Over 380 million Christians face persecution and discrimination – that’s one in seven believers worldwide. You can stand with believers counting the highest cost for following Jesus.

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World Watch List

Open Doors’ annual ranking of the countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.

Bangladesh Capital city – Dhaka Christian Population – 174 Burkina Faso Capital city – Ouagadougou Christian Population – 23 Brunei Capital city – Bandar Seri Begawan Christian Population – 422,675 Bhutan Capital city – Thimphu Christian Population – 796 Central African Republic Capital city – Bangui Christian Population – 5 Cuba Capital city – Havana Christian Population – 11 Eritrea Capital city – Asmara Christian Population – 3,817,651 Kyrgyzstan Capital city – Bishkek Christian Population – 0 Myanmar Capital city – Naypyidaw Christian Population – 54,409,800 Mauritania Capital city – Nouakchott Christian Population – 5 Mexico Capital city – Mexico City Christian Population – 129 Niger Capital city – Niamey Christian Population – 28 Oman Capital city – Muscat Christian Population – 4 Qatar Capital city – Doha Christian Population – 2,795,484 Somalia Capital city – Mogadishu Christian Population – 10,251,568 Syria Capital city – Damascus Christian Population – 22,142,061 Tajikistan Capital city – Dushanbe Christian Population – 7,417,400 Vietnam Capital city – Hanoi Christian Population – 97,338,579 Yemen Capital city – Sanaa Christian Population – 25,408,000 Ethiopia Capital city – Addis Ababa Christian Population – 112,269,301 Mali Capital city – Bamako Christian Population – 20,250,833 Türkiye Capital city – Ankara Christian Population – 80,810,525 Turkmenistan Capital city – Ashgabat Christian Population – 6 Tunisia Capital city – Tunis Christian Population – 11,403,800 North Korea Capital city – Pyongyang Christian Population – 25,713,000 China Capital city – Peking Christian Population – 1,412,600,000 Colombia Capital city – Bogotá Christian Population – 51,895,000 Morocco Capital city – Rabat Christian Population – 38 Algeria Capital city – Algeria Christian Population – 46,279,000 Libya Capital city – Tripoli Christian Population – 5,670,688 Chad Capital city – N’Djamena Christian Population – 6 Sudan Capital city – Khartoum Christian Population – 43,849,260 Saudi Arabia Capital city – Riyadh Christian Population – 34,218,000 Iraq Capital city – Baghdad Christian Population – 46,524,000 Jordan Capital city – Amman Christian Population – 6,500,000 Iran Capital city – Tehran Christian Population – 79,966,230 Mozambique Capital city – Maputo Christian Population – 28,829,476 DRC Capital city – Kinshasa Christian Population – 89,561,403 Nigeria Capital city – Abuja Christian Population – 206,139,589 Nicaragua Capital city – Managua Christian Population – 7 Cameroon Capital city – Yaounde Christian Population – 16,322,000 Kazakhstan Capital city – Nur-Sultan Christian Population – 18,690,115 Laos Capital city – Vientiane Christian Population – 7 Uzbekistan Capital city – Toshkent Christian Population – 35 Afghanistan Capital city – Kabul Christian Population – 33,928,493 Pakistan Capital city – Islamabad Christian Population – 206,139,589 India Capital city – New Delhi Christian Population – 1,414,843,757 Egypt Capital city – Cairo Christian Population – 113,701,707
Bangladesh World Watch: 24 Christian Population: 174 Burkina Faso World Watch: 20 Christian Population: 23 Brunei World Watch: 48 Christian Population: 422,675 Bhutan World Watch: 36 Christian Population: 796 Central African Republic World Watch: 27 Christian Population: 5 Cuba World Watch: 26 Christian Population: 11 Eritrea World Watch: 6 Christian Population: 3,817,651 Indonesia Capital City – Jakarta Population – 267,663,435 Kyrgyzstan World Watch: 47 Christian Population: 0 Sri Lanka Capital City – Colombo Population – 21,919,000 Myanmar World Watch: 13 Christian Population: 54,409,800 Mauritania World Watch: 23 Christian Population: 5 Mexico World Watch: 31 Christian Population: 129 Niger World Watch: 28 Christian Population: 28 Oman World Watch: 32 Christian Population: 4 Qatar World Watch: 41 Christian Population: 2,795,484 Somalia World Watch: 2 Christian Population: 10,251,568 Syria World Watch: 18 Christian Population: 22,142,061 Tajikistan World Watch: 39 Christian Population: 7,417,400 Vietnam World Watch: 44 Christian Population: 97,338,579 Yemen World Watch: 3 Christian Population: 25,408,000 Ethiopia World Watch: 33 Christian Population: 112,269,301 Mali World Watch: 14 Christian Population: 20,250,833 Türkiye World Watch: 45 Christian Population: 80,810,525 Turkmenistan World Watch: 29 Christian Population: 6 Tunisia World Watch: 34 Christian Population: 11,403,800 North Korea World Watch: 1 Christian Population: 25,713,000 Kuwait Capital City – Kuwait City Population – 4,052,584 China World Watch: 15 Christian Population: 1,412,600,000 Colombia World Watch: 46 Christian Population: 51,895,000 Morocco World Watch: 21 Christian Population: 38 Algeria World Watch: 19 Christian Population: 46,279,000 Libya World Watch: 4 Christian Population: 5,670,688 Chad World Watch: 49 Christian Population: 6 Sudan World Watch: 5 Christian Population: 43,849,260 Saudi Arabia World Watch: 12 Christian Population: 34,218,000 Iraq World Watch: 17 Christian Population: 46,524,000 Jordan World Watch: 50 Christian Population: 6,500,000 Iran World Watch: 9 Christian Population: 79,966,230 Mozambique World Watch: 37 Christian Population: 28,829,476 DRC World Watch: 35 Christian Population: 89,561,403 Nigeria World Watch: 7 Christian Population: 206,139,589 Nicaragua World Watch: 30 Christian Population: 7 Cameroon World Watch: 43 Christian Population: 16,322,000 Kazakhstan World Watch: 38 Christian Population: 18,690,115 Laos World Watch: 22 Christian Population: 7 Uzbekistan World Watch: 25 Christian Population: 35 Afghanistan World Watch: 10 Christian Population: 33,928,493 Pakistan World Watch: 8 Christian Population: 206,139,589 India World Watch: 11 Christian Population: 1,414,843,757 Nepal Capital City – Kathmandu Population – 28,825,709 Egypt World Watch: 40 Christian Population: 113,701,707
Levels of persecution:
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  •   Very High
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2025  ranking
  1. North Korea
  2. Somalia
  3. Yemen
  4. Libya
  5. Sudan
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Prayer and praise

