By Hemant SharmaAlright, ready for an interesting fact? Well, did you know that as much as 24.1% of the total world population is actually Muslim? Yes, that’s true. There are as many as 2 billion Muslim people in the entire world, mainly, they’re in the majority in about 49 countries around the globe. If you always wanted to know where most Muslim people live, well, spoiler alert, it is not the Middle East actually. Nah! So, if that has got you intrigued already and you want to know a little more about all this, just keep on reading this post where we’re going to list down 10 countries with the highest Muslim population in the world as of 2025. Alright, let’s just get to it then.
1. Indonesia
First off, well, with over 242 million Muslims as of 2025, without a single doubt, Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, and for many of you, that may be a little surprising considering you always thought it was some country in the Middle East or something like that. Right? Well, talking about those 242 Million Muslims, well, that’s almost 87% of the whole country/population! The rapid urbanization of cities and changing lifestyles have not made Islam lose its relevance in the daily lives of Indonesians. Just so you know though, the predominance is Sunni, although there are a few smaller groups like Shia and Ahmadiyya.
2. Pakistan
And as you saw it coming from miles away, well yes, Pakistan comes in second, with around 233 million Muslims. Like, that’s over 96% of the entire population! Basically, right here, everyone believes in Allah and the teachings of Islam. Though, only a very few people are of other religions. Most people are Sunni, but there’s also a large Shia group. Just so you know though, the high birth rate of the nation makes its Muslim population grow rapidly, and trials are there to predict it may even cross Indonesia. And surely, down there in Pakistan, every aspect of life in Muslim countries, including laws, education, and government policies, is impacted by Islam.
3. India
India has surpassed China and become the most populated nation in the entire world with a HUGE number of people, more than 1.4 billion people as of 2025. Though, out of those, 1.1 billion are Hindus, but did you know that India has actually the 3rd largest Muslim population too? Like, India has a massive Muslim community, you know, about 200 million people! As a matter of fact, well, Muslims make up only about 14.6% of the total population, but that’s still one of the largest Muslim populations in the world. And sure enough, with kinda a deep history, India is home to all kinds of Islamic traditions, from Sunni and Shia to Sufi groups.
4. Bangladesh
Sure enough, Bangladesh is packed with people, and most of them, you know, around 150 million, are Muslim. That’s about 91% of the country! Most follow Sunni Islam, and despite big improvements in healthcare and education slowing birth rates, Islam is still at the heart of daily life. Like, whether it’s mosques, religious schools, or cultural traditions, faith plays a huge role in Bangladesh, no two ways about that.
5. Nigeria
Alright, so next up, you see, as of 2025, the estimated number of Muslims in Nigeria is between 95 to 97 million, you know, making it home to the largest population of Muslims in the African continent. Nigeria has a split when it comes to religion. Though, keep one thing in mind Islam is most dominant in the north, whilst Christianity is bigger in the south. Around 47-49% of Nigerians are Muslim, and those numbers are on the rise since the birth rate is kinda high. The majority of Muslims in Nigeria are Sunnis with a sizable amount of Sufi Muslims, just saying!
6. Egypt
And then, with approximately 90 to 95 million Muslims, Egypt is actually the most Muslim-populated country in the Arab world. Really? Yes, and in every part of life, including politics, nationalist Islamic movements are emerging in Egypt. Cairo has the Honor of having one of the most famous Muslim Schools, Al Azhar University, just so you know.
7. Iran
Are you aware of the fact that Iran is different from most Muslim countries because nearly all Iranian (around 85 to 86 million) Muslims are Shia down there? Like, here, you see, Islam is not only a religion, it is also a government! Almost all Iranians are Muslim. Most are Shia while other Muslim countries like Pakistan, Iraq, etc. have Muslims who are Sunni.
8. Turkey
And then, well, Turkey’s Muslim population is between 78 to 80 million, around 89 to 98% of the country’s total population. Just so you know though, the majority of the population is Sunni, but there is a large Alevi community as well. What is special about Turkey is that there is separation of religion and state officially, and that’s the best bit about this nation. Still, we’d say that from the call to prayer in Istanbul to family traditions, Islam is everywhere in Turkey.
9. Ethiopia
And 2nd last on the list, well, Ethiopia is unique because it has an almost equal number of Christians and Muslims, really? Well, yes! Muslims will make up 31 to 32% of Ethiopia’s population, says Islam on the rise in Ethiopia report. For those who don’t know yet, you see, Islam has existed in Ethiopia for a long time, dating back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad, whose followers sought refuge there.
10. Algeria
Alright, so last on this list today, you see, Algeria has the largest area in the African nation and will have about 43 to 44 million Muslims in 2025. Like, it is almost the whole nation, you know, 99% Muslim. The majority follow the Sunni version of Islam with traditions that make law, custom, and life Although the government in Algeria is secular, Islam plays an important role in the identity of the country, no doubt about that.
Conclusion
There you have it. As you saw, the South Asian region is heavily concentrated with the Muslim population compared to the rest of the world, right? If you didn’t know all the details we mentioned today, we hope that it was an eye-opening and kinda interesting post for you.