Viral posts on social media have claimed that the majority of the world’s Muslim refugees avoid seeking asylum in Muslim-majority countries, preferring instead to settle in non-Muslim nations. This framing has been widely shared online, raising questions about the true religious composition of refugees and where they most often find protection. Our fact-check shows that these claims are not supported by available refugee statistics or credible research.
Social Media Post
A viral claim has been widely shared on social media platforms stating: “Approximately 85% of the world’s refugees are Muslims. But they don’t seek asylum in any of the 56 Muslim countries, they only seek asylum in non-Muslim countries.” These viral posts have been shared hundreds of times and garnered over 100,000 likes.
Fact Check
Refugee Religious Composition
The first part of the viral claim states that 85% of the world’s refugees are Muslims. According to available data, this figure does not appear to be accurate. UNHCR, the primary international agency for refugees, does not report refugee statistics by religious affiliation. Pew Research Center, which analyzes global religion and migration data from numerous censuses and surveys, indicates that Muslims comprise approximately 29-30% of the world’s migrants, which is significantly lower than the claimed 85%.
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