Islam could experience record growth and match Christianity within the next few decades, according to new research.
According to The News Tribute, analysts from the Pew Research Center said that Muslims will reach 2.76 billion by 2050. The Centre's report, titled "The Future of World Religions," also said that Christians could grow to a population of 2.92 billion by 2050.
This will make each religion account for around 30 per cent of the world population by then, the report said.
Researchers said that Muslims can "have more children than members of other faiths, driving their global growth."
According to the News Tribute, the report's predictions are based on census information as well as data from demographic surveys, including birth and death rates, immigration patterns and rates of religious conversions.
The report predicted that both Islam and Christianity will experience rapid growth on the African continent. By 2050, the report expects that 4 out of 10 Christians will be located in Africa.
In contrast to the predicted growth in Africa, Christianity is expected to experience further decline in Europe. By 2050, Christians will no longer be a majority in the United Kingdom, France and Australia. Instead, 10 per cent of Europe's population will be Muslim.
Islam will also experience significant growth in the United States, with Muslims expected to outnumber Jews in America within the next 35 years. By 2050, Christians could make up only two-thirds of the US population.
Christians currently make up three quarters of the US population.
The Pew Research Center report also forecast further growth for Muslims in India, with the country possibly replacing Indonesia as the nation with the largest Muslim population in the world.
However, Muslims are not expected to replace Hindus as the majority religion in India.
Islam is currently the largest minority in India, comprising 14.88 per cent of the total population in the country according to a 2011 Census in India.
