`Muslim births to overtake Christian births in 20 years, Islam to become largest faith by century-end`

Representational image

Washington: A new study has found out that the number of babies born to Muslim women worldwide will surpass the number of Christian births within the next two decades.

In its report, non-profit Pew Research Center predicts that Islam could become the largest faith by the end of the century.

Notably, Islam is already the world's fastest-growing religion.

Albeit Christians accounted for 33 percent of global births in recent years -- slightly more than Muslim births -- they also accounted for 37 percent of worldwide deaths, nearly twice the share of deaths from other religions, reported Dailymail online.

Between 2015 and 2060, the global Muslim population is expected to grow by 70 percent, while Christianity is projected to grow by 34 percent -- at which point, the two religions will have similar numbers.

Researchers say migration is among factors helping to increase the Muslim population in some regions, including North America and Europe.

While Christianity remained the largest religious group globally in 2015 - comprising almost a third (31 percent) of the world's 7.3 billion people - its number is in decline in Europe.

'Christianity is literally dying in Europe,' Conrad Hackett, the lead researcher on the study, told the Wall Street Journal.

(With IANS inputs)