Christmas Island people groups, languages and religions

Country: Christmas Island

Number of People Groups

People Groups Unreached

2 (50.0%)

Progress Level

The Joshua Project Progress Scale is an estimate of the progress of church planting among a people group, people cluster, country or language. The Progress Scale is derived from people group values for percent Evangelical and percent Christian Adherent.

Level	Description	Criteria
1	Unreached - Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians <= 5%
2	Minimally reached - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 5% and <= 50%
3	Superficially reached - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 50%
4	Partially reached - Evangelicals have a modest presence.	Evangelicals > 2% and <= 10%
5	Significantly reached - Evangelicals have a significant presence.	Evangelicals > 10%

Total
Population

1,600

Population in Unreached

700 (43.8%)

Largest Religion

Islam (46.4%)

% Christian Adherent

14.93%

% Evangelical

2.22%

Evangelical Annual Growth Rate

0.0%

(Global Rate = 2.6%)

Map Notes

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼

Progress Scale: ☀︎●●●●● (
☀︎
= Frontier Unreached Peoples)
People Group	Population this Country	Global Population	Indigenous	Primary Language	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Christian Adherent	% Evangelical	Est. Workers Needed
Anglo-Australian	200	18,804,000	●	English	Christianity	4 ●	70.00 %	10.00 %	-1 -
Chinese, general	600	15,947,000		Language unknown	Buddhism	2 ●	14.00 %	2.00 %	-1 -
Malay	300	18,079,000		Malay	Islam	1 ●	0.50 %	0.50 %	1
Malay, Cocos Islands	400	8,300		Malay, Cocos Islands	Islam	0 ☀︎	0.00 %	0.00 %	1
Totals: 4	1,600					2 ●	14.93 %	2.22 %	2
Unclassified / Other Individuals	100
World Factbook (2021)	1,700

Other minor groups: 3

Christmas Island

Very small groups reported, but outside the Joshua Project Small Group Policy. Some may not be viable and/or have incorrect Progress Scale values, population, language and religion information. The groups listed below are not included in overall Joshua Project people group counts. If you have information about these groups, please contact us.

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
People Group ▲	Progress Scale	Population	Primary Language	Primary Religion
Eurasian	4 ●	-1 Unknown	English	Christianity
Indonesian	4 ●	-1 Unknown	Indonesian	Islam
South Asian, generic	4 ●	-1 Unknown	Hindi	Hinduism
Totals: 3

For more information see the Joshua Project Small Group Policy

* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups by country. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker-unit (single person or married couple) per 50,000 living in an unreached people group by country, or for example one team of four worker-units per 200,000 people. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

Download Sources Definitions

Prayer Cards

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Province ▲	Estimated Population
The Settlement	2,000
Provinces: 1	2,000
UN Country Population	1,700

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language ▲	Code	# Peoples w/ this Primary Language	# Unreached w/ this Primary Language	Scripture Status	YouVersion Bible Resources	Faith Comes By Hearing Bible Resources	Jesus Film Online	Global Recordings Resources	Gospel Tract Online
English	eng	1	0	5 Complete Bible	1	1	1	1	1
Malay	zlm	1	1	5 Complete Bible	-1	-1	1	1	1
Malay, Cocos Islands	coa	1	1	1 Translation Needed	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Unknown	xxx	1	0	Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Totals:	4	4	2		1	2	2	2	2

Networking Possibilities

MissionNext - connect with mission agencies or schools worldwide
The Mission App - connecting you to mission agencies that match your calling
Linking Global Voices - networks and global collaboration for followers of Christ
visionSynergy - developing high impact missional networks
GetInvolved - frontier people group (FPGs) prayer communities

Search the Web
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in Christmas Island. Internet searches are probably the best way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:

Church planting agencies in Christmas Island
Christian ministry in Christmas Island
Business as mission
Christian literature distribution
Evangelism agencies
Christian discipleship
Short term Christian missions

Long term Christian missions
Urban ministries
Christian media opportunities
Bible translation opportunities
Relief and development agencies
Clean water projects
Christian medical outreaches

Christmas Island Statistics
People Groups	4
Unreached People Groups	2 (50.0%)
Population	1,600
Population Annual Growth Rate	7.8%
Population in Unreached	700 (43.8%)
Primary Religion	Islam
Percent Christian Adherent	14.9%
Percent Evangelical	2.2%
Evangelical Annual Growth Rate	0.0%
Pioneer Workers Needed *	2
Country Progress Level	4 ●
Urbanization	Unknown
Continent	Oceania
Region	Australia and Pacific
10/40 Window	No
Country Code	KT
Official Language(s)	English \| Malay
Literacy Rate	%
Estimated Illiterate Population	1,600
Persecution Ranking	Not ranked

Christmas Island Prayer Cards / Guide
Prayer Cards All Unreached	Prayer Guide

Christmas Island Links
Operation World
Stratus Earth Index
DataReportal Digital Analysis
Prosperity Index
Social Progress Index
World Factbook
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing

Christmas Island Maps
Language Map (Ethnologue)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection