According to the Pew Research Center, the total number of European Muslims is projected to continue to increase and this would remain true even if all Muslim immigration stopped today. For example, even if all immigration were halted at this very moment, the population of Muslims would still increase from 4.9 percent to 7.4 percent of the population of Europe by the year 2050, due to simple demographic change. This increase in European Muslim populations will occur mainly because Muslims tend to be younger (by thirteen years, on average) and because they also have higher fertility rates (usually at least one more child per family, on average).

DEFINE: Clarifies that religious demographic growth from 4.9 to 7.4 percent stems from age and fertility differences, not immigration flows.

DEFINE: Clarifies demographic change as distinct from immigration — population growth driven by youthful age structure and fertility rather than migration flows.

Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Gl…, loc. 557