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Region · Southeast Asia
Mainland Southeast Asia
Countries with a strong Buddhist tradition, some under communist regimes, where the church is growing mainly among mountain minorities and is still rare among the majority peoples.
5 countries
544 peoples
2.7% evangelicals
The 5 flags of the region. Tap one to open the country.
Gospel reach among the 544 peoples
300Unreached · 55.1% of peoples
244reached peoples
2.7%evangelicals (weighted average)
- 52.8% Unreached (287)
- 2.4% Minimally reached (13)
- 0.7% Superficially reached (4)
- 12.3% Partially reached (67)
- 31.8% Significantly reached (173)
Largest unreached peoples:
Vietnamese 85.6M
Burmese 32.1M
Central Thai 21.4M
The Bible in the languages of the region
464languages spoken
160With complete Bible
304Without complete Bible
18With no translation at all
- 34.5% With complete Bible (160)
- 61.6% Only portions of the Bible (286)
- 3.9% With no translation at all (18)
Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary. Compiled from the data of each country in this region.
What it is
Mainland Southeast Asia consists of 5 countries connected by land on the Indochinese Peninsula: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos. It is a region shaped by Buddhism, practiced by most of the population in almost all these countries, and by recent histories of war and authoritarian regimes that profoundly influenced religious and social life.
Thailand is the only country in the region never colonized by a European power, reinforcing a very strong Buddhist identity and cultural resistance to religious conversion. Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, meanwhile, live under governments that restrict freedom of worship in different ways, especially among ethnic minorities.
There are 544 recorded people groups in the region, and 300 of them remain unreached. Evangelicals account for 2.4%, concentrated mainly among ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Myanmar. Regarding Bible access, 304 of the 464 mapped people groups still have no Scripture in their language.
It is a region where the gospel often advances on the margins of the Buddhist majority society, among borderland peoples with their own language and identity.
Context and characteristics
Buddhism as national identity
In most of these countries, being Buddhist is seen as an essential part of national identity, making conversion difficult.
Thailand was never colonized
It is the only country in the region never to have been a European colony, strengthening its distinct Buddhist identity.
Government restrictions on faith
Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar have governments imposing different levels of control over religious practice.
The gospel among ethnic minorities
Christian growth in the region is concentrated mainly among ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Myanmar.
Scars of recent war
Conflicts and authoritarian regimes in recent decades still influence how faith is lived in the region.
Unreached peoples of this region 300 in total
What to pray for
Intercession
For the 300 unreached people groups of Mainland Southeast Asia.
For the 304 peoples still without any part of the Bible in their language.
For ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Myanmar, where the gospel is already bearing fruit.
For freedom for Christians living under governments that restrict religious practice.
For Thailand, where a strong Buddhist identity still resists the message of the gospel.
For translators to bring the Bible to the languages of borderland peoples still without Scripture.
For healing of the scars left by wars and authoritarian regimes in the lives of the region's families.