Over 365 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 – 168,957,745 Burkina Faso Capital city – Ouagadougou Christian Population – 22 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 – 4,216,666 Cuba Capital city – Havana Christian Population – 11,239,004 Eritrea Capital city – Asmara Christian Population – 3,817,651 Indonesia Capital city – Jakarta Christian Population – 267,663,435 Myanmar Capital city – Naypyidaw Christian Population – 54,409,800 Mauritania Capital city – Nouakchott Christian Population – 3,359,185 Mexico Capital city – Mexico City Christian Population – 126,577,691 Niger Capital city – Niamey Christian Population – 24,206,644 Oman Capital city – Muscat Christian Population – 3,424,386 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 – 5,942,000 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 – 36,910,560 Algeria Capital city – Algeria Christian Population – 43,851,044 Libya Capital city – Tripoli Christian Population – 5,670,688 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 – 39,127,900 Jordan Capital city – Amman Christian Population – 6,500,000 Iran Capital city – Tehran Christian Population – 79,966,230 Malaysia Capital city – Kuala Lumpur Christian Population – 27,140,000 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 – 6,751,000 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 – 6,477,211 Uzbekistan Capital city – Toshkent Christian Population – 31,100,500 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 – 26 Christian Population – 168,957,745 Burkina Faso World Watch – 20 Christian Population – 22 Brunei World Watch – 44 Christian Population – 422,675 Bhutan World Watch – 36 Christian Population – 796 Central African Republic World Watch – 28 Christian Population – 4,216,666 Cuba World Watch – 22 Christian Population – 11,239,004 Eritrea World Watch – 4 Christian Population – 3,817,651 Indonesia World Watch – 42 Christian Population – 267,663,435 Sri Lanka Capital City – Colombo Population – 21,919,000 Myanmar World Watch – 17 Christian Population – 54,409,800 Mauritania World Watch – 23 Christian Population – 3,359,185 Mexico World Watch – 37 Christian Population – 126,577,691 Niger World Watch – 27 Christian Population – 24,206,644 Oman World Watch – 31 Christian Population – 3,424,386 Qatar World Watch – 40 Christian Population – 2,795,484 Somalia World Watch – 2 Christian Population – 10,251,568 Syria World Watch – 12 Christian Population – 22,142,061 Tajikistan World Watch – 46 Christian Population – 7,417,400 Vietnam World Watch – 35 Christian Population – 97,338,579 Yemen World Watch – 5 Christian Population – 25,408,000 Ethiopia World Watch – 32 Christian Population – 112,269,301 Mali World Watch – 14 Christian Population – 20,250,833 Türkiye World Watch – 50 Christian Population – 80,810,525 Turkmenistan World Watch – 29 Christian Population – 5,942,000 Tunisia World Watch – 33 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 – 19 Christian Population – 1,412,600,000 Colombia World Watch – 34 Christian Population – 51,895,000 Morocco World Watch – 24 Christian Population – 36,910,560 Algeria World Watch – 15 Christian Population – 43,851,044 Libya World Watch – 3 Christian Population – 5,670,688 Sudan World Watch – 8 Christian Population – 43,849,260 Saudi Arabia World Watch – 13 Christian Population – 34,218,000 Iraq World Watch – 16 Christian Population – 39,127,900 Jordan World Watch – 48 Christian Population – 6,500,000 Iran World Watch – 9 Christian Population – 79,966,230 Malaysia World Watch – 49 Christian Population – 27,140,000 Mozambique World Watch – 39 Christian Population – 28,829,476 DRC World Watch – 41 Christian Population – 89,561,403 Nigeria World Watch – 6 Christian Population – 206,139,589 Nicaragua World Watch – 30 Christian Population – 6,751,000 Cameroon World Watch – 43 Christian Population – 16,322,000 Kazakhstan World Watch – 47 Christian Population – 18,690,115 Laos World Watch – 21 Christian Population – 6,477,211 Uzbekistan World Watch – 25 Christian Population – 31,100,500 Afghanistan World Watch – 10 Christian Population – 33,928,493 Pakistan World Watch – 7 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 – 38 Christian Population – 113,701,707
Levels of persecution:
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  •   Very High
  •   High
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2024  ranking
  1. North Korea
  2. Somalia
  3. Libya
  4. Eritrea
  5. Yemen
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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.

    Rumana Bangladesh
    Rumana (9) in Bangaldesh faces rejection and bullying for being a Christian. She has extraordinary faith, but often feels alone.

    Meet Rumana
     
    Moryom Bangladesh
    Moryom (9) is mocked and bullied at school for her faith. With your prayers and gifts, she can be accepted and loved at Sunday school.

    Meet Moryom
     
    Jonathan Nigeria
    Rev. Jonathan Ugbede is the vice chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria. He speaks out about the displacement crisis he is witnessing in his country and region.

    Watch video
     
    Fedalia Nigeria
    Fedalia is a displaced believer in Nigeria who lost her home because of militant attacks. She is very thankful for relief aid and encouragement, thanks to people like you.

    Meet Fedalia
     
    Barnabas Nigeria
    Pastor Barnabas lives in one of Nigeria’s many displacement camps. He and his family had to flee violent Islamic militants.

    Meet Barnabas
     
    Ailin
    Ailin (name changed) is one of millions of Christians around the world who face persecution for loving Jesus. Find out more about how you can show they’re not alone.

    Read more
     
    Ji Ho North Korea
    North Korea is the hardest place to follow Jesus. Ji Ho’s story explains exactly why.

    Meet Ji Ho
     
    Leah Nigeria
    Leah Sharibu was abducted by Islamic militants Boko Haram in Nigeria – she has been held for six years because she refuses to renounce Jesus.

    Read more