Recent Migration of Muslims

Even more than with Christians, the patterns of international migration of Muslims and Jews do not match their distributions around the world.

Migration Patterns of Muslims

Southwest Asia & North Africa is home to 20 percent of the world’s Muslims but attracts 34 percent of the migrants. Saudi Arabia is the country that attracts the largest number of Islamic migrants, accounting for 10 percent of the world total. Egypt sends the largest number of migrants to Saudi Arabia

Largest Flows of Islamic Migrants

Europe, with only 3 percent of the world’s Muslims, attracts 34 percent of Muslims who migrate internationally. Russia, Germany, and France are all world leaders in attracting Muslims. The largest numbers of Muslims who have migrated to Europe have come from Turkey to Germany and from Algeria to France. Morocco has been the source of a large number of Islamic migrants to France and Spain. North America receives only around 1 percent of Muslim migrants.

Destination of Islamic Migrants by Region

Muslims in Europe

Muslims pray in the Great Mosque in Paris.

On the other hand, South Asia, with 30 percent of the world’s Muslims, attracts only 6 percent of the migrants. Central Asia and Southeast Asia also attract fewer migrants than their share of the world’s Islamic population. The four countries with the largest Islamic populations—Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India—are home to 43 percent of the world’s Muslims but attract only 6 percent of Islamic migrants (4 percent of whom are heading for Pakistan).