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1 Islam is the major challenge for Christianity today — both the 160 million Muslims north of the Sahara and the 157 million in sub-Saharan Africa
2 Nations with the smallest number of Evangelicals
3 Cities. Africa's urban population has rapidly risen from 130 million in 1990 to maybe 240 million in 2000
4 Christian Help Ministries:
a) Bible distribution
b) Bible translation remains one of the major tasks to be accomplished in Africa
c) Christian radio
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Area 30,212,000 sq.km; 22.3% of the surface area of the world's 238 countries.
Population (2000) 784,315,000 +2.41%AGR
African 77.9%; Arab 17.3%; Imazighen (Berber) 2.6%; European 1.1%; Mixed race 0.7%; Asian 0.4%.
Languages 2,110; 30.5% of the world's total. Official languages Arabic in North Africa (7 countries). Elsewhere French (22), English (21), Portuguese (4), Spanish (1). The increasing use of European languages in education is at the expense of local languages. In only 6 nations is an African language officially used as the main means of conducting the nation's business.
Bible translation Africa is the greatest remaining challenge for Bible translation with existing openings for missionary translators. Languages with Scriptures 130Bi 237NT 250por. There is work in progress in 373 and a definite need for translators in 297 more. This latter number could rise to 1,290 after careful field research.
Africa's economy has stagnated for 40 years; many countries have become poorer, a few have made progress.
HDI is a measure of the quality of life of 174 nations. Of the bottom 40 in this list, 33 are in Africa. Income/person $660 (2% of USA). Only 1.7% of the world's GNP is generated in Africa.
Black Africa's isolation from the rest of the world ended in the 'Scramble for Africa' by the European colonial powers in the 19th Century.
Religious freedom has increased over much of Africa during the 1990s, but persecution of Christians by Muslims has also increased in Egypt, Sudan, northern Nigeria and the Comores.
| Religions |
Population % |
Adherents |
Ann.Gr. |
| Christian |
48.37 |
379.4m |
+2.83% |
| Muslim |
41.32 |
324.1m |
+2.53% |
| Traditional ethnic |
8.74 |
68.6m |
-0.97% |
| non-Religious/other |
1.15 |
9.0m |
+4.85% |
| Hindu |
0.22 |
1.71m |
+1.42% |
| Baha'i |
0.19 |
1.47m |
+2.32% |
| Jewish |
0.01 |
96,400 |
+1.02% |
| Christians |
Denom. |
Affil.% |
,000 |
Ann.Gr. |
| Protestant |
1,927 |
12.59 |
98,768 |
+4.2% |
| Independent |
13,137 |
9.99 |
78,360 |
+3.9% |
| Anglican |
36 |
4.12 |
32,329 |
+5.2% |
| Catholic |
63 |
15.10 |
118,423 |
+2.6% |
| Orthodox |
54 |
5.96 |
46,727 |
+0.5% |
| Marginal |
164 |
0.45 |
3,506 |
+6.0% |
| Unaffiliated |
|
3.65 |
28,664 |
n.a. |
| Doubly affiliated |
|
-3.46 |
-27,119 |
n.a. |
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Missionaries from Africa
12,442 in 620 agencies with 3,126 in other lands.
Missionaries to Africa
17,737 expatriates in 620 agencies.
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 Internet Links 
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Major Great Commission Challenges 
Geography 
Peoples 
Economy 
Politics 
Religion