100 Million Christians Lack Access to the Bible

Somalia ranks #1 on the Bible Access List (BAL) of 88 countries where access to the Bible is blocked by law, actions of religious extremists, or acts by other nonstate actors.

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The BAL, a new annual assessment, uncovers the stark reality of the lack of Bible access for an estimated 100 million Christians around the globe. The report combines data-driven analysis with contextual understanding and shows where access to the Bible is most restricted and where the shortage among believers is greatest.

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In Somalia—where 99.7% of the population is Muslim and 0.3% is Christian, according to Operation World—multiple forces of persecution operate simultaneously to restrict Bible access, including Islamic oppression, clan oppression, organized corruption and crime, and dictatorial paranoia, according to BAL’s profile of that country.

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The profile states, “Bible access in Somalia is not just limited; it is outlawed. Under a strict interpretation of Sharia law, it is illegal to print, import, store, or distribute Bibles.” Christians there “face life-threatening consequences for possessing Christian materials, and Bible access is considered unsafe and severely restricted across the country.”

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The BAL includes data from two key lists:

• The Bible Restrictions list highlights where Bible access is blocked by law, the actions of religious extremists or other non-state actors as well as limitations due to socio-economic indicators.
• The Bible Shortage list estimates how many Christians still want a Bible but don’t yet have one.

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The top 10 countries on the Bible Restrictions list (with their corresponding ranking on the 2025 World Watch List, Open Doors’ annual list of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution):

1. Somalia (#2 on the 2025 World Watch List)
2. Afghanistan (#10 on the 2025 World Watch List)
3. Yemen (#3 on the 2025 World Watch List)
4. North Korea (#1 on the 2025 World Watch List)
5. Mauritania (#23 on the 2025 World Watch List)
6. Eritrea (#6 on the 2025 World Watch List)
7. Libya (#4 on the 2025 World Watch List)
8. Algeria (#19 on the 2025 World Watch List)
9. Iran (#9 on the 2025 World Watch List)
10. Turkmenistan (#29 on the 2025 World Watch List).

The top 10 countries on the Bible Shortage list are:

1. Democratic Republic of Congo (#35 on the 2025 World Watch List)
2. Nigeria (#7 on the 2025 World Watch List)
3. Ethiopia (#33 on the 2025 World Watch List)
4. India (#11 on the 2025 World Watch List)
5. China (#15 on the 2025 World Watch List)
6. Tanzania (#55 on the 2025 World Watch List)
7. Uganda (#72 on the 2025 World Watch List)
8. Mozambique (#37 on the 2025 World Watch List)
9. Indonesia (#59 on the 2025 World Watch List)
10. Madagascar (not on the 2025 World Watch List)

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Millions of people worldwide face significant barriers to accessing God’s Word due to:
• Legal Restrictions:  Countries where Bible importation, printing, distribution, and ownership are prohibited or severely limited.
• Persecution:  Regions where Christians face opposition, violence, and discrimination when they access a Bible.
• Infrastructure Challenges:  Areas with limited internet access, poor logistics, and minimal electricity.
• Economic Barriers:  Communities where poverty prevents Bible acquisition, even when available.
• Language Gaps:  Populations without the Bible translated into their heart language.

Open Doors International and the Digital Bible Society founded BAL, partnering with Bible League Canada, Bible League International, Biblica, Frontlines International, and OneHope.

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