Islam grows fastest as global religious landscape shifts

Islam grows fastest as global religious landscape shifts

Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center, which analyzed over 2,700 censuses and surveys from 201 countries and territories between 2010 and 2020.

The study found that Muslims now make up 25.6% of the global population, second only to Christians at 28.8%. However, Christianity’s share has declined from 30.6% in 2010, driven by aging populations, low fertility rates, and increasing numbers of people leaving the faith.

In contrast, Islam’s growth—nearly 2% annually—is largely due to high birth rates and a younger age profile among Muslims, not religious conversions.
The study also noted a major demographic shift, with more Christians now living in sub-Saharan Africa than in Europe, signaling a geographic realignment of Christian populations.

Meanwhile, the share of people identifying as religiously unaffiliated—atheists, agnostics, and others—has surged to 24.2%, up from 16% a decade ago, making them the third-largest group.

Hinduism remains stable at 14.9%, with the vast majority of Hindus residing in India. Buddhism saw a decline to 4.1% due to falling birth rates in East Asia. Jews, accounting for just 0.2% of the global population, showed minimal growth, mainly concentrated in the U.S. and Israel.