In North Africa, Islam has held firm and unwavering over the past decade

Over the past decade, beliefs have evolved, convictions have shifted, and religious affiliations have been reshaped. This is the key finding of the latest Pew Research Center study, conducted between 2010 and 2020 and published on Monday, June 9. In North Africa, there are few surprises, people remain deeply connected to their roots: Islam. On a global scale, however, Islam is gaining momentum, Christianity is declining, and the rise of the «non-religious» stands out as a surprising trend.
Islam continues to deeply shape North African societies, maintaining an almost universal presence rooted in centuries of history. In fact, about 98% of the population in this region identifies as Muslim. The religion is passed down smoothly from generation to generation, with conversions being rare and secularization remaining marginal.
More broadly, between 2010 and 2020, the Middle East and North Africa saw their share of the global population rise from 5.1% to 5.6%. This half-percentage increase reflects a young, dynamic, and growing region, according to a report by the Pew Research Center.
The study also highlights another significant shift: the changing center of global Judaism. For the first time, the majority of the world's Jewish population now lives in the Middle East and North Africa (45.9%), surpassing North America's 41%. A decade earlier, the situation was reversed. This change is mainly due to demographic growth and migration in Israel, where the population grew from 5.8 to 6.8 million.
Christianity Moves South
If any region shows clear change, it's Sub-Saharan Africa. By 2020, the continent became the global hub of Christianity, hosting more than 30% of the world's Christians. Not long ago, Europe was the stronghold of this faith. This shift isn't driven by mass evangelism or conversions but by demographics: a young population, high birth rates, and deeply rooted faith in everyday life.
Islam is advancing for similar reasons, youthful populations, high fertility rates, and strong cultural ties. Across Africa, religion tends to be transmitted steadily through generations, unlike in Asia, America, and Europe, where breaks in religious transmission are more common.
Globally, Islam Advances, Christianity Slows, and the «Nones» Rise
On the world stage, Islam has seen the fastest growth between 2010 and 2020, gaining over 347 million new followers. Christianity increased by 122 million, but this growth couldn't keep up with overall population increases. While Christians remain the largest religious group with 2.3 billion adherents, their global share has dropped from 30.6% to 28.8%.
Perhaps the most notable trend is the rise of those with no religious affiliation, the so-called «nones». This group grew from 1.6 to 1.9 billion people over ten years, increasing their share of the global population from 23.3% to 24.2%. Despite demographic disadvantages, they tend to be older and have fewer children, this group is expanding. Many have left their original faith, especially Christianity. China remains the main stronghold of the «nones», but the trend is also growing in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Uruguay.
© Yabiladi
Finally, Buddhism is the only major religion to have declined in both numbers and share. It lost 19 million followers between 2010 and 2020, falling to 324 million adherents, or 4.1% of the global population. This decline is mainly due to the aging populations in Asian countries.