2025 Top 50 World Watch List
More than 380 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.
That’s one in seven Christians worldwide.
The most violent region is sub-Saharan Africa, where weak government and political tensions allow Islamic extremism to flourish.
3,944 Christians were sexually assaulted, harassed or forcibly married to non-Christians.
54,780 Christians beaten, threatened or physically and mentally abused.
209,771 Christians forced to leave their homes, to go into hiding or exile.
4,744 Christians detained, arrested or sentenced for faith-related reasons.
28,368 attacks on Christian homes, shops and businesses.
4,476 believers were killed for their faith.
North Korea (1)
Christian Population: 400,000 Christians
Persecutors: Juche ideology (Members of the Kim family are worshiped as gods)
Note: If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you will either be immediately executed
or deported to a horrendous labor camp that few survive. Sometimes including the whole family, kids also.
Somalia (2)
Christian Population: A few hundred Christians
Persecutors: Al-Shabaab (Islamic Extremist Group)
Note: In Somalia, following Jesus is a matter of life and death.
Al-Shabaab, a violent Islamic militant group, is at war with the government and controls
large swathes of the country. They enforce a strict form of Sharia (Islamic law)
and are committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia.
Yemen (3)
Christian Population: A small number
Persecutors: Islamist Houthis
Note: The country is now ruled by three different powers, none of which are sympathetic to
Christianity. Anyone thought to be Christian can face monitoring, detention, torture,
ill-treatment and even murder.
Libya, (4)
Christian Population: 35,500
Persecutors: Islamic militant and criminal groups. Libyan Christians with a Muslim background
face violent pressure from their families and communities to renounce their faith.
The lack of a central government to enforce law and order makes the situation even more precarious.
Note: In Libya, following Jesus is a huge risk for anyone. Foreign Christians, especially those
from sub-Saharan Africa, are targeted by Islamic militant and criminal groups. These groups kidnap
and sometimes brutally kill Christians.
Sudan (5)
Christian Population: 2 million
Persecutors: Islamic Extremists
Note: More than 100 churches have been damaged, and Christians have been abducted and killed. New Sudanese
Christians face such severe opposition that they tend to keep their faith secret, even from their own children.
Eritrea (6)
Christian Population: 1.7 million
Persecutors: Government security forces have conducted house-to house raids,
sending hundreds of Christians to the notorious, inhumane prisons.
Note: Only certain denominations are recognized by Eritrea’s government, with harsh
persecution for Evangelicals and other non-traditional churches and for any believer from a Muslim background.
Eritrea is often called the “North Korea of Africa” – phone calls and internet usage are
heavily monitored, and Christians suffer the most.
Nigeria (7)
Christian Population: 106.6 million
Persecutors: Violence from Islamic extremist groups is escalating,
with targeted attacks by Fulani militants, Boko Haram and other
militants spreading farther and farther south.
Note: More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world,
according to Open Doors research.
The attacks are brutal – many believers are killed, with women often kidnapped and sexually assaulted.
Militants destroy homes and churches. Millions of Christians have fled and now live in displacement camps.
I would like to pause right here for a moment. In 2014 14 year old Leah Sharibu was kidnapped from a Christian school.
She wanted to be an engineer someday. She is a beautiful young girl that was savagely kidnapped and because she would
not renounce Christ she was held to be a sex slave to Boko Haram fighters. No one knows where she is today. I would ask
for prayers that she is alive and still holding on to Jesus, and that she will be brought safely back to her family.
Pakistan (8)
Christian Population: 4.5 million
Persecutors: Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, especially Christians.
Note: While the death sentence is rarely carried out, being accused of blasphemy makes people very vulnerable
to attack. In June 2024, an elderly man was killed by an angry mob after being falsely accused of desecrating the Quran.
More and more Christian girls are abused.All Christians suffer discrimination, and the authorities reserve
the most degrading jobs for Christians.
Iran (9)
Christian Population: 800,000
Persecutors: The Iranian government views people becoming Christians as a “threat to national security”
– a Western attempt to undermine Islam and the regime.
Note: House churches are often raided, with leaders and church members arrested, prosecuted and given
long prison sentences. The historical Armenian and Assyrian churches are protected but treated as second-class
citizens. They must not worship in Persian or talk about their faith with Muslims.
But despite persecution, the church in Iran is growing steadily.
Afghanistan (10)
Christian Population: Thousands
Persecutors: Taliban Government (Sharia Law)
Note: Most Afghan Christians come from Muslim backgrounds; practicing their faith openly is impossible.
