Ramadan takes place this year between April 2 and May 2 and, in theory, impacts 25% of the world's population, though it's unlikely that every Muslim will observe the fast.
According to survey results, the graphic based on data from Statista Global Consumer Survey reveals that in nations where the predominant faith is non-Islamic, Singapore and India have the highest percentage of persons who identify as Muslims.
According to official figures, 13 percent of survey participants in Singapore are Muslims, with Malay Singaporeans constituting the largest group. India comes in second with ten percent of poll respondents identifying as Muslim, followed by France and Belgium with eight and Norway with six percent, respectively.
While these figures may differ from official census data, not all survey participants identify as members of their religious group. For example, the majority of Danes consider themselves non-religious, despite the fact that official figures show that 75% of the population is Evangelical Lutheran.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, is one of the most important observances in the Islamic faith. The fasting period lasts four weeks, from dawn to dark, and is punctuated by the pre-dawn meal of suhr and the daily breaking of the fast, iftar.
According to Farkhunda Burke's April 2004 journal article "Pakistan Horizon," a more specific estimate of the number of the Muslim population in many nations is difficult due to a lack of reliable demographic statistics.
The lack of ethnic or religious categorization in most national statistics exacerbates the problem.
Southeast Asia is surrounded on the north by China, on the east by the South Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the west by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian subcontinent, which includes the Indo-Chinese and Malay peninsulas as well as many surrounding island groups.
From a religious standpoint, this region contains a number of stark contrasts. It is a land of western colonialism as well as a meeting point of Indian and Chinese civilizations.
For more than five centuries, the Malay world has included inhabitants who practiced both Christian and Muslim faiths.
More than 88 percent of Indonesia's population is Muslim.
The Philippines is Asia's largest Christian country, with 92 percent of the population being Catholic, while Muslim-dominated territories to the south of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.
Source: Statista.com; Burke, Farkhunda. Pakistan Horizon. Pakistan Institute of International Affairs: April 2004
