Islam was the world’s fastest-growing religion from 2010 to 2020
From 2010 to 2020, the number of Muslims increased by 347 million people to 2.0 billion people.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Middle East & North Africa
How Americans View the Israel-Hamas Conflict 2 Years Into the War
About six-in-ten now say they have an unfavorable view of the Israeli government, with a rising share saying Israel is “going too far.”
Comparing Levels of Religious Nationalism Around the World
We asked people in three dozen countries how they see religion’s role in society, government and national identity.
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Most displaced Syrians are in the Middle East, and about a million are in Europe
Nearly 13 million Syrians are displaced after seven years of conflict in their country. No nation in recent decades has had such a large percentage of its population displaced.
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Many people in other countries closely follow news about the U.S.
Across 37 countries surveyed in the spring of 2017, a median of 48% say they closely follow news about the U.S., compared with 50% who do not. Interest in news about the U.S. is highest in Canada, where 78% say they track it closely. Next highest is the Netherlands (75%), followed by some of America’s closest allies: Japan, Germany and Australia. Across 10 European nations, a median of 51% say they follow news about America closely.
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5 facts about Iran
The public unrest that swept across Iran starting in late December began as a protest against poor economic conditions, but it quickly turned into a call for an end to the country’s theocratic regime.
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Key Middle East Publics See Russia, Turkey and U.S. All Playing Larger Roles in Region
A median of 53% in five Middle Eastern and North African countries also see Iran playing a more important role, but fewer say Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have gained influence.
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Afghans who worked for U.S. government make up growing share of special immigrant visa recipients
More than two-thirds of special immigrant visas have gone to Afghans (48,601) since fiscal 2007. Iraqis have received 21,961 such visas.
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Despite apparent coup in Zimbabwe, armed takeovers have become less common worldwide
Since the end of World War II, there have been 225 successful coups (counting the events in Zimbabwe) in countries with populations greater than 500,000, according to the Center for Systemic Peace, which maintains extensive datasets on various forms of armed conflict and political violence. Most coups occurred during the height of the Cold War, from the 1960s through the 1980s.
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Orthodox Christianity in the 21st Century
Concentrated in Europe, Orthodox Christians have declined as share of the global Christian population, from 20% in 1910 to 12% today. But the Ethiopian community is highly observant and growing.
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U.S. Resettles Fewer Refugees, Even as Global Number of Displaced People Grows
In the last few years, the number of refugees annually resettled by the U.S. has not consistently grown in step with a worldwide refugee population that has expanded nearly 50% since 2013.
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After record migration, 80% of Syrian asylum applicants approved to stay in Europe
In all, more than half a million asylum seekers from Syria during the 2015-16 migration surge had received permission to stay in Europe as of Dec. 31, 2016.
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Still in Limbo: About a Million Asylum Seekers Await Word on Whether They Can Call Europe Home
About half of those who applied for asylum in Europe during the refugee surge of 2015 and 2016 were still waiting to learn their fate as of the end of last year.