PLEASE PRAY
Pray for all the children of the persecuted church who face bullying, rejection and violence because they follow Jesus. Ask that they will know God’s Fatherly love, protection and strengthening.
GIVE THANKS
That Open Doors local partners are being equipped to bring relief aid and encouragement to displaced Christians in Nigeria and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
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    Courageous Christians

    These believers are bravely following Jesus despite enormous opposition, or raising support and awareness for the persecuted church. This is the worldwide body of Christ.

    WWL #1 North Korea
    If your Christian faith is discovered, you could be killed on the spot. But believers like Joo Min are determined to shine God’s light.

    Find out more
     
    WWL #2 Somalia
    Al-Shabaab, a violent Islamic militant group, is committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia.

    Pray for Somali Christians
     
    WWL #3 Yemen
    All Christians are in danger in Yemen; it’s incredibly difficult for Christians to meet.

    Find out more about Yemeni Christians
     
    WWL #4 Libya
    Islamic militant groups kidnap and sometimes kill Christians, and families exert intense pressure on believers to return to Islam.

    Pray for Christians in Libya
     
    WWL #5 Sudan
    Families see conversion from Islam as a shameful betrayal, so new believers often keep their faith secret.

    Find out more about Sudan
     
    WWL #6 Eritrea
    Current estimates suggest around 1,000 Eritrean Christians are imprisoned, and they haven’t been charged with any crime.

    Pray for Eritrea
     
    WWL #7 Nigeria
    More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.

    What’s it like in Nigeria?
     
    WWL #8 Pakistan
    About a quarter of all blasphemy allegations are made against Christians, which carry a death sentence and can lead to mob violence.

    Pray for Pakistan
     
    WWL #9 Iran
    Believers from a Muslim background are often arrested and given long prison sentences for ‘crimes against national security’.

    What’s it like in Iran?
     
    WWL #10 Afghanistan
    Any existing house churches remain deeply underground, and Christians live under relentless pressure.

    Pray for the church in Afghanistan