Religion can also make regions unique. Religion can shape group identity and act as a unifying force but equally it can be a source of social conflict and strongly divide people. This world map (Fig. 17) showing distinct religions is very generalised as it is
difficult to showminority groups on a large-scalemap.However, as a broad guide to the location of religions, it is useful. Judaism, Christianity and Islamoriginated in the Middle East. Hinduismand Buddhismhave their roots in the Indian sub-continent. Political expansion, conquest, colonisation and missionary work were responsible
for the distribution of religions worldwide, e.g. the teachings ofMohammed (Islam) stimulated the Arab world into a phase of religious and cultural expansion. Christianity was spread with the help of European political expansion in the Americas. Today, migration, population growth and conversion contribute to the expansion of religions.