Sunni Shiite Ibadi

Areas where Wahhabism is predominant Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. Turkey Sunni Iran Syria Pakistan LebAnon Shiite Iraq Med. Sea Israel Bahrain Qatar U.A.E. Ibadi Egypt Libya Wahhabi Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Shiite Sudan Eritrea Sunni Somalia Ethiopia Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. Turkey Sunni Iran Syria Pakistan LebAnon Shiite Iraq Med. Sea Israel Bahrain Qatar U.A.E. Ibadi Egypt Wahhabi Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Shiite Sudan Eritrea Sunni Somalia Ethiopia Russia Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. Turkey Iran Syria Pak. Iraq Med. Sea Egypt Libya Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Sudan Ethiopia Russia Turkmen. Black Sea Turkey Iran Syria Iraq Med. Sea Egypt Saudi Arabia Yemen Sudan Ethiopia Black Sea Afghanistan Turkey Sunni Sunni Iran Syria Pakistan Shiite LebAnon Iraq Mediterranean Sea Israel Kuwait Jordan Bahrain Qatar United Arab Emirates Ibadi Egypt Libya Wahhabi Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Red Sea Yemen Shiite Sudan Eritrea Sunni Sunni Somalia Ethiopia Black Sea Afghanistan Turkey Sunni Sunni Iran Syria Pakistan Shiite LebAnon Iraq Mediterranean Sea Israel Kuwait Jordan Bahrain Qatar United Arab Emirates Ibadi Egypt Wahhabi Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Red Sea Yemen Shiite Sudan Eritrea Sunni Sunni Somalia Ethiopia The New York Times | Source: M. Izady, Columbia University's Gulf 2000 project | Note: Non-Muslims and other Islamic sects are not shown.

Shades of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula

Wahhabism, an ultraconservative doctrine linked to Sunni Islam, is embraced by about a quarter of the Saudi population, according to Michael Izady, a historian and cultural geographer who has mapped ethnicity and religion for Columbia University. But many Saudis are not so conservative and the country also has a sizeable Shiite minority. Saudi Arabia’s mass execution of 47 men on terrorism-related charges last week included Sunnis and Shiites.

The Shiite Presence Beyond Iran

Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. mixed with other sects Turkey Iran Syria Pakistan Iraq Iran is a key supporter of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Bahrain Iran is accused of fomenting Shiite opposition in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Egypt Libya Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Iran is accused of supporting Shiite Houthi insurgents here. Sudan Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. mixed with other sects Turkey Iran Syria Pakistan Iraq Iran is a key supporter of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Bahrain Iran is accused of fomenting Shiite opposition in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Egypt Oman Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Iran is accused of supporting Shiite Houthi insurgents here. Sudan Russia Turkmen. Black Sea Afghan. Turkey Iran Syria Pak. Iraq Med. Sea Egypt Libya Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea Yemen Sudan Russia Turkmen. Black Sea Turkey Iran Syria Iraq Med. Sea Egypt Saudi Arabia Yemen Sudan The New York Times | Source: M. Izady, Columbia University's Gulf 2000 project

There are about three Shiites for every five Sunnis in the Middle East. Most of the Shiites are in Iran, but they are also the majority in countries like Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq, and are a significant political and military force in Lebanon and Syria.