According to the latest study published by Pew Research Center, most migrants in European countries originate from within the European continent and are predominantly Christian.
In 2020, 53% of the non-native population living in Europe was born in another European country. The rest were born in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Due to relatively easy movement between European countries, many people have chosen to migrate in recent decades for economic, political, and other reasons.
Furthermore, the majority of immigrants living in Europe are Christian, making up one of the main religious groups, alongside those with no particular faith and those who follow Islam.
However, the percentage of Muslim migrants is higher than the percentage of Muslims in the general European population (18% of immigrants versus 7% of the general population).
The causes of recent mass migration are wars, famine, and other political circumstances. For example, the prolonged war in Syria forced many Muslims to seek refuge in Europe, while the 2014 invasion of Ukraine displaced many Christians to the West.
According to the study, the total population of the European continent increased by 23 million people between 1990 and 2020. During the same period, migration flows from countries outside Europe accounted for 21 million people.
Thus, immigration has contributed to maintaining demographic balance, allowing target countries to avoid a sharp decline in population levels.
Photo: fondazionedirittiumani.ch
