Historic center of Christendom
It is home to the Vatican and brings together centuries of Catholic and Protestant history.
Region
Western Europe
27
Countries
310
Peoples
115
Unreached
10.5%
Evangelicals (weighted)
Peoples overview
27Countries
310people groups
115unreached
10.5%evangelicals (weighted average)
- 99 Unreached 31.9%
- 16 Minimally reached 5.2%
- 110 Superficially reached 35.5%
- 61 Partially reached 19.7%
- 24 Significantly reached 7.7%
Compiled from the data of each country in this region.
764Language
567With complete Bible
197Without complete Bible
Compiled from the data of each country in this region.
What it is
Overview
Western Europe comprises 26 countries and territories, from the United Kingdom and Ireland to the Iberian Peninsula, including France, the Benelux countries, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. It is the region that most shaped the history of Western Christianity, with the Roman Catholic Church centered in the Vatican and the roots of Protestantism spread across several of these countries.
Despite this heritage, Western Europe is now one of the clearest examples of post-Christendom in the world: wealthy, educated societies still filled with Christian symbols, but where faith has lost ground in people’s daily lives. The church remains present in buildings, holidays and culture, yet has little presence in the decisions and personal identity of those who live there.
The figures confirm this picture: only 2.9% of the population is evangelical, a low rate for a region with a strong Christian tradition. There are 307 people groups living in the region, 113 of them unreached, almost always connected to immigrant communities that arrived in recent decades. The Bible is already available, at least in part, for most of the 746 languages identified in the region, but 194 still lack it.
Pray for a region where the greatest obstacle to the gospel is the indifference of those who have already heard of Christ and no longer see a reason to follow him, rather than a lack of access.
Context and characteristics
Established post-Christendom
The Christian faith is part of culture and history, but increasingly less part of people's daily lives.
Prosperous, secular societies
Material well-being often goes hand in hand with a largely unrecognized spiritual emptiness.
Distinctive microstates
Small territories such as Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein have their own religious dynamics, linked to tourism and finance.
Migration diversity
Major cities bring together peoples from every continent, many still without a church in their own language.
Countries in this region
Northern Ireland
Wales
England
Scotland
Isle of Man
Jersey
Guernsey
Gibraltar
Ireland
Cyprus
Malta
Netherlands
San Marino
Vatican City
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
Italy
Germany
Portugal
Spain
France
United Kingdom
Unreached peoples of this region 80 in total
Mission indicators
115
Unreached peoples
Combined from the countries in the region
197
Languages with no Bible translation at all
Combined from the countries in the region
What to pray for
Intercession
For Western Europe's historic churches to rediscover spiritual vitality.
For the 113 unreached people groups living in this region today.
For Bible translation into the 194 languages that still have no part of Scripture.
Against the materialism and spiritual indifference that mark such prosperous societies.
For immigrants arriving in the region from other religions, that they may find a church that welcomes them.
For a new generation of Christians to live out faith personally, not merely culturally.
For unity between Catholics and Protestants in the shared task of proclaiming the gospel.