A total of 559 people from various nations including India living in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embraced Islam in 2010.

The number of new converts increased by 25 percent in the first half of 2010 compared to the like period last year, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) said in a statement.

There were 486 people who embraced Islam in the first six months of 2009.

People from the Philippines topped the list, which also includes India, US, Finland, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Australia, France, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Russia, Britain, Spain and Norway, among others.

--IANS/WAM

pm/dg