Home to more than 680 million people, Southeast Asia stretches from Myanmar in the west to the Philippines in the east and south into Indonesia. It holds the world's largest population of people from Buddhist and Muslim backgrounds, as well as significant Catholic populations in the Philippines and Vietnam.
According to Joshua Project, over 350 million people are still classified as part of unreached people groups in this region. These people groups have yet to hear the Gospel! Overall, we estimate that half a billion people in this region haven't heard the Gospel even once, including over 700 unreached ethnic groups mentioned in Joshua Project.
Cambodia
Buddhism runs deep, but nothing can hinder the Gospel
Population: 16,899,000
Percent Evangelical: 2.02%
Population in Unreached: 16,192,000 (95.8%)
*Unreached People Groups: 18 out of 44 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Buddhism (official), Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Khmer, Vietnamese, Kampuchea Krom, Cham, Han Chinese, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Khmer, Vietnamese, other ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: Starting Local Churches, Bible Study Ministry, Children's Bible Ministry
Indonesia
Sharing the Gospel in a nation with the largest Muslim population in the world
Population: 277,154,000
Percent Evangelical: 3.2%
Population in Unreached: 193,937,000 (70.0%)
*Unreached People Groups: 240 out of 787 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Islam, Protestant Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Javanese, Sundanese, Malay, Batak, Madurese, Betawi, Minangkabau, Buginese, Bantenese, Banjarese, Balinese, Acehnese, Palembang, Sasak, Dayak, Makassar, Han Chinese, Mandaling, Jambi, Gorontalo, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official), English, Dutch, Javanese, Sunda, Malay, over 700 ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: We are actively involved in providing Scriptures and training. Please contact us for more information.
Laos
Reaching remote villages in this mountainous country
Population: 7,559,000
Percent Evangelical: 2.5%
Population in Unreached: 5,723,000 (75.7%)
*Unreached People Groups: 96 out of 126 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Lao, Khmu, Hmong, Tai, Phuthai, Thai, Lue, Katang, So, Makong, Vietnamese, Akha, Phunoi, Kui, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, Khmu, other ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: We are actively involved in providing Scriptures and training. Please contact us for more information.
Myanmar
Unprecedented opportunities are available after a long, harsh dictatorship
Population: 54,358,000
Percent Evangelical: 4.9%
Population in Unreached: 45,303,000 (83.3%)
*Unreached People Groups: 52 out of 149 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Animism, Hinduism, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Burmese, Shan, Karen, Rakhine, Chin, Han Chinese,Indian, Kachin Jingpo, Mon, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Burmese (official), Shan, other ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: Starting Local Churches
Philippines
Transforming remote and tribal communities through biblical education
Population: 117,222,000
Percent Evangelical: 11.3%
Population in Unreached: 5,841,000
*Unreached People Groups: 30 out of 202 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Tagalog, Bissaya/Binisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, Bikol, Waray, Filipino Mestizo, Pampango, Pangasinese, Maranao, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Filipino/Tagalog (official), English (official), Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bikol, Waray, Pampangan, Pangasinan, other ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: Children's Bible Ministry
Thailand
Be part of God's movement in this Buddhist nation
Population: 71,586,000
Percent Evangelical: 1%
Population in Unreached: 61,574,000
*Unreached People Groups: 74 out of 114 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Buddhism (official), Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, ethnic religions
Ethnic Groups: Thai, Malay, Khmer, Han Chinese, other ethnic minorities
Languages: Thai (official), Burmese, Malay, Khmer, Min Nan Chinese, English, other ethnic languages
Reach A Village Ministries: Starting Local Churches
Vietnam
Bringing the healing power of Jesus Christ to a nation scarred by war
Population: 98,168,000
Percent Evangelical: 2.2%
Population in Unreached: 9,086,000
*Unreached People Groups: 68 out of 119 people groups are considered unreached
Religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Protestant Christianity, Islam, Hinduism
Ethnic Groups: Vietnamese, Han Chinese, Tay, Hmong, Tai, Muong, Khmer, Nung
Languages: Vietnamese (official), English, French, Chinese, Khmer, mountain area languages
Reach A Village Ministries: Starting Local Churches
*Unreached People Groups are defined by Joshua Project as ethnic groups that have no significant presence of evangelical Christians among them - typically less than 2 percent - and lack the resources to evangelize their own people.
Sources:
Joshua Project https://joshuaproject.net/global_list/countries
CIA The World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/wfbExt/region_eas.html
https://thaichurches.org/harvest/mapping/CP/map.html?displaylang=EN&lang=sec
