It’s illegal in France to do a headcount based on race or religion, so somebody else had to do it.
A report from an American think-tank has estimated 1.57 billion Muslims populate the world – with 60% in Asia. The report, by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, took three years to compile, with census data from 232 countries and territories.
According to these data, Germany is home to more than 4 million Muslims, more than any other country in western Europe. France has roughly 3.5 million Muslims, but they represent a higher percentage of the total population than in Germany (6% vs. 5%). In the Netherlands the percentage is 5.7, in the United Kingdom 2.7.
The total European Muslim population is 38 million, of which 16 million live in Russia. On a world scale, 23% of all earthlings are Muslim.
I’m a fan of your website. I must nonetheless correct your affirmation that it’s illegal in France to make a headcount about religion. Actually it can be done under some conditions :
It must be accepted by the CNIL (commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés).
And of course it must be accepted by the people who’re concerned.
You can read a study by INED (institut national des études démographiques) about religion and families.
It’s here : http://www.ined.fr/fichier/t_publication/1366/publi_pdf1_447.pdf
Thanks – I stand corrected!