How many Muslim states are there in Russia?
Emma Johnson
Updated on May 02, 2026
Within Russia there remain nine Muslim republics: Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Dagestan, Adygeya, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Northern Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachayevo-Cherkessia, with a population of more than 20 million Muslims.
Are all Chechens Muslim?
Chechnya is predominantly Muslim. Chechens are overwhelmingly adherents to the Shafi’i Madhhab of Sunni Islam, the republic having converted to Islam between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Most of the population follows either the Shafi’i or the Hanafi, schools of jurisprudence, fiqh.
Who converted Chechens to Islam?
Islamization of Chechnya The religion of the Muslims started to spread in the region in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was promoted by missionaries from the neighboring Dagestan (especially Kumyks), as well as through contacts of lowland Chechens with neighboring Kabardinians, Nogays, and Crimean Tatars.
Why were there so many Muslim soldiers in the Russian army?
The majority of Muslim soldiers came from the Volga-Ural region which had been subjugated to Muscovite rule in the 16 th century and whose Muslim population had been providing recruits to the regular army since the 18 th century. The introduction of universal conscription to military service in 1874 further increased their influx into the military.
What percentage of Russia’s population is Muslim?
Islam in Russia is the nation’s second most widely professed religion after Christianity. According to US Department of State in 2017, Muslims in Russia numbered 14,220,000 or 10% of the total population. According to a comprehensive survey conducted in 2012, Muslims were 6.5% of Russia ‘s population.
What are the main religious groups in Syria?
The Sunni Muslims make up the overwhelming majority in the country (74% of Syria’s total population). The Alawites are the minority group (10% of the country’s population), followed by Shia Ismailis (1%) and Shia Twelvers (2%). There are also some Kurdish and Turkmen Alevi in northern Syria.
What percentage of Syria’s population is Shia?
The Sunni Muslims make up the majority of Muslims in the country (75% of Syria’s total population). The Shia Muslims make up the remaining Muslim population (approximately 11.5% of Syria’s total population); in particular, the Alawites are the predominant Shia group (10% of the country’s population), followed by Ismailis (1%) and Twelvers (0.5%).