The number of babies born to Muslim women worldwide will exceed the number of Christian births within the next 20 years, according to a new study.

The report, by the Pew Research Center, also predicts that Islam - already the world's fastest-growing religion - could become the largest faith by the end of the century, with the lead researcher saying Christianity is 'literally dying in Europe'.

Although Christians accounted for 33 per cent of global births in recent years - slightly more than Muslim births - they also accounted for 37 per cent of worldwide deaths, nearly twice the share of deaths from other religions.

Between 2015 and 2060, the global Muslim population is expected to grow by 70 per cent, while Christianity is projected to grow by 34 per cent - at which point, the two religions will have similar numbers.

The number of babies born to Muslim women worldwide will exceed the number of Christian births within the next 20 years, according to a study by the Pew Research Center

Although Christians accounted for 33 per cent of global births in recent years - slightly more than Muslim births - they also accounted for 37 per cent of world-wide deaths, nearly twice the share of deaths from other religions

'Christianity is literally dying in Europe,' Conrad Hackett, lead researcher of the Pew study, said

The Muslim population increased by more than 150million people between 2010 and 2015, to 1.8billion. As of 2015, there were 2.3billion Christians.

Researchers say migration is among factors helping to increase the Muslim population in some regions, including North America and Europe.

While Christianity remained the largest religious group globally in 2015 - comprising almost a third (31 per cent) of the world's 7.3 billion people - its number is in decline in Europe.

'Christianity is literally dying in Europe,' Conrad Hackett, the lead researcher on the study, told the Wall Street Journal.

'The heart of Christianity is moving from Europe to Africa,' he added.

Furthermore, Christians had the highest number of births and deaths of any religious group in recent years, according to the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan US 'fact' tank.

The Muslim population increased by more than 150million people between 2010 and 2015, to 1.8billion. As of 2015, there were 2.3billion Christians

Between 2010 and 2015, around 223m babies were born to Christian mothers and roughly 107m Christians died – a natural increase of 116m. In Europe, however, Christian deaths outnumbered births by nearly 6m during this time

Between 2010 and 2015, around 223million babies were born to Christian mothers and roughly 107million Christians died – a natural increase of 116million.

In Europe, however, Christian deaths outnumbered births by nearly 6million during this time.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE, 2015 (in billions) CHRISTIANS 2.3 BILLION MUSLIMS 1.8 UNAFFILIATED 1.2 HINDUS 1.1 BUDDHISTS 0.5 FOLK RELIGIONS 0.4 OTHER RELIGIONS 0.1 JEWS 0.01 Source: Pew Research Center

Meanwhile, between 2010 and 2015, there were 213million Muslim births, compared to 61million deaths.

Some 62 per cent of Muslims live in the Asia-Pacific region with large populations in Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Turkey, Pew researchers said.

In 2050, India is set to take over from Indonesia as the country with the world's largest Muslim population.

Last year there were 3.3 million Muslims of all ages in the US - about 1 per cent of the population.

Muslims have gained slightly in recent years due to people converting to Islam.

However, Christians have lost more followers than any other religion recently due to religious switching.