Toronto - Results from a recent Pew Research Center study have found that Muslims are the world’s fastest growing segment of the world’s population, according to a Telegraph report.
Toronto – Results from a recent Pew Research Center study have found that Muslims are the world’s fastest growing segment of the world’s population, according to a Telegraph report.
The Pew study revealed that the world’s population of Muslims will grow by 73 percent between the years 2010-2050. Christians will grow by 35 percent, representing the second fastest growing religion. Generally speaking, the world’s entire population will grow by 37 percent during the same period of time, at the end of which, Muslims will account for 10 percent of Europe’s population.
By the year 2050, the study is predicting that Muslims around the world will number 2.76 billion. The total Christian population will be 2.92 billion. If the trend continues for the subsequent twenty years, Muslims will outnumber Christians by 2070.
One of the reasons for this trend is the fact that Muslims have the highest rate of fertility in the world, at 3.1 children per woman. The Christian average is 2.7 children. The study also found that Islam’s follower base is younger than other religions. This means that Muslims have more child-bearing years ahead of them. The global average of child-bearing women is 27 percent. For Muslims, 34 percent of child-bearing women are under the age of 15, which translates into many child-bearing years ahead for each woman compared to the global average.
The Pew study also disclosed some interesting figures regarding migration to and from Christianity. Approximately 40 million people are predicted to adopt Christianity as their religion of choice during the span from 2010-2050. This is, however, contrasted against the 106 million who are predicted to leave its ranks.
