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The Most Challenging Opportunities

Frontier People Groups

Discover the 3,214 frontier people groups where fewer than 1 in 1,000 individuals follow Christ. These are the most challenging places where pioneer work isn't just needed. It's essential for reaching the 1.9 Billion individuals who live with the least response to the gospel.

Explore Frontier Peoples

Our Mission

To highlight peoples and places with the least access or response to the gospel so the Body of Christ can prioritize its prayer and mission efforts.

Global Mission Statistics

Understanding the scope of the Great Commission

16,405

Total People Groups

Total people groups identified worldwide

7,144

Unreached People Groups

43.5% of all people groups

4,795

Frontier People Groups

29.2% of all people groups

3.58B

Unreached Population

43.8% of total population

8.17B

Total Population

People in all identified groups

Understanding Our Data

Where do these numbers come from? How do we define “unreached” and “frontier,” and how do we protect sensitive information? Get clear answers in one place.

Read about our data

Light the Nations

The Light the Nations Prayer Map is an interactive way to see the world through a missions lens. Pray for peoples and places, and discover where the gospel is still moving forward. Open it in a full tab for the live, interactive map.

Open Light the Nations
Light the Nations Prayer Map — opens the interactive map in a new tab
Frontier People Groups

Adopt a Frontier People Group

Over 3,214 frontier people groups (nearly 1.9 Billion people) live with almost no response to the gospel. When your church, organization, or small group adopts a frontier people group, prayer becomes focused, giving becomes strategic, and engagement becomes real. Choose a people. Learn their story. Join what God is doing among them.

Start Now

Explore Data with Purpose

Global Dashboard interface showing world statistics

Global Dashboard

This is your big picture view. It shows key statistics and insights about unreached people groups globally, giving you a quick understanding of the scope and scale of the need.

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World map showing countries

Countries

Use this when you have a geographic connection or interest. It lets you drill down into all the people groups within a specific country's borders.

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People group perspectives interface

People Group Perspectives

View the Great Commission and unreached people groups from perspectives such as by geography, ethnicity, religion, language and more to match particular ministry priorities or strategic needs.

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Interactive data explorer interface

Interactive Data Explorer

Create custom visualizations and explore data interactively. Build your own filters and discover patterns in unreached people group data that match your specific ministry focus.

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Top recommended articles

How many people groups are there? 16,405 or 10,423

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Ready to Explore God's Heart for the Nations

Ready to Explore God's Heart for the Nations?

Whether you're just starting to learn about global missions or looking for your next step, this guide will give you a simple crash course on Joshua Project, who we are, why reaching the unreached matters, and how you can engage.

Begin here

Discover key terms, maps, and tools that make missions more tangible. Explore the data, and take your next step in God's global story.

Help Fund the Future

Help Fund the Future of Global Missions

The missionary movement is shifting south and east. Today, 75% of Joshua Project users come from outside North America, and 68% access our data on mobile devices. Yet our platform remains English-only and desktop-first, creating barriers for the very communities now leading global evangelism.

Behind the scenes we're working on a full scope tech rebuild: a mobile-first platform translated into 12 languages, powered by modern infrastructure that can serve the next generation of missions workers worldwide.

75%
Users outside North America
68%
Mobile users
12
Languages planned
Help Fund the Future of Joshua Project
Global missions technology and mobile-first design

Organizations that use our data to make an impact on their mission

Invite a Joshua Project Speaker

Bring the vision of reaching unreached people groups to your church, conference, or event. Our experienced speakers share compelling stories, practical insights, and actionable strategies for engaging with frontier people groups.

Whether you're hosting a missions conference, church service, or small group gathering, our speakers will inspire and equip your audience to take meaningful action in God's global mission.

Our speakers are available for both in-person and virtual presentations, bringing the reality of unreached people groups directly to your community.

Book here
Joshua Project Speaker