The earliest Muslim immigrants came as slaves from Africa beginning perhaps as early as 1501. Their absolute numbers are open to substantial disagreement, with many scholars. The first free Muslim immigrants may date back to the later 16th century. The numbers of Muslim immigrants began to increase rapidly starting in the late 1960s. Immigrant Muslims are ethnically extremely varied, coming from virtually every country where Muslims live, or well over 100 countries in all. There are large number of immigrant muslims live in US, Canada, Brazil, Aregentina and some other south american countries. Because the immigrant Muslim community is so new, it is still very much in formation. In US, At least 300,000 people of Middle Eastern descent are estimated to live in the Detroit area. As per the Center for Immigration Studies, total Muslim population in the United States of about three million, of which immigrants make up two-thirds to three-quarters. The muslims are less than 1% of the country population. The single largest group of Muslim immigrants is from South Asia (meaning Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan). They are followed by perhaps 300,000 Iranians and 600,000 from the Arab countries.
Shia muslims are about 15-20 percent of the overall Muslim population in Americas. The Lebanese and Iraqi communities are the largest ethnic groups from the over-30,000 Shia population to have moved in metro detroit area. The Greater Detroit area is home to one of the largest, oldest and most diverse Arab American communities in the United States.There are around 300,000 Shi'a Muslims (including Twelvers and Ismailis) in Canada out of approximately 850,000 Muslims in Canada. Most of them are Iranians, Pakistanis (also from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda), Indians, Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians, Lebanese and Azeris. The population of Shia in Brazil is approximately 800K and they contribute to 30% of the Muslims in the country. They are generally situated in an area called Korotiba, where they have there own mosque- Imam Ali(AS) mosque, where both Sunni and Shia pray. In Argentina, The Pew Research Centre estimates about 1,000,000 Muslims in Argentina in the year 2010. The Association of Religion Data Archives however approximates that 1.9% of the population profess Islam as their faith. The shia population is around 15-20% of the countries muslim population..Venezuela currently has fifteen Islamic civic associations in ten states. Arab immigrants, Venezuelans, and Creoles have come together to make Islam a known tradition. The closest estimate of when Islam came to Venezuela is “centuries ago.” Estimates of the number of Muslims range from 800,000 to almost a million.
Shia muslims are about 15-20 percent of the overall Muslim population in Americas. The Lebanese and Iraqi communities are the largest ethnic groups from the over-30,000 Shia population to have moved in metro detroit area. The Greater Detroit area is home to one of the largest, oldest and most diverse Arab American communities in the United States.There are around 300,000 Shi'a Muslims (including Twelvers and Ismailis) in Canada out of approximately 850,000 Muslims in Canada. Most of them are Iranians, Pakistanis (also from Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda), Indians, Afghans, Iraqis, Syrians, Lebanese and Azeris. The population of Shia in Brazil is approximately 800K and they contribute to 30% of the Muslims in the country. They are generally situated in an area called Korotiba, where they have there own mosque- Imam Ali(AS) mosque, where both Sunni and Shia pray. In Argentina, The Pew Research Centre estimates about 1,000,000 Muslims in Argentina in the year 2010. The Association of Religion Data Archives however approximates that 1.9% of the population profess Islam as their faith. The shia population is around 15-20% of the countries muslim population..Venezuela currently has fifteen Islamic civic associations in ten states. Arab immigrants, Venezuelans, and Creoles have come together to make Islam a known tradition. The closest estimate of when Islam came to Venezuela is “centuries ago.” Estimates of the number of Muslims range from 800,000 to almost a million.