Pew Research Center: Muslim population in Europe will soar in the coming decades

Islam is Europe’s second-largest religion. Muslims are a minority group in most of the European countries. They represent around 5% of the total population of Europe.

Islam is Europe’s second-largest religion. Muslims are a minority group in most of the European countries. They represent around 5% of the total population of Europe. However, according to projections by Pew Research Center, the Muslim population of the continent will soar in the coming decades. By 2050, it could account for roughly 11.2% of the total European population. According to projections, even if immigration is completely banned, Muslims would still represent a significant 7.4% of the European population in 2050. 

While Islam has a relatively recent history in the countries of Western Europe, it has a long history in the Balkans region of the continent. Islam first arrived in southern Europe in the 8th to 10th centuries via the invaders from North Africa. 

According to the Pew Research Center, the top five countries with the greatest share of Muslims in their population are all from the Balkans region. Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia rank the highest with 93.8%, 80.3%, and 45.2% of the total population being Muslim respectively. 

Among the Western European countries, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium had the greatest share of Muslims in their population in 2010 at 7.5%, 6%, and 5.9% respectively.