Muslim population in Spain increased 10 times in last 30 years

By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID (AA) - Secretary of the Islamic Commission of Spain said that the Muslim population living in Spain has increased 10 times in the last 30 years, exceeding 2.5 million.

Mohamed Ajana told Anadolu that according to official records, 2.5 million, and according to unofficial figures, about 3 million Muslims live in Spain.

Ajana added that the Muslim population in Spain, which was seen as purely immigrants in the past, now has an important place among Spanish citizens.

He stated that more than one million Muslims in the country are Spanish citizens, some of them are immigrants and others are of Spanish origin.

Explaining that Muslims from Morocco, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Senegal, and Algeria are in the majority, he shared the information that the majority of the Muslim population in Spain lives in industrialized regions such as Catalonia, Valencia, Andalusia, and Madrid.

Ajana also said that there are currently 53 Islamic federations serving the Muslim community in Spain, and that there are about 2,000 mosques.

He said the main problems that Muslims face are obtaining permits and licenses for the construction of mosques, the existence of only 40 Muslim cemeteries despite the increase in population, education, and Islamophobia.