bhiwandi.

In Cities that have a population between 1,00,000 to 5,00,000, the number of such cities is even more. There are dozens of such cities from Rampur to Mau in UP, Burhanpur in MP. There are many cities and towns under 1 lakh population that have a clear Muslim majority population (over 50%).

Dearborn: Muslim-dominated City in America

America may still not have a large Muslim population but there are cities and towns where Muslims comprise a sizeable chunk of population.

Dearborn is one such city that has nearly 40% Muslim population and this is growing fast.

Dearborn, which is located in Michigan state, is part of Detroit metropolitan area.

It has one of the highest concentration of Muslims among cities in the country.

Arabs, particularly, Lebanese Muslims form a majority among the immigrant community.

The City has a population of 1,00,000. It also boasts of the biggest mosque in United States of America (USA). It is in the Islamic Centre built here recently.

Dearborn also has a historic mosque that was built in 1937. Among Muslims, Shias also have a strong numerical presence.

Muslim Population in India: Percentage in States and Metropolitan Cities

India ranks second in terms of Muslim population in the world. 

Muslims are in majority in Jammu & Kashmir state and Lakshadwip. 

They comprise around 33% in Assam, 25% in West Bengal and 24% in Kerala.

For almost a thousand years Muslim kings ruled India but the population of Muslims is most in regions where the Mughals and other Muslims kings had no influence. 

Kerala and Assam are such states. Uttar Pradesh (19%) and Bihar (16%) also have large Muslim population.

In States, highest population of Muslims is in Uttar Pradesh or UP that has 35 million or 3.5 crore Muslims. 

Bihar is second. Maharashtra has more than 10 million Muslims. 6arnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand have strong presence of Muslims. 

In percentage terms Kashmir has 70% Muslims.

Mumbai has 25 lakh or 2.5 million Muslims while Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad have more than one million Muslims each. 

In states Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa and Chhattisgarh have relatively less Muslim population but in  cities in all these states also the mosques and madarsas are a common sight.