This article discusses the 5 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World. If you want to get detailed analysis on christianity spread across the globe, you can head on to 15 Muslim Countries with the Highest Christian Population in the World.
5. Burkina Faso
Number of Muslim Population: 13,500,000
Number of Christian Population: 3,746,000
So, next we will talk about Burkina Faso and its Christian scene. Back in the 19th century, Protestants and Catholics rolled up into this Muslim-heavy place. The Catholics had a bit more luck, maybe because they had some French backing.
Nowadays, around 22% of the population are Christians. Fun fact: Burkina Faso made history by ordaining the first African Bishop in the Catholic Church back in 1956. For a good while, Muslims and Christians in Burkina Faso were vibing together pretty well, with Christians even having a nice presence in government.
But things took a dark turn when Islamic extremist groups started causing chaos in the Sahel region. Since 2015, Christians up in the northern parts have faced some real nasty violence.
4. Kazakhstan
Number of Muslim Population: 13,200,000
Number of Christian Population: 4,150,000
So, the deal with religious freedom in this country has been rocky ever since this new law popped up in 2011, giving the government a tight grip on religion. For Christians, this has led to more snooping around, surprise raids on gatherings, and folks getting tossed in the slammer. If you’re outside the Russian Orthodox Church, life can get pretty tough.
Even though the Russian Orthodox Church is kind of okay as long as they don’t try to convert Muslims, any other Christian group is under constant watch and can face crackdowns. In some areas, Christian businesses are practically expected to slip some cash under the table to keep things running smoothly.
3. Kyrgyzstan
Number of Muslim Population: 9,200,000
Number of Christian Population: 4,150,000
It’s rough out there for Christians in Kyrgyzstan (the country is at number 59 on the World Watch List). Nasty videos spreading hate towards Kyrgyz Christians who switch from Islam to Christianity are making the rounds online. In these vids, they label Christian believers as sectarians and traitors, pushing for folks to bust into Christian spots, film believers, and post their faces online to stir up more trouble.
And that’s not all – fake news is flying around, painting Christians as aggressive troublemakers ready to throw down with followers of other faiths. It’s a real mess, creating tension and danger for the Christian community in Kyrgyzstan.
2. Egypt
Number of Muslim Population: 90,000,000
Number of Christian Population: 9,029,000
So, Egypt has been keeping the Christian population size a bit of a mystery for nearly four decades now. The last official headcount was way back in 1986, stating Christians made up less than six percent of the country. But the Copts, who are the main Christian group in Egypt, were not having it. They felt the count was way off, and their push for a more accurate number actually led the government to skip tallying Christians in the next three censuses.
It’s a big deal because, regardless of the numbers, the Copts face some serious discrimination in Egypt. From government roles to school jobs, they’re often left out or given the short end of the stick. So, whether they’re really six percent, fifteen percent, or anywhere in between, it’s clear that the Copts don’t have it easy when it comes to being treated as equal citizens in Egypt.
1. Indonesia
Number of Muslim Population: 236,000,000
Number of Christian Population: 24,000,000
Alright, so in Indonesia, Christianity is kind of a big deal as the second-largest religion, but it’s still a minority in the country. Around 10% of Indonesians, which is like 24 million people, are Christians.
While there are some regions in Indonesia where Christians are the main crew, overall they’re still in the minority. This means that Christians don’t have a ton of political or social power across the board, except in those specific Christian-majority areas; it’s kind of wild to think that in those places, Muslims might actually face some discrimination. The dynamic is quite unique, to say the least.
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