The Muslim Population Contracts

The scale of Muslim emigration becomes immediately apparent upon comparison of census data. In 1881 there were 73 234 Muslims living on Crete, in a total population of 276 208. In 1900 the island population comprised 269 319 Christians, 33 496 Muslims, 728 Jews and 6 113 foreigners, most of whom were Europeans. Of those Muslims remaining, only a small proportion (less that 5 000 individuals) lived in rural areas, the majority having congregated in the towns. This decline continued at a slower rate over the ensuing years. There were 27 852 Muslims remaining on the island in 1911, by which time the Christian population had increased to 307 812.