What are the primary countries of origin for Muslims in the US?
Executive summary
The U.S. Muslim population is heterogeneous and heavily immigrant: no single country dominates, but Pakistan is the largest single country of origin among Muslim immigrants (about 14–15%), followed by Iran, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh among others (Pew Research) [1][2]. Regionally, most foreign‑born Muslim Americans come from Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa and from South Asia, with additional flows from East Africa and elsewhere [2][3].
1. Pakistan leads as the single largest country of origin, but it’s not a majority
Pew’s detailed surveys find that roughly 14–15% of Muslim immigrants to the U.S. were born in Pakistan, making it the largest single sending country but far from a majority and reflecting the community’s fragmentation across dozens of origins [1][2]. Historical analyses and migration data likewise identify Pakistan (and Bangladesh in some years) among the top origin countries for Muslim immigrants to the United States [4][5].
2. A cluster of next‑tier countries: Iran, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq and more
Beyond Pakistan, Pew’s 2017 portrait lists Iran (about 11% of Muslim immigrants), India (7%), Afghanistan (6%), Bangladesh (6%), Iraq (5%), with smaller single‑country shares for Kuwait, Syria and Egypt (each roughly 3%)—a pattern that underlines how immigrant Muslims arrive from a wide array of places rather than one concentrated source [1][2].
3. Regional picture matters more than any single country — Arab MENA and South Asia dominate
When grouped regionally, Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa account for about 41% of foreign‑born U.S. Muslims (roughly 26% of all Muslim Americans), while South Asia (Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan) is the second largest region, comprising roughly 26% of first‑generation immigrants [2][3]. These regional tallies help explain cultural and linguistic diversity that a simple country list can miss [2].
4. Diversity beyond Asia and the Middle East: Africa, converts and methodological wrinkles
Substantial numbers of U.S. Muslims trace roots to African countries (including East Africa and West African diasporas) and the Americas, and African American converts remain an important component of the Muslim population (reports note East African origin communities and a longstanding African American Muslim presence) [6][7][8]. Estimates of total Muslim population size vary — Pew’s conservative survey‑based figures differ from higher estimates produced by faith or academic groups — illustrating methodological limits and why origin‑country shares are presented as proportions of immigrant Muslims rather than precise headcounts [6][9].
5. Competing data sources and what they reveal about trends and uncertainties
Government, academic and advocacy sources converge on the broad story of plurality and diversity but diverge on details: Pew’s survey‑driven country shares are a widely used benchmark [1][2], while organizations using ethnic‑community counts or differing methods produce larger overall Muslim population estimates and slightly different origin rankings [9][5]. Migration flows also shift over time (for example Pakistan and Bangladesh ranked highly in 2009 migration data), so country shares reflect both historical waves and more recent arrivals rather than a static map [4][10].
Conclusion: a mosaic, not a monolith
The primary countries of origin for Muslims in the United States cluster in South Asia (led by Pakistan, plus India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) and the Middle East/North Africa (including Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Arab states), with meaningful contributions from East and West Africa, and a significant African American and conversion component; precise shares vary by data source and over time, underscoring that U.S. Islam is a mosaic of many national and regional roots rather than a single origin story [1][2][7].