Leaving Islam is considered shameful, and it’s punishable by death under Islamic law, which has been increasingly
enforced under the Taliban. Afghan believers may have no option but to flee if the government discovers their faith.
A new believer’s family, clan or tribe may try to preserve its “honor” by punishing the convert through pressure,
violence or even murder – with women most at risk.
India (11)
Christian Population: 73.2 million
Persecutors: Hindu nationalists believe that all Indians should be Hindu.
Note: Twelve states now have anti-conversion laws, which are abused to target
Christians and stop them from sharing their faith. Uttar
Pradesh recently added life imprisonment as a possible sentence for this crime.
Last year’s elections forced the nationalist BJP to form a coalition government with parties that
support religious freedom. But for now, violence against Christians continues in many states.
Saudi Arabia (12)
Christian Population: 2.3 million
Persecutors: In Saudi Arabia, it’s illegal to leave the Islamic faith – and new Christians will face
intense opposition from their communities.
Note: Saudi Christians follow their faith very secretly. But believers are becoming bolder, sharing
their Christian faith with others online and through Christian TV channels – though Saudis caught
doing this have faced serious repercussions.
Christian workers from other countries cannot share their faith with local Saudis, and worship
gatherings are restricted.
Myanmar (13)
Christian Population: 4.8 million
Persecutors: Myanmar’s military
Note: As Myanmar enters the fifth year of an increasingly violent conflict, the Christian minority
is among those bearing the brunt of the attacks.
Since the military coup in early 2021, Christians have encountered greater violence and tighter restrictions.
More Christians than ever have been driven out of their homes to find refuge in churches, displacement camps
or the jungle. Many are going hungry.
Last year, the government enforced military conscription, which led to many young Christians leaving the country.
Believers are scattered.
Mali (14)
Christian Population: 542,000
Persecutors: Islamic Jihadis
Note: Churches have been burned down, and many Christians have fled their homes. Although some have
returned under police protection, they live under the threat of attack. In some areas, they have been
denied access to water and land to grow crops. It’s very dangerous to share the gospel in the north.
The jihadist violence is spreading southward, and the country’s institutions are breaking apart.
China (15)
Christian Population: 96.7 million
Persecutors: Chinese Government
Note: Unregistered churches, long tolerated by the Chinese government, are now being closed
down when discovered. Stateapproved churches are facing stronger restrictions over what they
preach. Children under 18 are forbidden from attending.
Surveillance is a normal consequence of being a church leader in China. Expressing Christian
faith is increasingly complicated.
Maldives (16)
Christian Population: a few hundred
Persecutors: This nation declares itself 100% Muslim.
Note: The Maldives is an island paradise for tourists from around the world – but not for Maldivians who
choose to follow Jesus.
Within the country’s close-knit communities, any deviation from Islamic values is easily spotted. Christian
believers may be stripped of their citizenship, lose their state benefits and be isolated from society.
Foreign Christians working in the tourist sector have slightly more freedom, but their gatherings are
strictly monitored. Many are too scared to meet.
Iraq (17)
Christian Population: 187,000
Persecutors: Various groups, especially since the rise of Shia militias backed by Iran. While the so-called
Islamic State (ISIS) still poses a threat, attacks from Türkiye and Iran have devastated predominantly Christian villages.
Note: The Assyrian and Chaldean churches are seriously affected by discrimination and violence from
militant groups and government authorities. Pressure on converts from Islam is intense, often forcing
them to hide their faith.
Syria (18)
Christian Population: 579,000
Persecutors: Islamic extremist rebel groups have outlawed Christianity.
Note: While Kurdish-controlled areas allowed religious freedom and Christian conversion,
Turkish forces have devastated Christian and Yazidi communities in these previously safe regions.
UPDATE: (Feb. 2025) Now that ISIS and Al Qaida have taken over the country,
Christians and all other minorities are in much greater danger than ever before. They are being
hunted down and executed right in the streets. The ones who escaped to the hills to hide are being
burned alive as all brush and trees are being lit on fire.
Algeria (19)
Christian Population: 144,000
Persecutors: A sharp increase of government pressure against the Algerian Protestant church continues.
Note: In 2023, almost all of Algeria’s Protestant churches were ordered to close. The remaining
churches were forced to stop meeting in 2024, isolating many Christians.
It is prohibited to “shake the faith of a Muslim” – a law that restricts Christian expression in
many ways. New Christians, most of whom have Muslim backgrounds, risk strong backlash from their
communities and extended families.
