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Open Doors Youth, PO Box 6, Witney, Oxon, UK, OX29 6WG

+44 (0) 1993 460015 / youth@opendoorsuk.org

We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.

THE PROBLEM
At least 360 million Christians are facing persecution and discrimination – that’s one in every seven Christians on the planet.

Yet, they choose to follow Jesus despite the fear of arrest, prison, rejection, threats and violence.

Across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, millions of Christians risk everything, simply because they choose to believe. But, despite the risks, many are bravely still trying to shine God’s love.
The map on this page shows the Open Doors 2023 World Watch List, a ranking of the 50 places where faith in Jesus costs the most; places where being known as a Christian could mean being cut off from family, shunned by community, facing an unjust prison sentence or being on the end of violent attacks. Use the map to guide your prayers and see where your support is urgently needed.
Across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, millions of Christians risk everything, simply because they choose to believe. But, despite the risks, many are bravely still trying to shine God’s love.
The map on this page shows the Open Doors 2023 World Watch List, a ranking of the 50 places where faith in Jesus costs the most; places where being known as a Christian could mean being cut off from family, shunned by community, facing an unjust prison sentence or being on the end of violent attacks. Use the map to guide your prayers and see where your support is urgently needed.
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three triangles Discover
WORLD WATCH LIST 2023

View country profiles

CHOOSE COUNTRY
  • 1. North Korea
  • 2. Somalia
  • 3. Yemen
  • 4. Eritrea
  • 5. Libya
  • 6. Nigeria
  • 7. Pakistan
  • 8. Iran
  • 9. Afghanistan
  • 10. Sudan
  • 11. India
  • 12. Syria
  • 13. Saudi Arabia
  • 14. Myanmar
  • 15. Maldives
  • 16. China
  • 17. Mali
  • 18. Iraq
  • 19. Algeria
  • 20. Mauritania
  • 21. Uzbekistan
  • 22. Colombia
  • 23. Burkina Faso
  • 24. Central African Republic
  • 25. Vietnam
  • 26. Turkmenistan
  • 27. Cuba
  • 28. Niger
  • 29. Morocco
  • 30. Bangladesh
  • 31. Laos
  • 32. Mozambique
  • 33. Indonesia
  • 34. Qatar
  • 35. Egypt
  • 36. Tunisia
  • 37. Democratic Republic of Congo
  • 38. Mexico
  • 39. Ethiopia
  • 40. Bhutan
  • 41. Turkey
  • 42. Comoros
  • 43. Malaysia
  • 44. Tajikistan
  • 45. Cameroon
  • 46. Brunei
  • 47. Oman
  • 48. Kazakhstan
  • 49. Jordan
  • 50. Nicaragua
“BD” – Bangladesh Capital City – Dhaka Population – 168,957,745 “BF” – Burkina Faso Capital City – Ouagadougou Population – 13,228,000 “BN” – Brunei Capital City – Bandar Seri Begawan Population – 422,675 “BT” – Bhutan Capital City – Thimphu Population – 777,486 “CF” – Central African Republic Capital City – Bangui Population – 4,216,666 “CU” – Cuba Capital City – Havana Population – 11,008,112 “ER” – Eritrea Capital City – Asmara Population – 3,684,032 “ID” – Indonesia Capital City – Jakarta Population – 267,663,435 “LK” – Sri Lanka Capital City – Colombo Population – 21,919,000 “MM” – Myanmar Capital City – Naypyidaw Population – 57,526,449 “MR” – Mauritania Capital City – Nouakchott Population – 3,359,185 “MX” – Mexico Capital City – Mexico City Population – 126,577,691 “NE” – Niger Capital City – Niamey Population – 24,484,587 “OM” – Oman Capital City – Muscat Population – 4,520,471 “QA” – Qatar Capital City – Doha Population – 2,795,484 “SO” – Somalia Capital City – Mogadishu Population – 10,251,568 “SY” – Syria Capital City – Damascus Population – 22,142,061 “TJ” – Tajikistan Capital City – Dushanbe Population – 9,119,347 “VN” – Vietnam Capital City – Hanoi Population – 97,338,579 “YE” – Yemen Capital City – Sanaa Population – 30,984,689 “ET” – Ethiopia Capital City – Addis Ababa Population – 112,269,301 “ML” – Mali Capital City – Bamako Population – 21,473,764 “TR” – Turkey Capital City – Ankara Population – 80,810,525 “TM” – Turkmenistan Capital City – Ashgabat Population – 5,636,011 “TN” – Tunisia Capital City – Tunis Population – 11,403,800 “KP” – North Korea Capital City – Pyongyang Population – 25,713,000 “KW” – Kuwait Capital City – Kuwait City Population – 4,052,584 “CN” – China Capital City – Peking Population – 1,411,750,000 “CO” – Colombia Capital City – Bogotá Population – 51,895,000 “MA” – Morocco Capital City – Rabat Population – 36,910,560 “DZ” – Algeria Capital City – Algeria Population – 43,851,044 “LY” – Libya Capital City – Tripoli Population – 6,754,507 “SD” – Sudan Capital City – Khartoum Population – 43,849,260 “SA” – Saudi Arabia Capital City – Riyadh Population – 34,218,000 “IQ” – Iraq Capital City – Baghdad Population – 40,462,701 “JO” – Jordan Capital City – Amman Population – 6,500,000 “IR” – Iran Capital City – Tehran Population – 86,758,304 “MY” – Malaysia Capital City – Kuala Lumpur Population – 27 140 000 “MZ” – Mozambique Capital City – Maputo Population – 28,829,476 “CD” – Democratic Republic of Congo Capital City – Kinshasa Population – 89,561,403 “NG” – Nigeria Capital City – Abuja Population – 206,139,589 “NI” – Nicaragua Capital City – Managua Population – 6,851 “CM” – Cameroon Capital City – Yaounde Population – 16,322,000 “KZ” – Kazakhstan Capital City – Nur-Sultan Population – 18,690,115 “LA” – Laos Capital City – Vientiane Population – 6,477,211 “UZ” – Uzbekistan Capital City – Toshkent Population – 31,100,500 “AF” – Afghanistan Capital City – Kabul Population – 33,928,493 “PK” – Pakistan Capital City – Islamabad Population – 231, 402, 117 “IN” – India Capital City – New Delhi Population – 1,407,563,842 “NP” – Nepal Capital City – Kathmandu Population – 28,825,709 “EG” – Egypt Capital City – Cairo Population – 107,770,524

View country profiles

CHOOSE COUNTRY
  • 1. North Korea
  • 2. Somalia
  • 3. Yemen
  • 4. Eritrea
  • 5. Libya
  • 6. Nigeria
  • 7. Pakistan
  • 8. Iran
  • 9. Afghanistan
  • 10. Sudan
  • 11. India
  • 12. Syria
  • 13. Saudi Arabia
  • 14. Myanmar
  • 15. Maldives
  • 16. China
  • 17. Mali
  • 18. Iraq
  • 19. Algeria
  • 20. Mauritania
  • 21. Uzbekistan
  • 22. Colombia
  • 23. Burkina Faso
  • 24. Central African Republic
  • 25. Vietnam
  • 26. Turkmenistan
  • 27. Cuba
  • 28. Niger
  • 29. Morocco
  • 30. Bangladesh
  • 31. Laos
  • 32. Mozambique
  • 33. Indonesia
  • 34. Qatar
  • 35. Egypt
  • 36. Tunisia
  • 37. Democratic Republic of Congo
  • 38. Mexico
  • 39. Ethiopia
  • 40. Bhutan
  • 41. Turkey
  • 42. Comoros
  • 43. Malaysia
  • 44. Tajikistan
  • 45. Cameroon
  • 46. Brunei
  • 47. Oman
  • 48. Kazakhstan
  • 49. Jordan
  • 50. Nicaragua
Level of persecution:
  • redExtreme
  • orangeVery High
  • yellowHigh
360,000,000 +

Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith

5,621

Christians were killed last year for faith related reasons

2,110

Church buildings were attacked, looted or forcibly closed.

140,000

Christians were displaced from their home or country in the past year

2023 ranking:
  1. North Korea
  2. Somalia
  3. Yemen
  4. Eritrea
  5. Libya

GET A FREE 2023 WORLD WATCH LIST PRAYER MAP!

Get your free interactive map and start praying risky prayers with the persecuted church.

ORDER NOW…

FREE WORLD WATCH LIST YOUTH SESSION OUTLINE

Get a free download of a youth session outline focussing on praying for the riskiest places to follow Christ – including prayer station posters and ideas!

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BRAVE FAITH STORIES

Check out these inspiring stories of brave faith from persecuted Christians around the world.

PAUL FROM ERITREA

“Even though they don’t know me, they prayed for me…” See how your prayers can encourage those in prison!

Find out more
SAENGCHAN FROM LAOS

“Even when I was in prison, I felt I was not alone. I felt your prayers.” Watch this video story of brave faith from Laos…

Find out more
PASTOR TIMOTHY FROM CHINA

Standing up to prison guards and seeing a fellow inmate healed. Meet the courageous Pastor Timothy…

Find out more
SARAH FROM EAST AFRICA

Read Sarah’s incredible story of healing and brave faith in East Africa

Find out more
DANIEL FROM ETHIOPIA

Daniel only wanted to prove the New Testament was wrong, instead he ended up following Jesus…

Find out more
AYUBA FROM NIGERIA

Ayuba was only 20 when his father was murdered by Islamic extremists. Watch his extraordinary story, from seeking revenge to choosing to forgive.

Find out more

WORLD WATCH LIST VIDEOS

HOW rebecca secretly helps underground north korean Christians

Rebecca* has one of the riskiest jobs imaginable. Through Open Doors’ secret networks in China, she helps North Korean women who’ve escaped North Korea in search of a better life – but have ended up being trafficked. Despite the grave risks, Rebecca has seen God do amazing things in the ladies’ lives – helped by your prayers and support. Her story is truly an incredible testimony for God’s faithfulness and protection.
5 months ago

What is the World Watch List?

One in every seven Christians face persecution and discrimination simply for following Jesus. That means there are 360 million Christians facing persecution and discrimination. Yet, they choose to follow Jesus despite the fear of arrest, prison, rejection, threats and violence. Watch the video to find out more about the World Watch List, a ranking of 50 countries where Christians face the worst persecution.
10 months ago

World Watch List 2023: Top 10 countries

Here are the Top 10 countries where it is most dangerous to follow Jesus.

4 months ago
Videos on countries featuring in the 2023 World Watch List.
HOW rebecca secretly helps underground north korean Christians 00:01:20
HOW rebecca secretly helps underground north korean Christians
5 months ago

Watch Rebecca’s story of brave and courageous faith…

What is the World Watch List? 00:01:20
What is the World Watch List?
10 months ago

Find out more about the World Watch List, a ranking of the toughest places in the world to be a Christian…

World Watch List 2023: Top 10 countries 03:54
World Watch List 2023: Top 10 countries
4 months ago

Where do Christians risk everything to follow Christ? The Open Doors World Watch List 2023 ranks the countries where Christian persecution is the most extreme – here at the 10 countries at the top of the list. Explore the rest of the World Watch List at https://opendoorsuk.org/persecution

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