Islam identified as fastest-growing religion globally, report finds

Islam was the fastest-growing major religion worldwide between 2010 and 2020, according to a new report released Monday by the Pew Research Center. The global Muslim population surged by 347 million over the decade, underscoring Islam’s accelerating demographic momentum.

The report, titled “How the Global Religious Landscape Changed From 2010 to 2020,” is part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project and examines the shifting religious composition of the global population using a wide range of demographic data and national surveys.

Researchers attributed Islam’s growth primarily to the religion’s youthful demographic profile and high fertility rates. Although growth rates varied by region, North America experienced a particularly sharp increase—up 52% over the decade—reaching 5.9 million Muslims in 2020.

Globally, one-third of all Muslims reside in just three countries: Indonesia, Pakistan, and India. Indonesia remained home to the largest Muslim population in the world, with around 240 million adherents as of 2020.

The study analyzed trends across seven major religious groups: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, people affiliated with other religions, and those who are religiously unaffiliated.

Despite Islam’s rapid growth, Christianity remained the largest religion in the world in 2020. Muslims, however, not only ranked as the second-largest group but also registered the most rapid expansion.

By contrast, Buddhists were the only major religious group to experience a global decline in absolute numbers, decreasing by 19 million over the same period. The Jewish population, meanwhile, grew slowly and exhibited an aging demographic structure, suggesting a possible future decline.

The Pew report provides new insights into the ways in which global religious affiliations are shifting, offering a foundation for understanding the future of faith and its influence on societies worldwide.