In this piece, we will be looking at 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World. If you wish to skip on our detailed discussion on Christianity’s spread across the globe, you can go directly to 5 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
Christianity is holding down the fort as the biggest game in the world, making up around 31% of the global population, which is like north of 2 billion folks. While there was a bit of a dip from 1900 to 2000, it looks like by 2050, the Christian crew will be up to about 34.4%, hitting the 3 billion mark.
Relatedly, the worldwide religion market is on the rise. It went from $326.00 billion in 2021 to about $351.33 billion in 2022, rocking a solid growth rate of 7.8%. People having more money to spare is a big boost for this market. When the economy’s doing well, folks have some extra cash to donate and chip in for charity gigs. Now, religious groups are getting savvy with tech, using it to amp up their social game. Take Goodlands, for example. These newbies are using fancy geo-data to map out Catholic Church lands all around the globe. They’re going all out with this geographic information system (GIS) software, creating cool maps that show the church’s boundaries and loads of extra details. It’s all about finding fresh ways to put these assets to good use for the community. Moreover, businesses with some faith-boosted vibes are tossing around a cool $437 billion into the US economy every year.
Now, when we talk about the branches of Christianity, Roman Catholicism is the big cheese. The Vatican, where the Catholic Church is all official-like, is actually sitting pretty as the 18th richest country in the world per person. And hey, we’ve got quite a few Christian-heavy countries out there – Italy and the Democratic Republic of Congo are among the big hitters in the top 10 Christian nations club. And when you factor in all the other ways that religion chips in, the United States is looking at a sweet $1.2 trillion in socio-economic value annually. In the good old USA, Christianity rules the roost with about 70% of the folks following that path.
Companies like Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) have definitely shown their religious side. Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) used to hand out prayer cards with Bible verses to all passengers, but they hit the brakes on that to be more inclusive of everybody’s beliefs.
Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN), a major player in the food processing industry, is known for its emphasis on aligning corporate values with employee beliefs. John Tyson, the founder of Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), isn’t shy about his Christian beliefs, and the company’s all about sticking to that “strive to honor God” motto. And get this – since 2000, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) has brought on board about 120 office priests to give their crew some top-notch pastoral care.
With this let’s now move on to our list of 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
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Methodology
Here’s the scoop on how we put together our list of the 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World. We checked out data from the World Factbook and other sources for the latest religious stats as of 2024. After crunching the numbers for both Muslim and Christian populations in each country, we zeroed in on the places with the highest Christian headcounts. Plus, we made sure these countries were the real deal “Muslim” nations, with most clocking in above the 10 million mark for Muslim population.
With this, let’s now run through our list of 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
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15. Senegal
Number of Muslim Population: 17,400,000
Number of Christian Population: 570,000
So, in Senegal, the 14th country on our list of 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World, the U.S. government figures show that around 96 percent of the population are Muslims, while about 3-4% are Christian. The Christian community includes Catholics, Protestants, and folks mixing Christian practices with traditional beliefs. Most Christians reside in the western and southern towns. It’s cool to hear that both Muslim and Christian groups have a history of getting along well, showing mutual respect. Moreover, it’s common to find interreligious families in the country where members follow different faiths, and they live peacefully side by side.
14. Albania
Number of Muslim Population: 1,800,000
Number of Christian Population: 580,000
One of the Muslim-majority countries with a large Christian population, Albania has a pretty cool vibe of religious diversity and peaceful coexistence. People of different faiths mingle in all aspects of life there. During religious holidays, folks exchange greetings and even interfaith marriages happen quite naturally because of this harmonious atmosphere.
In the capital city, like Tirana for instance, you’ll find religious sites like the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral chilling together around Skanderbeg Square. They welcome worshippers anytime, creating a vibe of mutual respect and harmony.
13. Uzbekistan
Number of Muslim Population: 29,900,000
Number of Christian Population: 710,000
So, in one of the Muslim-majority countries with a significant Christian community, Uzbekistan, there’s an interesting mix of religious demographics. About 88% of the population are Sunni Muslims, while Eastern Orthodox Christians make up the largest religious minority at 9%, mainly the Russian population. The remaining 3% follow various traditions including Roman Catholics, Jews, Korean Christians, and Shi’a Muslims.
Although the basic laws in Uzbekistan protect religious freedom, there are government policies and social biases that can make life a bit tricky for minority groups, especially Christians. In fact, between 2006 and 2017, the U.S. State Department tagged Uzbekistan as a Country of Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for not being so cool with religious freedom.
12. Iraq
Number of Muslim Population: 39,700,000
Number of Christian Population: 944,000
So, in the realm of the Muslim countries with a big Christian crowd, let’s check out Iraq.
About 97% of the population in Iraq has consistently been identified as Muslim. The Shia Muslims are the majority, making up around 55-60%, with Sunni Muslims about 40%.
Now, the Christian community in Iraq has been shrinking pretty dramatically over the years. From a hefty number before 2003, there are now less than 150,000 Christians left. A big chunk of them consists of Chaldean Catholics, making up about 67%, while almost 20% are from the Assyrian Church of the East.
The leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq has been speaking out lately about how the Christian peeps there have been facing tough times since the US-led invasion in 2003. Their rights have been trampled on, and they’re getting pushed out of their jobs, and having their stuff taken away. Tough times for the Christian crew in Iraq, it seems so.
