Pray for Djibouti & Eritrea
Learn about and pray for Djibouti & Eritrea in just 5 minutes per week!
Receive one email per week for 13 weeks about their history, geography, persecution profile, and largest unreached people groups.
WEEK 1
Prayercast
Pray along with a local believer for their nation.
WEEK 2
Operation World
Pray through Operation World's country profile.
WEEK 3
World Watch List
Pray through the country's persecution profile.
WEEKS 4-13
People Groups
Pray for the country's 10 largest unreached people groups.
Djibouti
Capital City: Djibouti
Population: 1.1 million (97% unreached)
People Groups: 11
10/40 Window: Yes
map of people groups in Djibouti
Introduction
Djibouti, an East African nation, features a desert landscape punctuated by mountains. It’s located between Eritrea and Somalia, bordering the Gulf of Aden.
Formerly under French control, Djibouti gained independence in 1977, transitioning from an authoritarian state to a more balanced society for its two major ethnic groups, the Issa and Afar.
The country primarily relies on services and serves as a strategic transshipment hub along the Red Sea, largely dependent on its neighbor, Ethiopia, for shipping activity. Djibouti’s limited resources contribute to high urban unemployment and widespread poverty.
Djibouti is predominantly Muslim, with 97% of the population adhering to Islam. Leaving Islam can lead to severe consequences, but religious freedom exists for foreigners. Christians, particularly Somalis, actively share their faith. Tribalism has caused divisions within the Church, emphasizing the need for unity and boldness among Djibouti’s Christian community.
Did you know? Djibouti is strategically located at the entrance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, making it a key maritime and trade hub.
Eritrea
Capital City: Asmara
Population: 3.7 million (39% unreached)
People Groups: 17
10/40 Window: Yes
map of people groups in Eritrea
Introduction
Nestled on the Horn of Africa between Sudan and Ethiopia, Eritrea’s history is marked by conflict and struggle.
The UN established Eritrea as a federation with Ethiopia in 1952, leading to decades of tension. Eritrea’s battle for independence lasted 30 years, resulting in nationhood in 1993. However, the border dispute with Ethiopia resurfaced in 1998, causing a two-year war. Despite peace agreements in 2000, skirmishes continue.
Years of military investment took a toll on the nation’s well-being and infrastructure, leaving two-thirds of the population dependent on food aid and a shortage of skilled workers.
Eritrea’s government officially recognizes Sunni Islam, Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran religions but is hostile to other affiliations, particularly evangelical Christianity. Over 3,000 Christians are estimated to be imprisoned, facing torture and death. Despite oppression, the Church is growing in Eritrea through house churches. Pray for religious freedom and protection for Christians in Eritrea.
Did you know? Eritrea features diverse landscapes, including the Red Sea coastline, highlands, and the Danakil Depression, one of the hottest places on Earth.
Pray for the unreached people groups of Djibouti & Eritrea
Below are the 8 largest indiginous unreached people groups in Djibouti & Eritrea:
| Name | Country | Religion | Population |
| Somali, Issa | Djibouti | Islam | 552,000 |
| Afar | Djibouti | Islam | 334,000 |
| Tigre, Eritrean | Eritrea | Islam | 757,000 |
| Afar | Eritrea | Islam | 296,000 |
| Beja, Hedareb | Eritrea | Islam | 209,000 |
| Nara, Nialetic | Eritrea | Islam | 59,000 |
| Rashaida | Eritrea | Islam | 54,000 |
| Dahalik | Eritrea | Islam | 3,100 |
Pray for Christians being persecuted
Eritrea is ranked #4 on the 2024 World Watch List published by Open Doors.
Believers in Eritrea who gather outside the three officially recognized and closely monitored denominations – Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran – do so at risk of extreme persecution.
An estimated 1,000 Christians are indefinitely detained in Eritrean prisons, not officially charged with any crime. Some leaders of ‘unofficial’ churches have been imprisoned for more than a decade.
Despite this hostility from the authorities – as well as the pressures converts experience from families and communities – the church in Eritrea is seeing remarkable growth.
World Watch List
You can learn about Christian persecution and pray for our brothers and sisters who being persecuted around the world by praying through the Open Doors’ World Watch List.
“[God] has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”
Pray for Djibouti & Eritrea
“Slow drip” your learning and prayers for Djibouti & Eritrea: their history, geography, persecution profile, and largest unreached people groups.