Burkina Faso (20)
Christian Population: 6.2 million
Persecutors: Violent Islamic extremist groups
Note: The rise of violent Islamic extremist groups has forced Christians to flee, and even cities
that used to be safe are now risky. Believers living in areas where these groups are active have been
targeted, kidnapped and killed, with Christian schools and churches destroyed. Converts from Muslim
families are often rejected.
Morocco (21)
Christian Population: 33,000
Persecutors: Morocco has a socially conservative, 99% Muslim society.
Note: Christians cannot get official permission to gather, so they meet in house churches –
these churches have faced some violent attacks over the past year. It’s not illegal to become a
Christian, but it is illegal to “shake the faith of a Muslim.” This means that new Christians,
and anybody expressing their faith in Jesus, even online, may be arrested and interrogated.
Laos (22)
Christian Population: 224,000
Persecutors: Communist authorities and Buddhist-animist
Note: Communist authorities heavily monitor all religious activities, even those of registered churches.
About 75% of government-approved congregations don’t have a building. All gatherings must be reported to the
administration, so running an unregistered house church is risky.
New Christians face severe rights violations. They are seen as outsiders to the Buddhist-animist community
and face violent opposition from their families and local authorities. Local leaders may incite the
community against new believers, running them out of the village.
Mauritania (23)
Christian Population: 11,000
Persecutors: It’s against the law to leave Islam, with the death penalty technically possible.
Note: Christianity is viewed as a negative Western influence, and anyone who comes to faith in
Christ faces severe hostility from the authorities and their families. They may even have to
leave the country.
It’s against the law to leave Islam, with the death penalty technically possible. Islamist
groups also pose a threat. Baptisms happen in secret, but many believers feel even this is
too risky. Christians may connect online, but lack of privacy in families makes this difficult.
Bangladesh (24)
Christian Population: 950,000
Persecutors: Violent riots and political turmoil gripped Bangladesh in 2024. Extremist groups used the
chaos as a chance to target Christians and burn their homes.
Note: In Bangladesh, anyone becoming a Christian is at risk, whether their background is Muslim,
Hindu, Buddhist or tribal. Christians usually meet in small, secret groups for fear of attack.
Last year, members of the majority-Christian Bawm ethnic group were killed and many were forced
to flee, caught up in a complex political conflict.
Uzbekistan (25)
Christian Population: 406,000
Persecutors: A former Soviet state, and it’s still ruled by an authoritarian government that
heavily monitors the population – especially religious groups.
Note: Christian groups are kept under surveillance. In the last year, churches not approved
of by the state have been raided, with people arrested, threatened and fined.
Converts from Islam face the most persecution – from both the state and their own families.
They may be threatened, locked away, divorced, disowned or physically abused.
Cuba (26)
Christian Population: 6.8 million
Persecutors: Cuba’s Communist Party reacts harshly to opponents and tries to control the church.
Note: As a humanitarian crisis continues, Christian activists who criticize the regime face
interrogation, smear campaigns, travel restrictions, prison sentences or harassment.
Their family members also face threats, such as losing custody of their children. The government
often refuses to register new churches, forcing many to operate illegally, which makes them
vulnerable to fines, property confiscation and even demolition.
Central African Republic (CAR) (27)
Christian Population: 4.4 million
Persecutors: A civil war began in 2013, sparking violence along both ethnic and religious lines.
Note: Christians are often caught in the middle – if they speak out against violence they can
be targeted, with churches burned and entire communities displaced.
Some of the armed groups also attack Christians simply because of their faith, with women facing
sexual violence.
Niger (28)
Christian Population: 69,200
Persecutors: Since the coup in 2023 that caused political chaos, the jihadist group al-Sunnah wa Jama’ah
has made life increasingly difficult for Christians in Niger.
Note: In areas under their control, church services have become risky. Attacks and kidnappings have
limited Christians’ freedom and safety, and there has also been a rise in attacks on Christian properties,
including schools.
The slow, complex legal process for registering a church appears to be used to prevent Christians
from gathering.
Turkmenistan (29)
Christian Population: 164,000
Persecutors: A former Soviet state still ruled by an authoritarian government that heavily monitors the population.
Note: Printing or importing Christian materials, holding unofficial meetings or even downloading Christian
songs can result in a fine or worse. Christian leaders are the most closely observed. Even the country’s historical
Russian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches can find their services being monitored. Most Turkmen are Muslims –
those who become Christians can expect strong opposition from their communities.
Nicaragua (30)
Christian Population: 6.8 million
Persecutors: Nicaragua is experiencing political unrest, economic decline and many protests
against the current government. Christians have paid a heavy price for speaking out.
