Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Geography
Area: 331,653 sq km
Long, narrow country occupying the entire eastern and southern coastline of Indochina.
Population: 89,028,741 Annual Growth: 1.15%
Capital: Hanoi
Urbanites: 28.8%
HDI Rank: 116 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 114 (56% unreached) All peoples
Official language: Vietnamese Languages: 106 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Buddhist
Religion Pop % Ann Gr
Christians 8,395,410 9.43 2.3
Evangelicals 1,576,889 1.8 2.6
Buddhist 46,722,283 52.48
The country is increasingly opening up as economic progress continues. Most of the population was born after the Vietnam War and are more interested in capital gain and the outside world than Communist propaganda. They are proving responsive to the gospel – for reasons good and bad. At the same time, newfound prosperity has opened the door to rampant materialism and other competing ideologies. Pray that the Truth might be clearly and effectively proclaimed, particularly among the growing masses of young professionals.
All open Protestant missionary work ceased in 1975. CMA had laboured for 64 years (for 50 years as the only Protestant mission). Other agencies arrived in the 1950s, notably WEC, IMB, and UWM. In 1974 there were 280 missionaries in South Vietnam from about 20 organizations. Those years of sowing are today reaping an abundant harvest. Current economic development gives opportunity for Christians in business as well as for English teachers. Christian NGOs who propose legitimate aid projects are increasingly invited to work here. Literally hundreds of organizations from both Asia and the West now claim some kind of work in Vietnam. Many of these organizations work in deliberate partnership together. Pray that Vietnam may become fully open to Christian workers, and that many committed and prepared workers may respond.
Latest comments