World Watch List 2025 – Christian persecution reaches new record high
OXFORDSHIRE, UK / AGILITYPR.NEWS / January 15, 2025 / More than 380 million Christians around the world now face high levels of persecution and discrimination – a record number, representing one in seven Christians. It’s an increase of 15 million from last year’s figures and a rise of a staggering 140 million since 2018.
These are the disturbing findings of the 2025 World Watch List (WWL), which ranks the 50 nations where Christians face the most extreme persecution and discrimination worldwide.
Key findings from this year’s list (WWL position in brackets):
The two key drivers of this steep increase could be described as chaos and control:
Chaos: caused by ongoing conflicts, organised crime and Islamist insurrections. Amidst these areas of lawlessness, enemies of Christianity can act with impunity.
Control: as authoritarianism continues to rise, regimes are ramping up pressure and violence against Christian minorities.
North Korea still no.1 on the list. This year, the violence score rose even further, with Christians facing possible summary public execution if they are discovered. Despite this China (#15) is arresting and repatriating hundreds of North Korean (#1) escapees, as “illegal immigrants” with no concern for the fate they face - a fate considerably more severe for Christian converts.
Sharpest rises in Central Asia: Several countries have risen sharply here. Kyrgyzstan (#47) rose 14 places, the largest rise of any country. The nation, previously known as the least authoritarian country in the region has seen religious freedom restrictions and violence against churches. Kazakhstan (#38) and Tajikistan (#39) also rose in the ranking.
"The threat from authoritarian regimes in Central Asia has intensified to the point where many Christians in the region are in a state of fear," says Frans Veerman, Managing Director of Open Doors World Watch Research.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): the most violent place in the world for Christians. Chronic government instability and civil conflict have created a vacuum in several nations in SSA. A vacuum filled by opportunistic Islamic militants. Parts of Nigeria (#7) rank as perhaps the most dangerous places to be a Christian in the world. Christian communities are relentlessly targeted by Jihadist groups and Fulani militias – the religious nature of the targeting clearly shown in a shocking 2024 report.
The fractures in governance and security have also opened the door for the jihadist activities in CAR (#27), DRC (#35), Mali (#14), Burkina Faso (#20) and Niger (#28). The growing violence is also causing a displacement crisis, as millions of Christians are forced to flee their homes.
The Church: driven out or driven underground. In the Middle East especially, several Christian communities are dwindling, and in some cases, on the verge of extinction. Syria (#18) has seen a continuing exodus of its Christian communities, with only a tiny fraction remaining following the civil war, the rise of ISIS and the quakes of 2023. The fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December (not accounted for in the statistics) creates further uncertainty, as Christians face an uncertain future under the rule of the primary rebel group HTS.
Meanwhile the Christian population are being driven deeper underground in several countries. They are doing it to evade ever more sophisticated surveillance and ever-harsher laws regulating or outlawing their existence. Algeria’s (#13) persecution score has fallen, but only because there are no more protestant churches to close. The church in Afghanistan (#10) is all but invisible to outsiders now, as those Christians that remain, hide from view to avoid violent punishment at the hands of the Taliban.
Civil War: The ongoing civil war in Sudan (#5, from #8 in 2024) has caused unimaginable suffering and has seen a sharp uptick in persecution against Christians, who have been killed, assaulted or driven from their homes. Yemen has risen to #3. The ongoing civil war, and the increasing influence of the Houthis rebels, has forced dozens of Christian house churches to cease their meetings. The fighting between Myanmar's (# 13) army and a host of opposition militias drove its score into the “Extreme persecution” category, which encompasses the top 13 countries on the list.
--------ENDS--------
For more information, or to arrange an interview with any of the following contact Ben Cohen, Head of Media and PR for Open Doors UK & Ireland benc@opendoorsuk.org, +44 (0) 7736 328049.
Media guides to all countries featured on this year’s WWL are available on request.
Photos:
- Women at food distribution shed in refugee camp, Sudan
- Soldiers on duty in North Korea
- House church in Kyrgyzstan facing persecution
- Syrian refugee girls, living in informal tented settlement in Lebanon.
- Nigerian widow Monica Luca forgiving her persecutors at women's retreat in Nigeria
The 2025 rankings (last year’s ranking in brackets):
1 North Korea (1)
2 Somalia (2)
3 Yemen (5)
4 Libya (3)
5 Sudan (8)
6 Eritrea (4)
7 Nigeria (6)
8 Pakistan (7)
9 Iran (9)
10 Afghanistan (10)
11 India (11)
12 Saudi Arabia (13)
13 Myanmar (17)
14 Mali (14)
15 China (19)
16 Maldives (18)
17 Iraq (16)
18 Syria (12)
19 Algeria (15)
20 Burkina Faso (20)
21 Morocco (24)
22 Laos (21)
23 Mauritania (23)
24 Bangladesh (26)
25 Uzbekistan (25)
26 Cuba (22)
27 Central African Republic (28)
28 Niger (27)
29 Turkmenistan (29)
30 Nicaragua (30)
31 Mexico (37)
32 Oman (31)
33 Ethiopia (32)
34 Tunisia (33)
35 Congo DR (DRC) (41)
36 Bhutan (36)
37 Mozambique (39)
38 Kazakhstan (47)
39 Tajikistan (46)
40 Egypt (38)
41 Qatar (40)
42 Comoros (45)
43 Cameroon (43)
44 Vietnam (35)
45 Türkiye (50)
46 Colombia (34)
47 Kyrgyzstan (61)
48 Brunei (44)
49 Chad (56)
50 Jordan (48)
About the World Watch List and how the figures are collected.
The first WWL was produced in January 1993. Countries’ overall persecution scores are an amalgamation of six different scores: pressure levels in private life, family life, community life, and national life; of church communities; along with violence levels. This year’s list covers the period 1 Oct 2023 - 30 Sept 2024.
Released at the beginning of each year, the list uses extensive research, data from Open Doors field workers, their in-country networks, external experts, and persecution analysts to quantify and analyse persecution worldwide. Each edition is certified by the International Institute for Religious Freedom.
Women at food distribution shed in refugee camp, Sudan
Soldiers on duty in North Korea
Syrian Refugee girls, living in informal tent settlement in Lebanon
Persectued house church, Kyrgyzstan
Nigerian widow Monica Luca forgiving her persecutors at women's retreat in Nigeria
About Us
Open Doors UK & Ireland
Open Doors UK & Ireland is part of Open Doors International, a global NGO network which has supported and strengthened persecuted Christians for over 60 years and works in over 60 countries. Open Doors provides practical support to persecuted Christians, such as food, medicines, trauma care, legal assistance, safe houses and schools, as well as spiritual support through Christian literature, training and resources.
Persecution country guides for media
Country guides for media Open Doors funds the publication annual World Watch List, which ranks the 50 nations where Christians face the most extreme persecution and discrimination. You can download in-depth media guides to each of the 50 countries.
Contacts