East Africa

Unreached peoples of East Africa

165 unreached peoples in East Africa: peoples with little or no access to the gospel in at least one country of the region, from largest to smallest.

Overview

How reached these peoples are

165unreached
109.3Mpeople
15countries
41frontier peoples
  • 63.6% Unreached (105)
  • 36.4% Minimally reached (60)

Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.

The Bible in these peoples’ languages

56Complete Bible
77Only portions of the Bible
29No book translated
  • 34.6% Complete Bible (56)
  • 24.7% New Testament complete (40)
  • 22.8% Portions translated (37)
  • 17.9% No book translated (29)

Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.

Unreached people groups · 165
People Country Population Language Evang. Chr.
Somali Frontier Somalia 27.3M Somali 0.1% 0.2%
Hararghe Oromo Ethiopia 8.3M Eastern Oromo 0.1% 5%
Wollo Amhara Ethiopia 7M Amharic 0.2% 50%
Macua-macuana Mozambique 4.7M Makhuwa 2% 26%
Oromo Jimma Ethiopia 4.3M West Central Oromo 1.3% 2%
Muslim Yao Malawi 3.9M Yao 0.7% 1.3%
Afar Ethiopia 3M Afar < 0.1% 0.7%
Tsimihety Madagascar 2.6M Tsimihety Malagasy 1.9% 25%
Rahanweyn Somalia 2.5M Maay 0.9% 1.1%
Oromo Bale Ethiopia 2.5M Oromo Borana-Arsi-Guji 0.1% 1.5%
Sakalava Madagascar 2.2M Sakalava Malagasy 1.8% 35%
Oromo Borana Ethiopia 1.9M Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo 1.4% 4.6%
Northern Betsimisaraka Madagascar 1.9M Northern Betsimisaraka Malagasy 1.2% 35%
Silt’e Ethiopia 1.8M Silt'e 0.1% 2%
Makhuwa-Meetto Mozambique 1.7M Makhuwa-Meetto 2.6% 4.8%
Tanala Madagascar 1.6M Merina Malagasy 1% 22%
Zaramo Zalamo Tanzania 1.5M Zaramo 2% 3%
Antandroy Madagascar 1.4M Tandroy-Mahafaly Malagasy 2% 20%
Ndau Shona Zimbabwe 1.2M Ndau 1.2% 45%
Karamojong Uganda 1.2M Ng'akarimojong 2% 30%
Somali Bantu Frontier Somalia 1.1M Maay 0.1% 0.1%
Aringa Uganda 1M Aringa 1.5% 1.9%
Makhuwa-Shirima Mozambique 1M Makhuwa-Shirima 2% 20%
Senji Mozambique 968K Ndau 2% 30%
Gujarati Frontier Tanzania 959K Gujarati 0.3% 1.4%
Masikoro Madagascar 821K Masikoro Malagasy 0.5% 40%
Sihanaka Madagascar 814K Merina Malagasy 1.9% 30%
Zanzibari Swahili Frontier Tanzania 803K Swahili 0% 0%
Shirazi Frontier Tanzania 760K Swahili 0% 0%
Oromo Garre Frontier Kenya 741K Garre 0% 0.1%

Pray for the peoples of this region

Every unreached people group is an entire culture still without full access to the gospel. Join in prayer with Christians around the world.

Open the Prayer Calendar