Asia– Reaching the Unreached
Asia is the largest continent in the world and is home to about 60% of the global population. Of the 4.8 billion people living there, the majority have never heard the Gospel. At City Bibles, we want to change that. We support local churches and teams in spreading God’s Word, while at the same time strengthening the millions of Christians who already live there. We do this by providing Bibles and New Testaments, offering evangelistic materials, and giving digital access through our Bible App, available with a keychain equipped with a QR code.
India
- 92% unreached
- More than 850 million smartphone users
- Hybrid approach: print + digital via keychain with QR code
General Information about India
India is the seventh largest country in the world by area and the most populous, with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants. It borders Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, and its capital city is New Delhi. When it is 12:00 noon in the Netherlands (summer time), it is 3:30 p.m. in India (UTC +5:30).
History
India gained independence from the British Empire on August 15, 1947. This coincided with the partition of British India into India and Pakistan, which led to mass migration and violence, unrest that still occasionally flares up today.
Religion
About 80% of the population is Hindu, 15% Muslim, and 2% Christian. Growth among Christians is particularly visible among the Dalits (the lowest caste). Official statistics mention around 8 million Christians, but the actual number is likely higher.
Nature and Geography
- Landscapes range from the Himalayas in the north to tropical coastlines in the south.
- Major rivers include the Ganges,sacred in Hinduism, and the Indus River.
Politics and Society
- Federal parliamentary republic led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- One of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
- Main sectors include IT, industry, and agriculture.
- A young population: more than 50% are under 30 years old.
Languages
The official working languages are Hindi and English, and another 21 languages have official status. City Bibles provides Bibles in English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Urdu, and Nepali.
City Bibles Project in India
Pakistan
- 98.7% unreached
- 3.5 million Christians are being persecuted
- Great demand for Bibles
Pakistan
- 242 million inhabitants
- Capital: Islamabad
- Time difference (NL daylight saving 12:00) → 15:00 in Pakistan (UTC +5)
Project Pakistan
With 242 million inhabitants, Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world, after India, China, the USA, and Indonesia. The capital is Islamabad. The country borders India, Afghanistan, Iran, and China. When it is 12:00 PM in the Netherlands (daylight saving time), it is 3:00 PM in Pakistan (UTC +5).
History
Present-day Pakistan was home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization (ca. 2500–1900 BC). Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire on August 14, 1947, along with the partition of British India into India and Pakistan — which led to mass migration and violence. Originally, Pakistan consisted of West and East Pakistan, until East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971.
Religion
The state religion is Islam, followed by ~96.3% of the population. Hindus make up ~2.2% and Christians only ~1.4%.
Other Key Facts
- Federal parliamentary Islamic republic.
- President: Asif Ali Zardari; Prime Minister: Shehbaz Sharif.
- Main sectors: services, textiles, and agriculture.
Languages
The official languages are Urdu and English, but many other languages are spoken. City Bibles provides Bibles in English and Urdu (more details to follow).
Reached with the Gospel?
According to data used by organizations such as BibleLeague, GlobalRize, and Wycliffe (source: Joshua Project), only about 1% of Pakistan's population has been reached with the Gospel. This means that 99% remain unreached: 250 million people in Pakistan have never heard the Gospel.
Pakistan has 116 million smartphone users with internet access, which is more than 46% of the total population. We can reach these people through our hybrid approach: distributing Bibles and providing keychains with QR codes, which give direct access to our Bible App in hundreds of languages.