Islam in Oceania
The Islamic religion is followed by a relatively small proportion of the population of Oceania. By 2010 estimates, there were 620,156 Muslims in Oceania as a whole: 476,600 in Australia, 48,151 in New Zealand, 52,520 in Fiji, 6,352 in New Caledonia, 2,200 in Papua New Guinea, 360 in Solomon Islands, 221 in Vanuatu, 110 in Tonga.[1]
According to a 2007 article in Pacific Magazine, entitled 'Green Moon Rising', Islam has seen a substantial increase in adherents amongst the peoples of Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. There have been thousands of indigenous converts to Islam in Melanesia.[2]
| Islam by country |
|---|
| Islam portal |
History
Islam has been documented in some parts of Oceania possibly as early as the 16th century due to contacts with the largely Muslim peoples of Indonesia.[3] When the people of New Guinea traded with China and the kingdoms of Southeast Asia, from at least the 16th century, the presence of Islam was felt in Oceania for the first time.[4]
Some regions, including Western New Guinea, have long-established native Muslim populations. Islam first gained a presence in the region via Moluccan influence in the 17th century although Muslim merchants had conducted trade with the western Papuans from the 15th century or earlier.[5]
Other parts of Oceania did not feel the presence of Islam until the 19th century. For example, the first Muslims in Fiji came when Muslim migrants came on a ship bringing indentured labourers to Fiji in 1879. Muslims consisted of 22% of the boarders on Leonidas, which was the first such ship.
There are also approximately 500 Muslims in Palau, whose government allowed a few Uyghurs detained in Guantanamo Bay to settle in the island nation.[6][7]
Demographics
| Country | Total
Population |
Muslim | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | (%) | ||
| Australia | 25,890,773 | 813,392[8] | 3.20 |
| New Zealand | 4,993,923 | 75,144[9] | 1.50 |
| Country | Population | Muslim | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | ||
| Fiji | 918,465 | ~60,000[10] | 6.53 |
| New Caledonia | 290,000 | 8,521[11] | 2.94 |
| Papua New Guinea | 7,613,295[12] | 10,000[13] | 0.13 |
| Solomon Islands | 734,887 | 1,100[14] | 0.15 |
| Vanuatu | 300,000 | ~1000[15] | 0.33 |
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands: 65.6% Muslim (2021).[16]
See also
- Islam by country
- List of mosques in Oceania
- Algerians of the Pacific
- Afghan (Australia)
- Māori Muslims
- Islam Day (Hawaii)
References
- ^ Kettani, Houssain (June 2010). "Muslim Population in Oceania: 1950 – 2020". International Journal of Environmental Science and Development. 1 (2). ISSN 2010-0264.
- ^ Green moon rising Archived 2007-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kettani, Houssain (2019). The World Muslim Population: Spatial and Temporal Analyses. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-429-74925-4.
- ^ BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Country profiles | Timeline: Papua New Guinea
- ^ Slama, Martin (2015), "Papua as an Islamic Frontier: Preaching in 'the Jungle' and the Multiplicity of Spatio-Temporal Hierarchisations", From 'Stone-Age' to 'Real-Time': Exploring Papuan Temporalities, Mobilities and Religiosities, ANU Press, pp. 243–270, ISBN 978-1-925022-43-8
- ^ Lawyers: Uighurs agree to go to Palau
- ^ "Released Guantánamo Uighurs land in Palau". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2009-11-01. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
- ^ "2021 Census shows changes in Australia's religious diversity | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". explore.data.stats.govt.nz. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ "Experience". experience.arcgis.com. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "New Caledonia population (2025) live — Countrymeters". countrymeters.info. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "National Profiles | World Religion". The Association of Religion Data Archives (the ARDA). Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "Papua New Guinea". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "Church of Melanesia remains as most populous religious denomination with a 40% increase since 2009". Solomons.gov.sb. Ministry of Finance and Treasury Solomon Islands Statistics Office. October 1, 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ^ "Foreign Correspondent". www.abc.net.au. 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-04-02.
- ^ "2021 6799, OT, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 2025-03-21.