Muslims the facts.Muslims of the world Islam is considered the fastest growing religion in the world. There are approximately 1.3 million Muslims constituting a fifth of humanity. Most are under 25. (1,2) TOTAL WORLD POPULATION 6.1 billion MAJOR RELIGIONS Christianity 2 billion Islam 1.3 billion Hinduism 900 million Buddhism 360 million * Around 85 per cent of Muslims belong to the majority Sunni sect. The minority Shi'a Muslims are concentrated in Iran and Iraq. (2) * Less than 20 per cent of Muslims are Arabs. Almost half of the world's Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, region of Asia (1990 est. pop. 442,500,000), c.1,740,000 sq mi (4,506,600 sq km), bounded roughly by the Indian subcontinent on the west, China on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. . (2) Sizeable Muslim communities There are also sizeable Muslim communities in the following countries. (1,3) * The US has an estimated 5.7 million Muslims--roughly equal to its Jewish population * France has an estimated 3 million * Germany has an estimated 2.5 million * The UK has an estimated 1.5 million * Canada has an estimated 0.5 a million * Australia has an estimated 200,000 World's most Muslim nations The populations of the following countries are almost entirely Muslim. That is, about 99.5% or more of the native populations, and nearly all of the foreign workers foreign workers Those who work in a foreign country without initially intending to settle there and without the benefits of citizenship in the host country. Some are recruited to supplement the workforce of a host country for a limited term or to provide skills on a , are Muslim. (3) BAHRAIN COMOROS KUWAIT MALDIVES MAURITANIA MOYOTTE MOROCCO OMAN QATAR SOMALIA SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia (sä  `dē ərā`bēə, sou`–, sô–), officially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, kingdom (2005 est. pop.
TUNISIA UNITED ARAB Arab (ā`răb), in the Bible, hill town of S ancient Palestine, near Hebron. Arab Any member of the Arabic-speaking peoples native to the Middle East and North Africa. EMIRATES WESTERN SAHARA Western Sahara, territory (2005 est. pop. 273,000), 102,703 sq mi (266,000 sq km), NW Africa, occupied by Morocco. It borders on the Atlantic Ocean in the west, on Morocco in the north, on Algeria in the northeast, and on Mauritania in the east and south. YEMEN Christianity 33% Islam 22% Hindu 15% Non-religious 14% Buddhism 6% Chinese traditional 4% Primal-indigenous 3% Other 3% Note: Table made from pie chart Largest national Muslim populations (3) Country Number of Muslims Indonesia 170,310,000 Pakistan 136,000,000 Bangladesh 106,050,000 India 103,000,000 Turkey 62,410,000 Iran 60,790000 Egypt 53,730,000 Nigeria 47,720,000 China 37,108,000 RELATED ARTICLE: Hot spots hot spots acute moist dermatitis. SUDAN Fighting continues between the Southern Sudan Southern Sudan is a region of Sudan, comprising ten of that country's provinces. The Sudanese government agreed to give autonomy to the region in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement[1] Liberation Movement A liberation movement is a group organizing a rebellion against a colonial power (Anti-imperialism) or seeking separation from a state for parts of the population that feel suppressed by the majority. and the Government of Sudan. US hostility towards Sudan's Islamist regime, which it accuses of sponsoring terrorism, resulted in a US missile attack on a Khartoum-based pharmaceutical factory in 1998. SAUDI ARABIA The presence of US troops near the holy areas is a constant source of grievance for many Saudis. Unrest and resentment against the Royal family are growing, as is the potential for political upheaval. PALESTINE During the 1967 war, Israel occupied the remaining territory of Palestine. Since then various Palestinian groups have been fighting for an independent state. The current high level of violence threatens to tip the entire region into war. IRAN Iran may be giving refuge to Osama bin Ladin's associates and trying to destabilize de·sta·bi·lize tr.v. de·sta·bi·lized, de·sta·bi·liz·ing, de·sta·bi·liz·es 1. To upset the stability or smooth functioning of: Afghanistan, claims the US. After Iraq, the US may take its 'war on terrorism' to Iran. SOMALIA Allegedly one of the former homes of Osama bin Laden Osama bin Laden: see bin Laden, Osama. and his terrorist network. If the US thinks that they are regrouping here, Somalia could follow Afghanistan as the next reluctant host of 'war on terrorism'. IRAQ A US war on Iraq has been declared as 'inevitable' by President Bush who has identified the country as part of an 'axis of evil' that includes North Korea and Iran. The US claims the country is amassing 'weapons of mass destruction'. PAKISTAN The frontline state in the 'war against terrorism' is vulnerable to an extremist backlash. KASHMIR For the past decade, India has been trying to quell quell tr.v. quelled, quell·ing, quells 1. To put down forcibly; suppress: Police quelled the riot. 2. a rebellion in the province which it blames Pakistan for instigating. Many believe the overwhelmingly Muslim province should have become part of Pakistan not India after partition in 1947. AFGHANISTAN The Taliban may have been dethroned but Afghanistan is still far from stable. Infighting in·fight·ing n. 1. Contentious rivalry or disagreement among members of a group or organization: infighting on the President's staff. 2. Fighting or boxing at close range. amongst tribal leaders could lead to destabilization de·sta·bi·lize tr.v. de·sta·bi·lized, de·sta·bi·liz·ing, de·sta·bi·liz·es 1. To upset the stability or smooth functioning of: and return to pre-Taliban anarchy. PHILIPPINES The US is giving military support to the Filipino Government in its fight against Muslim militants who want an independent Muslim state on the island of Mindanso. Since the 1960s Muslims have complained of discrimination against them by the country's ruling Catholics. Refugees The majority of the world's estimated 12 million refugees are Muslim. And most of them take refuge in other Muslim countries. (4) Top three refugee host countries PAKISTAN shelters: 2.0 million IRAN shelters: 1.9 million GERMANY shelters: 0.9 million Sources: 1 Statistical, Economic and social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRTCIC SESRTCIC Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries ). Ankara, Turkey. 2 National Geographic Magazine The National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to National Geographic, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded. , January 2002. 3 www.adherents.com (an independent non-affiliated website of 4.200 religions and their membership throughout the world, information updated in January 20001. 4 united Nations High Commission for Refugees. Refugees by Numbers 2001 Edition, www.unhcr.ch
Origin of Major Refugee Population in 2000 (4)
Country of Origin Main countries of asylum Refugees
Afghanistan Pakistan/Iran 3,580,400
Burundi Tanzania 568,000
Iraq Iran 512,800
Sudan Uganda & African 490,000
neighbours
In addition an estimated 3.8 million Palestinians are refugees.
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