Islam in Africa
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The precise number of Muslims in Africa is unknown as statistics regarding religious demography in Africa are incomplete. According to the World Book Encyclopedia, Islam is the largest religion in Africa, with Christianity having the second largest number of adherents. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Islam is the largest religion in Africa with about 51 % of the population being Muslims, in contrast to 38 % being Christians and less than 17 % being non-religious or adherents of African traditional religions. Islam is still increasing in Africa as many Africans Bantu speakers embrace Islam especially in the central and eastern part of Africa. Christians have challenged these figures, citing as evidence, the massive conversion in the Sub-Saharan region, which has driven the Christian population to more than 60 percent. However, while acknowledging the dramatic rise of Christianity in the continent, facts are scarce to back up the percentage increase claim. The long and rich history in of these religions in the continent has proved to be the source of numerous conflicts, primarily in countries where there is no clear majority, such as Tanzania, Nigeria, and Cote d'Ivoire.
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[edit] History
The history of Islam in Africa begins in the earliest days of Islam, when Muslims fleeing persecution in Mecca arrived in Ethiopia. Islam spread to Africa via passages through the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt and well as through Islamic Arab and Persian traders and sailors. Islam's first muezzin, Bilal ibn Ribah, was also of East African descent.
Islam in Africa probably doubled, between 1869 and 1914.[1] Despite its large contribution to the makeup of the continent, Islam is predominantly concentrated in North Africa, West Africa and East Africa. This has provided an increasing difference between the culture and laws of different parts of Africa.
[edit] Islamic population in Africa
| Region | Total Population | Muslims | % Muslim | % of Muslim total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Africa | 83,121,055 | 25.138% | 0.852% | |
| East Africa | 193,741,900 | 45.263% | 4.497% | |
| North Africa | 202,151,323 | 180,082,076 | 89.083% | 12.199% |
| Southern Africa | 137,092,019 | 10.518% | 0.605% | |
| West Africa | 268,997,245 | 61.813% | 9.077% | |
| Total | 900,103,542 | 503,975,628 | 51.25% | 35.% |
[edit] Islamic population in Africa by country and population percentage
| Country | Population |
| Somalia | 100% |
| Mauritania | 100% |
| Western Sahara | 100% |
| Algeria | 99% |
| Djibouti | 99% |
| Tunisia | 98% |
| Morocco | 98.7% |
| Libya | 97% |
| Senegal | 95% |
| Egypt | 90% |
| The Gambia | 90% |
| Mali | 94% |
| Niger | 96% |
| Guinea | 92% |
| Sudan | 81% |
| Chad | 70% |
| Sierra Leone | 65% |
| Burkina Faso | 65% |
| Nigeria | 50% |
| Eritrea | 50% |
| Ethiopia | 33% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 50% |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 50% |
| Tanzania | 35% |
| Benin | 35% |
| Cameroon | 10% |
| Liberia | 30% |
| Togo | 13% |
| Malawi | 30% |
| Mozambique | 10% |
| Ghana | 16% |
| Rwanda | 20% |
| Uganda | 10% |
| Central African Republic | 22% |
| Gabon | 17% |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 15% |
| Namibia | 8% |
| Lesotho | 10% |
| South Africa | 11% |
| Zambia | 18% |
| Angola | 5% |
| Kenya | 10% |
| Botswana | 10% |
| Republic of the Congo | 10% |
| Swaziland | 20% |
| Zimbabwe | 6% |
[edit] References
- ^ Bulliet, Richard, Pamela Crossley, Daniel Headrick, Steven Hirsch, Lyman Johnson, and David Northrup. The Earth and Its Peoples. 3. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. ISBN 0-618-42770-8
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