Muslimmajority

Muslim-majority is a demographic descriptor for populations where Muslims constitute more than half of the people. It is used in reference to countries, regions, or subnational areas and is important for studies of religion, society, and politics.

Muslim-majority regions are concentrated in several geographic zones, including North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia. The largest Muslim-majority country by population is Indonesia; other large Muslim-majority states include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Some countries have regional Muslim majorities or are mixed federations where certain states or provinces have Muslim majorities even if the national population is more diverse.

Governance and law: In some Muslim-majority countries Islam plays a central role in government or law, including the application of Islamic jurisprudence (sharia). In other cases, constitutions guarantee freedom of religion and separate religion from the state, and Muslims share political life with adherents of other faiths.

Demography and data: Population shares are dynamic, influenced by birth rates, migration, and religious identification. Statistics on religious affiliation are not collected in the same way everywhere, making comparisons challenging.

Related topics include Islam by country and the Demographics of Islam.