Sufi religious teachers succeeded in converting many Bengalis to Islam, even before the arrival of Muslim armies from the west. About 1200 AD, Muslim invaders established political control over the Bengal region. This political control also encouraged conversion to Islam. Since then, Islam has played a crucial role in the region's history and politics, with a Muslim majority emerging, particularly in the eastern region of Bengal.
*Population: 147 165 million.
*Annual growth rate: 1.7%.
*Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims.