Over 388 million Christians face high levels of persecution and discrimination – that’s one in seven believers worldwide. You can stand with believers courageously following Jesus, no matter the cost.

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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 – 950,000 Burkina Faso Capital city – Ouagadougou Christian Population – 6,100,000 Brunei Capital city – Bandar Seri Begawan Christian Population – 53,000 Bhutan Capital city – Thimphu Christian Population – 19,300 Central African Republic Capital city – Bangui Christian Population – 4,500,000 Cuba Capital city – Havana Christian Population – 6,974,000 Eritrea Capital city – Asmara Christian Population – 1,700,000 Kyrgyzstan Capital city – Bishkek Christian Population – 207,000 Myanmar Capital city – Naypyidaw Christian Population – 4,632,000 Mauritania Capital city – Nouakchott Christian Population – 11,100 Mexico Capital city – Mexico City Christian Population – 124,066,000 Niger Capital city – Niamey Christian Population – 74,900 Oman Capital city – Muscat Christian Population – 191,000 Qatar Capital city – Doha Christian Population – 390,000 Somalia Capital city – Mogadishu Christian Population – 100 Syria Capital city – Damascus Christian Population – 300,000 Tajikistan Capital city – Dushanbe Christian Population – 55,000 Yemen Capital city – Sanaa Christian Population – 100 Ethiopia Capital city – Addis Ababa Christian Population – 81,400,000 Mali Capital city – Bamako Christian Population – 867,000 Türkiye Capital city – Ankara Christian Population – 251,000 Turkmenistan Capital city – Ashgabat Christian Population – 95,000 Tunisia Capital city – Tunis Christian Population – 23,000 North Korea Capital city – Pyongyang Christian Population – 400,000 China Capital city – Peking Christian Population – 96,700,000 Colombia Capital city – Bogotá Christian Population – 4,937,600 Morocco Capital city – Rabat Christian Population – 37,400 Algeria Capital city – Algeria Christian Population – 156,000 Libya Capital city – Tripoli Christian Population – 36,300 Chad Capital city – N’Djamena Christian Population – 6,000,000 Sudan Capital city – Khartoum Christian Population – 2,200,000 Saudi Arabia Capital city – Riyadh Christian Population – 2,300,000 Iraq Capital city – Baghdad Christian Population – 187,000 Jordan Capital city – Amman Christian Population – 170,000 Iran Capital city – Tehran Christian Population – 800,000 Mozambique Capital city – Maputo Christian Population – 19,900,000 DRC Capital city – Kinshasa Christian Population – 104,159,000 Nigeria Capital city – Abuja Christian Population – 107,300,000 Nicaragua Capital city – Managua Christian Population – 6,832,000 Cameroon Capital city – Yaounde Christian Population – 17,400,000 Kazakhstan Capital city – Nur-Sultan Christian Population – 3,594,000 Laos Capital city – Vientiane Christian Population – 219,000 Uzbekistan Capital city – Tashkent Christian Population – 395,000 Afghanistan Capital city – Kabul Christian Population – 1,000 Pakistan Capital city – Islamabad Christian Population – 4,800,000 India Capital city – New Delhi Christian Population – 72,326,000 Nepal Capital city – Kathmandu Christian Population – 1,480,000 Egypt Capital city – Cairo Christian Population – 10,184,000
Levels of persecution:
  •   Extreme
  •   Very High
  •   High
View country profiles
2026  ranking
  1. North Korea
  2. Somalia
  3. Yemen
  4. Sudan
  5. Eritrea
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Prayer and praise

PLEASE PRAY
For the swift release of almost 100 children, students and teachers who have been kidnapped from schools in northern Nigeria by extremist militants. Pray for their protection and comfort, and that the Lord would draw near to their parents and families also.
GIVE THANKS
That Amir-Ali Minaei, a 32-year-old Iranian Christian convert who was sentenced to three years and seven months in Evin prison in 2024 for helping found a house church, has been released.
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    Courageous Christians

    These believers are bravely following Jesus despite the threat of violence, persecution and displacement.

    Jinyi China
    ‘Jinyi’s’ husband was imprisoned when their house church was raided by Chinese police.

    Meet Jinyi
     
    Kanya Laos
    Exiled by their community for their faith, ‘Kanya’ and ‘Phonesay’ now live out their lives in the forests of Laos.

    Meet Kanya
     
    Phonesay Laos
    ‘Phonesay’ and ‘Kanya’ continue following God because they have seen His goodness in exile.

    Meet Phonesay
     
    Khoun Laos
    One choice cost ‘Khoun’ his home and his community – but he knows following Jesus is still his best decision.

    Meet Khoun
     
    Dorcas Kenya
    Dorcas’s husband was killed in an attack on her village. Today, Open Doors supporters are helping her have hope.

    Meet Dorcas
     
    Jorina Bangladesh
    You’re supporting and empowering Jorina through the See. Change. campaign.

    Meet Jorina
     
    Yang Myanmar
    Pastor Yang in Myanmar was forcibly displaced several times. “Your presence and your words o encouragement have brought comfort,” he says.

    Meet Yang
     
    Zahra Yemen
    ‘Zahra’ has a passion to ‘bring Yemeni women and girls to Christ’. You’re helping her ministry today.

    Meet Zahra
     
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