Shia Muslims make 10 to 13% of all Muslims worldwide and most of them live in these 11 countries with highest Shia population.
Shia and Sunni are two major Islam denominations. They believe in Allah, follow the holy book Qur’an and see Muhammad as their Prophet. The things that set them apart are some ways of practicing the faith and views on some historical events in Islam.
Shia group was formed not long after the Prophet Muhammad died and their only difference was their political views. Their name means “party”, as in “party of Ali”. The reason for their confrontation with the majority of Muslims was a question of who will succeed Prophet Muhammad after his death. When Prophet Muhammad died his most loyal and closest associates gathered to decide who will become a Caliph, new leader of Muslims. Through voting, it was decided that the role should go to Prophet Mohammad’s father in law and his closest friend, Abu Bakr. This was accepted to keep the unity of the Muslims.
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The group of Muslims, that will later be known as Shia, thought that Prophet Muhammad should be succeeded by his closest living male relative and first cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib. Ali ibn Abi Talib did succeed Prophet Muhammad as last of the Four Caliphs, 25 years later after the murder of third Caliph, Uthman. As years went by, a number of other differences emerged between Shia and Sunni like separate collections of hadiths and interpretation of ayahs. Today, the Shia-Sunni split is one of the reasons behind conflicts that rage throughout the Middle East.
Between 68% and 80% of the Shia population live in four countries: Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, and India. There are many sub-groups of Shias, but most important ones are Twelvers, Ismailis, and Zaidis, with the first one being the largest. If you are more interested in Catholic population, check 11 Countries with Highest Catholic Population.
To determine 11 countries with highest Shia population, we used research that was conducted by PEW Research Center in 2009.
11. Nigeria
Shia population: Less than 4 million
Shia Muslims in Nigeria make less than 2% of all Shia population in the world. When it comes to Nigerian overall population of Muslims, 5% of them are Shia. This is the only African country on our list.
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10. Saudi Arabia
Shia population: 2 – 4 million
Country from which Islam originated has 10-15% of a Muslim population that belongs to Shia denomination. That is 1-2% of the Shia population worldwide.
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9. Syria
Shia population: 3 – 4 million
This war-torn country contains some 2% of all Shia population worldwide. Inside Syria, Shia represent 15 – 20% of Muslim population.
8. Afghanistan
Shia population: 3 – 4 million
In Afghanistan 10 – 15% of Muslim population declares themselves as Shia.
7. Azerbaijan
Shia population: 5 – 7 million
Azerbaijan is one of the three countries on our list where Shia is a majority group. 65 – 75% of Muslim residents in Azerbaijan are Shia, which represents 3 – 4% of world’s Shia population.
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6. Yemen
Shia population: 8 – 10 million
There is a large number of Shia in Yemen as well, where they consist 35-40% of the Muslim population.
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5. Turkey
Shia population: 7 – 11 million
Between 4 and 6% of world’s population of Shia is located in Turkey, the only country that is at least partially European among 11 countries with highest Shia population.
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4. Iraq
Shia population: 19 -22 million
In Iraq, Shias are majority group as well. They are 65 – 70% of all Iraqi Muslim population and 11 – 12% Shia worldwide.
Number of Shia population: 19 -22 million
3. India
Shia population: 16 – 24 million
India is a home of 9 – 14% of all Shia population in the world. Percentage wise, that isn’t much, but when you account for the country’s large population, it quickly becomes a large number.
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2. Pakistan
Shia population: 17 – 26 million
Pakistan participates with a similar percentage of Shia Muslim to its neighbor India, with Shia Muslims making 10 – 15% of all Muslims in Pakistan.
1. Iran
Shia population: 66-70 million
With close to 70 million Shias, Iran is well ahead on our 11 countries with highest Shia population list. Iran is considered the center of Shia Islam and all the important Shia scholars are located there. Shia Muslims consist 90 – 95% of all Muslim population in Iran, and 37 – 40% of world’s Shia population is located in Iran.
