If you try to count them on your fingers, you’re going to run out of hands pretty fast. Honestly, the question of how many islamic countries exist is one of those things that sounds simple but actually has about three different right answers depending on who you ask.
Are we talking about countries where everyone is Muslim? Or places where the law says "this is an Islamic state"? Or maybe just the big political club known as the OIC?
It’s a bit of a moving target.
The Magic Number: 57
Most people look at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to get their answer. Right now, in 2026, there are 57 member states in that group. It’s basically the "United Nations of the Muslim world."
But here’s the kicker: not all of them are actually "Islamic" in the way you might think.
Take Guyana or Suriname in South America, for example. They are members of the OIC, but they aren't "Islamic countries" by most definitions. They have significant Muslim populations, sure, but they’re culturally and politically very different from, say, Saudi Arabia or Iran.
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Then you have Syria. For a long time, its membership was suspended because of the internal chaos and war. But as of March 2025, Syria was officially reinstated at an extraordinary meeting in Jeddah. So, the count is firmly back at 57.
Defining an "Islamic Country"
This is where it gets kinda messy. There’s a big difference between a "Muslim-majority country" and an "Islamic State."
- The Pure Islamic States: These are the ones that use Islam as the very foundation of their government and constitution. We’re talking about Afghanistan (under the Taliban), Iran, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
- State Religion Countries: These nations have a constitution that says "Islam is the official religion," but they might still have a lot of secular laws. Think of Egypt, Jordan, or Malaysia. There are about 27 countries in this bucket.
- Muslim-Majority Secular States: This is the group that surprises people. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and many of the West African nations like Senegal are secular. They have huge Muslim populations, but the government and the mosque are kept in separate lanes.
If you’re just counting countries where more than 50% of the people are Muslim, you’re looking at about 50 nations.
Why the Numbers Keep Shifting
Politics moves fast.
The OIC isn't just a religious group; it's a massive geopolitical bloc. You’ve got countries like Russia and Thailand hanging out as "observer states." They aren't members, but they want to be in the room when decisions are made because they have millions of Muslim citizens.
It’s also about demographics.
Africa is seeing a huge shift. Countries like Nigeria are almost split down the middle—roughly half Muslim and half Christian. Because the Muslim population is so massive (and growing), Nigeria plays a huge role in Islamic global politics, even though it isn't an "Islamic state" by law.
The Geopolitics of 2026
Looking at the world today, the influence of these 57 nations is massive. They control a huge chunk of the world’s energy resources and sit on some of the most important trade routes on the planet.
When you ask how many islamic countries there are, you’re usually trying to understand a specific influence.
Is it about Sharia law? Then the answer is a small handful.
Is it about voting power in the UN? Then the answer is 57.
Is it about where the culture is shaped? Then you have to include huge minority populations in India and China too.
What This Means for You
If you’re traveling, doing business, or just trying to pass a geography quiz, keep these nuances in mind.
- Don't assume "Muslim-majority" means "theocratic." You can get a coffee in a secular cafe in Baku (Azerbaijan) just as easily as you can in Paris.
- The OIC is the gold standard for counting. If you need a hard number for a report, 57 is the one that official bodies use.
- Watch the "Observer" list. That's where the next shifts usually happen.
Basically, the "Muslim world" is a mosaic, not a monolith. It spans from the Atlantic coast of Africa all the way to the islands of Indonesia.
If you want to dive deeper, the best next step is to look at the OIC Member States list specifically by continent. It helps break down the massive geographic spread and shows you just how diverse these 57 nations actually are. You could also check out the Pew Research Center's latest demographic projections, which track how these populations are shifting toward 2030 and beyond.