Rise of Non-Religious Population and Growth of Muslim Communities in Europe, Pew Report Shows
Rise of Non-Religious Population and Growth of Muslim Communities in Europe, Pew Report Shows
—————————————–
A new report by the Pew Research Center on global religious trends highlights a significant decline in Europe’s Christian population and a significant rise in the number of people identifying as non-religious, while the Muslim population has shown a remarkable growth.
More details in the following report:
The report underscores a significant decline in Europe’s Christian population and a significant 37% growth in the number of people identifying as non-religious. In contrast, the number of Muslims in Europe has continued to grow due to migration and higher birth rates.
According to the report — published in June 2025 — Europe experienced major shifts in its religious landscape between 2010 and 2020. Pew, recognized as one of the world’s leading research institutions for comparative data, found that the continent’s Christian population dropped by 9%, while the non-religious population surged.
Out of Europe’s roughly 753 million inhabitants in 2020, only two-thirds identified as Christian, while one-quarter reported having no religious affiliation.
The non-religious population reached 190 million people — a 37% increase compared to 2010.
Meanwhile, Europe’s Muslim population rose to 46 million, marking a 16% increase over the same decade. The report attributes much of this growth to migration from Muslim-majority countries such as Syria and Iraq.
Migration-friendly policies in countries like Sweden and Germany significantly contributed to the trend. Muslims now make up 8% of Sweden’s population, up from 4%, and 7% of Germany’s, up from 6%.
The report adds that Christians no longer form a majority in the United Kingdom and France, while the Netherlands has become a country where non-religious citizens form the majority.
In the UK, Christians have fallen below half of the population, while 40% of people now identify as non-religious.
Pew also estimates the average age of Muslims in Europe at around 34 — younger than all other major religious groups.
Researchers say these shifts reflect deep cultural transformations across Europe that could significantly influence politics, education, and collective identity in the decades ahead.
