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Map of Muslim populations
in Europe
by James Mayfield (Chairman, European Heritage Library)
 Print
this Article About
the Author Bibliography/Sources
Below is an exclusive map
the EHL has published charting the Muslim populations in European
countries, with detailed percentages and the specific ethnic
groups that constitute that population in each country.
By producing this map, we
have no intention to present Muslim immigration as anything
negative or hostile or to portray them as "outsiders"
of Europe, especially considering that so many Muslims are
genuinely European, like the Bosniaks and Albanians. We made
this map due to the tremendous number of requests from our
visitors. The topic of Muslim immigrants in Europe is one
of the most controversial issues in European societies and
politics today, and forces each society to reconsider its
understanding of citizenship, identity, ethnicity, and politics.
It is because of this importance that we distribute this map.
To view the exclusive EHL
map showing the history of Arab and Turkish rule in Europe
(700-1912), click here.
For many countries in Europe, the current Muslim populations
are not a result of immigration, but a legacy of the history
of settlement and conquest by Islamic peoples like the Arabs,
the Ottomans, the Mongols, and Tatars. In other words, it
is an oversimplification to assume--as many do--that Muslims
in general in Europe are part of an "immigration issue."
Muslims have helped shape the evolution of European history
for well over a thousand years.
Mapping Information &
Extra Notes:
The exclusive map has been
divided into three distinct colors as indicated by the LEGEND.
Red denotes nations with Muslim
populations between 10-100% of the national whole. Orange
denotes 4-10% of the total. Yellow
denotes 2-4%. Nations not shown are between 0-2%. The vast
ranges of percentages is necessary because there are very
few nations in Europe with an exorbitantly high Muslim population,
so fine gradations must be shown with few colors. Serbia,
Montenegro, and Kosovo have been divided with accurate detail
to show the Islamic populations in these regions of the former
Yugoslavia. The EHL has exclusively noted the specific ethnic
groups comprising Islamic populations where they reside to
also allow the viewer to determine which nations are populated
by Muslims due to immigration or history (for example Bosniak
Muslims in Serbia are a result of historical conversion, whilst
Muslims in France are due to modern immigration).
Note that in many countries,
statistics are not very uniform. For example in Sweden, official
statistics on religion are either not collected or are underreported.
In Greece, statistics on ethnicity are not generally collected.
The official stats may say, for example, 3% Muslim for Greece,
but a 7%+ "foreign" population (almost all of whom
Muslim Albanian) pushes this percentage much higher. Very
little liberty has been taken. When a discrepency exists,
all ranges are included. Statistics also exclude unreported
illegal immigration that is very high in the United Kingdom,
thus pushing stats higher than actually reported. To prevent
exaggeration, range percentages have been shown (for example
3-5% as opposed to 5%) where statistics are varied.
Click the below map
for the full-size version! Click on the map to zoom.
If an error has been made,
please notify the EHL Staff.
________________________________________
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is a historian
and the Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I have
a Cum Laude BA in History with a Minor in Germanic Studies
(language and history), am presently working for my Masters
in History, and plan to immediately progress to my PhD Doctorate.
I have a special academic interest in Europe's diverse ethnic
identities, languages, and cultures, and the political struggles
of native European and immigrant minority identities. See
my staff entry for more information.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
The image used as the basis
for the map is widely distributed and not protected.
CIA World Factbook (used
for nearly all nations as a basis or for actual numbers)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html
BBC Muslims in Europe (difference
in % between above and this source calculated)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm
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