Five Statistical Points About the Muslim Population in Europe

The recent "terrorist attacks" in Paris and the widespread influx of refugees into Europe in recent months have once again highlighted the issue of Muslims residing in Europe. In many European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, concerns about the increasing number of Muslims have led some political groups and parts of the population in these countries to call for preventing the entry of Muslim migrants and controlling this demographic change in Europe. But what is the extent of the Muslim population in Europe and how quickly is it growing? This report by Baktash Khamsehpour presents five important statistical points regarding the Muslim population in European countries and the growth rate of this population based on the latest census results and research from the Pew Research Center. 1) Germany and France have the largest Muslim populations among EU member states. According to 2010 statistics, about 4.8 million Muslims live in Germany, which is equivalent to 5.8% of the country's population. In France, the number of Muslims is about 4.7 million, or 7.5% of the population. However, across the entire continent of Europe, Russia ranks first with about 14 million Muslims, making up 10% of its population. 2) The percentage of Muslims residing in Europe has been steadily increasing over recent decades. For example, between 1990 and 2010, the Muslim population in Europe increased by about one percent, reaching four percent. It is expected that this upward trend in the percentage of Muslims in the populations of European countries will continue until 2030, reaching about eight percent. 3) Muslims are younger than other populations in Europe. According to 2010 statistics, the average age of Muslims residing in Europe is about 32 years, which is eight years younger than the average age of the total European population, which is 40 years. The average age of that segment of the European population that identifies as non-religious, atheist, or skeptical is about 38 years, while the average age of Christian Europeans is about 42 years. 4) European views towards Muslims vary across different countries. The Pew Research Center reported in a survey conducted last spring that the majority of the populations in the UK, Germany, and France have a positive view of Muslims. In Spain, positive and negative views towards Muslims are almost equal, while in countries like Italy, Poland, and Greece, the majority of the population has a negative view of Muslims. European attitudes towards Muslims largely depend on their political views. For example, in Germany, about 47% of right-wing individuals have a negative view of Muslims, while this figure is around 20% among leftists. In other countries like Italy, France, and Greece, the negative views of right-wing individuals towards Muslims are 20% higher than those of leftists. This difference is also very noticeable in the UK and Spain. 5) According to 2010 statistics, about 13 million Muslim migrants live in EU countries. In Germany, the majority of Muslims who were not born in the country are of Turkish descent, with some coming from Kosovo, Iraq, Bosnia, and Morocco. In France, the majority of the three million Muslims who were not born in the country are citizens of its former colonies, particularly Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Pew Research Center, established in 2004 and based in Washington, is a nonpartisan American think tank that provides information on social trends, public opinion, and demographic statistics. Surveys, demographic research, media content analysis, and other empirical social science research are among the other work of this nonprofit organization affiliated with the Pew Charitable Trusts.