11. Guinea
Number of Muslim Population: 10,600,000
Number of Christian Population: 1,032,000
In one of the Muslim-majority countries that’s got a pretty hefty Christian crew, we’re talking about Guinea. The U.S. government’s got the deets, saying the total population there is around 13.2 million as of mid-2022. It’s a nice mix with about 89% of the folks following Islam, 9% repping Christianity, and another 2% doing their thing with Indigenous or other beliefs.
It’s super cool to see how both the Muslim and Christian crowds in Guinea are getting down with those Indigenous rituals in their religious practices. The Muslims are mainly Maliki Sunni, and there’s even a bit of Sufism thrown in. On the Christian side, you’ve got Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, and a few other evangelical groups doing their thing. And hey, there’s even a tiny Baha’i community hanging out there, along with a sprinkle of Hindus, Buddhists, and lovers of traditional Chinese beliefs among the foreign folks.
Guinea’s all about that secular state life, as stated in their 2021 Transition Charter. They’re not playing around when it comes to protecting religious freedom – they’ve made it clear that messing with that secularity or someone’s religious freedom can land you in some hot water with fines or even a stint in the slammer.
10. Saudi Arabia
Number of Muslim Population: 31,500,000
Number of Christian Population: 1,500,000
Historically, in Saudi Arabia, a Muslim-majority country with a decent Christian community, things get a bit complicated when it comes to religious freedom. Publicly practicing anything other than Islam is a major no-no, and the lines between state and religion are pretty blurry. The government isn’t exactly big on religious freedom on paper, but they kind of let Shia gatherings fly and ignore some non-Muslim private stuff.
And hey, when it comes to switching from Islam to Christianity, that’s like a serious red flag. It’s a top-notch sin in the Islamic book. If anyone’s caught making that switch, guys might get the boot, while gals could end up stuck at home facing tough times like isolation and abuse. It’s a rough gig over there, no doubt. However, times are changing and so is the Christian community’s situation in the Kingdom. Saudia Arabia is 10th on our list of Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
9. Lebanon
Number of Muslim Population: 3,600,000
Number of Christian Population: 1,700,000
So, let’s dive into Lebanon, a Muslim-majority country with a big Christian scene. Christians there are kind of feeling the heat, thanks to Hezbollah – these guys with ties to Iran are calling the shots, leading many Christians to pack up and hit the road. Over the years, the Christian community has taken hits from various attacks, and now they’re facing a whole new challenge – their numbers are dwindling compared to the Islamic population.
On top of all that drama, the economy’s in rough shape, which has a lot of young Christians saying “adios” to Lebanon. It’s like they’re strangers in their own land now. After a decade of Syrian civil war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lebanon has become the refugee hub of the world – hosting more refugees per capita and per square kilometer than any other place.
And let me tell you, most of these newcomers are Muslims. The Syrian refugees have put a serious strain on Lebanon’s already shaky economy, making Lebanese Christians pretty anxious about being overshadowed by the newcomers. So now, you’ve got church leaders and some political groups shouting for these refugees to head back home.
8. Syria
Number of Muslim Population: 15,000,000
Number of Christian Population: 1,800,000
Syria has around 1.8 million Christians, making up about 8% of the total population of 24 million. But here’s the kicker – the Christian community there is shrinking fast because many have had to flee due to all the chaos and persecution. In places where Islamic militants are running wild, the leaders of ancient churches are prime targets for attacks and kidnappings.
And most of the church buildings have either been destroyed or taken over for Islamic purposes. It’s pretty rough for the Christians living in these zones as they can’t really practice their faith freely, and many have been kicked out of their homes. To make matters worse, Christian women and girls are at high risk of being abducted, harassed, and assaulted. It seems like a tough spot to be in, no doubt. Syria is 8th on our list of Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
7. Malaysia
Number of Muslim Population: 20,100,000
Number of Christian Population: 2,820,000
So, here’s the scoop on Malaysia and its Christian scene. In a mostly Muslim country, there are about 2.8 million Christians, making up over nine percent of the 34.6 million total population. Now, here’s the thing – according to the Malaysian rulebook, if you’re an ethnic Malay, you’re automatically considered Muslim. So, any Malay who switches over to Christianity is kind of breaking the rules and might get in hot water under Islamic law.
These converts face some serious heat from their families and the community at large. Under Islamic law, women and girls get the short end of the stick, with lots of restrictions on stuff like marriage, divorce, and child guardianship. It can get pretty tricky for them. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, they found that local Christians in Malaysia were not really down for proselytizing, with a whopping 75% saying no thanks. This was actually a higher rate of opposition compared to Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus in the country.
6. Pakistan
Number of Muslim Population: 240,800,000
Number of Christian Population: 3,300,000
Now let’s chat about the Christian crew in Pakistan, which is 6th on our list of 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World. Back in the day of the whole India-Pakistan split, a bunch of Hindus and Sikhs made a run for it to India, but the Christian folks mostly stuck around in newly-formed Pakistan.
According to the 1998 Census, Christians made up about 1.59% of Pakistan’s population, but the actual count is a bit of a mystery – estimates, as of today, hover just over 3 million Christians in the country.
You’ll find Christian communities scattered around in places like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with about 70,000 in Peshawar. But the big Christian hubs are in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and various small towns in Punjab. Fast forward to 2024, the past year has been pretty rough for Pakistan’s Christians, what with all the violence and chaos. They’re hoping that after the national elections in February, a new government might bring some peace their way.
In a town like Jaranwala, fear and trauma are still lingering among the Christian population after going through some serious persecution. Thousands of armed Muslims caused havoc by torching 19 churches and wrecking hundreds of Christian homes. Jaranwala’s no walk in the park – it’s down in Faisalabad, about 205 miles south of Islamabad.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.