Note: Church leaders have been harassed and arrested; properties seized; Christian schools,
TV stations and charities closed; and churches intimidated. Some leaders have fled the country,
and many more have been deported. Hundreds of Christian organizations have lost their legal status
in the last year as the government tries to silence the church.
Mexico (31)
Christian Population: 123.3 million
Persecutors: Criminal gangs and Drug cartels
Note: Christians who bravely speak out against criminal groups and gangs, or who are involved in community
work or evangelism, are deemed a threat – and that makes them a target. In some indigenous communities,
those who decide to leave ancestral and traditional beliefs to follow Jesus face ostracism, fines,
incarceration and forced displacement.
Oman (32)
Christian Population: 187,000
Persecutors: Islam
Note: Converts to Christianity face total opposition from their families due to a strong clan mentality.
While most Omanis practice a moderately conservative form of Islam, believers can still be expelled from
their homes and jobs and face problems over child custody and inheritance. Many keep their faith hidden.
Immigrant Christian communities are tolerated, as long as they avoid sharing their faith with Muslims –
but their meetings are monitored. All religious organizations must be registered with the authorities.
Ethiopia (33)
Christian Population: 77.5 million
Persecutors: Local Islamic Authorities
Note: Christian communities are facing serious religious freedom issues. Non-traditional Christians
get the worst treatment from local authorities.
Converts from Islam, and those from Ethiopian Orthodox backgrounds, face intense family opposition.
In some regions, Christians are attacked by Islamic mobs and denied community resources, leading to isolation.
During recent political violence and regional conflicts, many churches were attacked and destroyed,
and even those seeking refuge in churches weren’t safe from violence.
Tunisia (34)
Christian Population: 23,300
Persecutors: The Islamic Government
Note: For a Tunisian, being known as a Christian could mean losing their job, reputation and –
in the worst cases – their whole community.
The authorities monitor church gatherings, and converts are most at risk, as well as any
believers who share their faith. Recently, many Christians who’ve migrated from sub-Saharan
Africa have fled Tunisia due to racist abuse.
Despite persecution and opposition, the church in North Africa is growing.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (35)
Christian Population: 100.6 million
Persecutors: The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group with ties to the so-called Islamic State.
The M23 rebel group.
Note: The last year has seen an escalation in the shocking attacks against Christians in DRC.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group with ties to the so-called Islamic State,
has carried out coordinated attacks, abducting and killing dozens of Christians, displacing thousands
and leaving believers living in fear.
The M23 rebel group also targets Christians, making the situation even worse. The mix of militant threats,
family pressures and political interference creates a dangerous environment for Christians in the east of the country.
Bhutan (36)
Christian Population: 18,800
Persecutors: Buddhists, Government
Note: Everyone in Bhutan is assumed to be Buddhist. If you become a Christian, you will be
watched with suspicion, and your community will make efforts to bring you back to Buddhism.
No churches are officially recognized by the state, which means that Christians who gather in
homes are acting illegally.
Local authorities often refuse to issue Christians the right paperwork for loan applications,
property registration, job applications and ID card renewal.
Mozambique(37)
Christian Population: 20 million
Persecutors: Islamic extremism in the north of Mozambique. Christians are also caught in the
crossfire of the conflict between government forces and jihadist groups.
Note: Churches have been torched, pastors abducted and killed. In 2024, extremists launched a campaign targeting
Christians called “Kill Them Wherever You Find Them.”
They are targeted for speaking out against drug cartels, making them even more vulnerable to violence and displacement.
Kazakhstan (38)
Christian Population: 5 million
Persecutors: The Government
Note: Religious freedom is heavily restricted by the country’s Religion Law dating back to 2011.
The government is continuing to tighten its control over society, leading to increased surveillance,
raids on meetings and arrests.
Christians who have converted from Islam suffer the most. They face persecution from both the state
and their own families, friends and communities. Some are locked up by their families, beaten and
eventually expelled from their communities.
Tajikistan (39)
Christian Population: 62,600
Persecutors: Despite officially allowing freedom of religion, the Tajikistan government restricts religious activities.
Note: There are many elements to the Christian life that are illegal without a permit, from holding a meeting to
training leaders to printing Christian literature. Under-18s are not allowed to attend church, and Christians
may not share their faith.
Church meetings are increasingly raided by the authorities, with members being interrogated and pressured
to inform on others. They can even be imprisoned.
Egypt (40)
Christian Population: 10.1 million
Persecutors: Local authorities often fail to protect Christians from attacks by Islamic extremist groups.
Note: In rural areas, Christian women are harassed on the streets, and Christian children are often bullied.
