Geography News Network

The total world population is 7 billion, of whom more than 1.6 billion are Muslim. Yet the Muslim faith itself is divided and has been almost since the death of Muhammad, the religion’s founder. The two main branches are known as Sunni and Shia (also referred to as Shiite). The Shiites are a minority and make up a small 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim population, but their numbers are clustered...