Muslim population growth

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Fastest Growing Religion. (Discuss)

Data for the rates of growth of Islam reveal that the growing number of Muslims is due primarily to immigration (in the West) and higher birth rates (worldwide).^[1]

In 2006, countries with a Muslim majority had an average population growth rate of 1.8% per year (when weighted by percentage Muslim and population size).^[2] This compares with a world population growth rate of 1.12% per year.^[3]

According to the "Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life"^[4]

“

Islam is already the fastest-growing religion in Europe. Driven by immigration and high birthrates, the number of Muslims on the continent has tripled in the last 30 years. Most demographers forecast a similar or even higher rate of growth in the coming decades.

”

According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the World Christian Database as of 2007 estimated the six fastest growing religions of the world to be Islam (1.84%), the Bahá'í Faith (1.7%), Sikhism (1.62%), Jainism (1.57%), Hinduism (1.52%), and Christianity (1.32%). High birth rates were cited as the reason for the growth.^[5]

Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiles the Vatican's yearbook, said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano that "For the first time in history, we are no longer at the top: Muslims have overtaken us," He said that Catholics accounted for 17.4 percent of the world population -- a stable percentage -- while Muslims were at 19.2 percent. "It is true that while Muslim families, as is well known, continue to make a lot of children, Christian ones on the contrary tend to have fewer and fewer," the monsignor said.^[6]

[edit] Conversion

There are also many unreliable claims and rumours, especially for conversion rates, that often spread as urban legends. Data on conversion rates are hard to verify.

For example, it has been claimed by the New York Times that 25% of American Muslims are converts to Islam.^[7]. In Britain, there are also claims that around 10,000 - 20,000 people convert to Islam per year, and research suggests that the majority of these are women.^[8] However, both Christian and Muslim sources can be found that agree that conversions to Christianity outnumber those to Islam.^[9] ^[10]