Building new churches is difficult in certain parts of Egypt. New Christian converts can face pressure and
hostility from their Muslim families and communities, as well as detention by security services.
Quote by Christian Egyptian.
“My heart was torn apart,” says Mariam* after Muslim extremists killed her husband – simply for being kind to his Christian brothers and sisters.
Qatar (41)
Christian Population: 381,000
Persecutors: Islamic Government
Note: Christians in Qatar are either workers from non-Muslim countries or converts from Islam –
and the two rarely interact.
A select number of migrant workers’ churches are allowed to meet in the official religious
complex outside Doha. Qatari citizens are not allowed to enter, and migrants must not speak
about Christianity to Muslims, or they may be deported.
Qatar is increasingly using advanced technology to monitor everybody, causing Christians in
Qatar to become very careful.
Comoros Islands (42)
Christian Population: 5,500
Persecutors: Sunni Islam Government
Note: In the Comoros islands, it’s illegal to talk about any faith other than Sunni Islam.
Any foreigner suspected of evangelizing can be deported, and local Christians who preach
Christianity will be prosecuted.
Christian worship cannot be carried out in public. Christians can only legally worship in
three designated churches. Converts from Islam can face significant pressure from their
families and communities, as can anyone who is found to have Christian materials in their possession.
Cameroon (43)
Christian Population: 17.1 million
Persecutors: Extremist Islamic groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province
Note: These extremist groups regularly attack, and Christians can be abducted or murdered.
Converting from Islam or owning a Bible is very dangerous. Many churches have stopped meeting.
Many Cameroonians are suffering from a massive humanitarian crisis caused by conflict.
Christians have been accused by both sides of “harboring the enemy” and had their churches
and property destroyed.
Vietnam (44)
Christian Population: 9.8 million
Persecutors: Local authorities and villagers who follow traditional ethnic-animist religions.
Note: Persecution toward anybody who becomes a Christian is fierce. Believers can have their
homes destroyed and run out of their communities.
Local authorities will threaten, fine and sometimes imprison leaders of unregistered churches;
they’re particularly suspicious of Christians from minority ethnic groups like the Hmong.
Despite this, Hmong Bible teachers bravely travel miles by motorbike into remote areas to train
believers in secret Bible schools.
Türkiye (45)
Christian Population: 257,000
Persecutors: Turkish government and Muslim society
Note: There is a strong sense of nationalism in Türkiye today, which sees being Muslim as part of
Turkish identity. Although Christianity has a very long history here, it is still seen as a negative
Western influence, even by secular Turks.
It’s not illegal to become a Christian, but most converts face strong pressure from their families
to change their minds, under the threat of being disowned. Christian asylum seekers and job hunters
are discriminated against. Even traditional Greek and Armenian churches face legal obstacles.
Colombia (46)
Christian Population: 49.7 million
Persecutors: Guerrilla groups
Note: Guerrilla groups in Colombia often attack the Christians in their territories, especially if
they think the Christians are opposing the “business” of their associated drug cartels.
Church leaders are particularly at risk because they try to influence the young people that
guerrilla groups want to recruit.
In some indigenous communities, Christian preachers and converts can be seen as traitors to
the tribe or community and can be imprisoned or disowned.
Kyrgyzstan (47)
Christian Population: 263,000
Persecutors: In Kyrgyzstan, local authorities have considerable power and tend to be under the influence of the Muslim community.
Note:
Brunei (48)
Christian Population: 456,000/55,600
Persecutors: Brunei has introduced Sharia (Islamic Law), meaning that leaving Islam is publishable by law.
Note: Some new believers are locked up for long periods by their families and beaten, and they can be expelled
by their communities. There have been a number of violent incidents against believers this year, which is a
major reason the country has jumped 14 places on the World Watch List.
Chad (49)
Christian Population: 6 million
Persecutors: Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram
Note: Groups destabilizing neighboring countries and occasionally operating within Chad itself.
In such an environment, following Jesus comes with significant risks, particularly in
rural areas where fear often keeps believers from even attending church.
Last year, many Christians in Chad were displaced and their properties burned or destroyed.
Local believers report a growing tide of Islamic extremism, especially among younger religious
leaders who preach intolerance.
Jordan (50)
Christian Population: 170,000
Persecutors: Muslims
Note: Christian communities are still monitored to some extent and can face discrimination and restrictions
against public preaching. Meanwhile, Christians from Muslim families risk beatings, arrest and even death
for openly sharing their faith, and those helping them are often threatened and obstructed.
Lately, Jordan is showing a trend toward greater Islamic conservatism.
