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UPSC Prelims 1991 · Indian Geography · People and Settlements
The size of the Muslim community in India is
- (a) The largest in the world.
- (b) Next only to that of Bangladesh.
- (c) The third largest in the world.
- (d) Is as large as that in Pakistan.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (c) The third largest in the world.
India had the third largest Muslim population (after Indonesia and Pakistan/Bangladesh).
The idea
The size of a religious community means its absolute population, not its share of a country’s residents. A country with a smaller percentage can still have more followers because its total population is much larger. International ranks must be tied to a reference year and comparable estimates.
Why the others are wrong
(a) Indonesia was the largest.
(b) Pakistan and Bangladesh — India was then third.
The trap
Today India is second or third depending on the source.
Also know
Indonesia lies mainly in maritime South-East Asia, while India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are in South Asia. A national census and an international population estimate may use different reference dates. Religious population totals should not be confused with citizenship, ethnicity or language.
🔒 Largest Muslim populations: Indonesia, Pakistan, India.
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