The number of districts in the Church has changed with the number of branches. By the end of 2000 there were 621 districts. At the end of 2008 there were 622 districts. Reasons for periods of no increase in the number of districts and branches is due to the district/branch creation rate equaling the rate at which districts turn into stakes, branches turn into wards, or districts and branches being discontinued.
An increase in districts and branches is of great interest in studying the growth of the Church because these typically indicate the Church moving into unreached areas of the world and establishing a local leadership presence. However a steady increase in districts and branches can also indicate that the Church in unable to mature enough in areas of the world for these to turn into stakes and wards.
In 2009 we have seen the most new districts organized in the Church since 2004. So far in 2009 we have had more districts created from mission branches than any year since the 1990s. There have been at least 20 new districts organized this year, 17 of which were from mission branches in areas in which the Church is just beginning to develop local leadership and greater membership strength. Below is a list of the known new districts created this year and previous years back to 2001. Districts which were created from a portion of an operating stake are in italics and new districts created from the portion of a discontinued stake are in bold. Districts which have since been discontinued are in red.
2009
- Chişinau Moldova
- Arad Romania
- Cayenne French Guiana
- Oron Nigeria
- Ikot Ekpene Nigeria
- Yamoussoukro Côte d'Ivoire
- Miskolc Hungary
- Szombathely Hungary
- Bloemfontein South Africa
- Konongo Ghana
- Chennai India
- Coimbatore India
- Visakhapatnam India
- Sousa Brazil
- Baler Philippines
- Bonao Dominican Republic
- Cotuí Dominican Republic
- La Vega Dominican Republic
- Baghdad Iraq Military
- Addis Ababa Ethiopia
- Tzaneen South Africa
- Sibu East Malaysia
- Okrika Nigeria
2008
- Pinotepa México
- Planaltina Brazil
- Caruaru Brazil
- Mamanguape Brazil
- Mbabane Swaziland
- Newcastle South Africa
- Miri East Malaysia
- Shanghai China International (English)
- Kabul Afghanistan Military
- Rigo Papua New Guinea
- Andahuayles Peru
- Huancavelica Peru
- Yerevan Armenia South
- Ibiono Nigeria
2007
- Abomosu Ghana
- Richards Bay South Africa
- Sogod Philippines
- Ulsan South Korea
- Monte Plata Dominican Republic
- Oldenburg Germany
- Nicosia Cyprus
2006
- Ponte Nova Brazil
- Teofilo Otoni Brazil
- Asaba Nigeria
- Luputa Democratic Republic of Congo
- Esteli Nicaragua
- Juigalpa Nicaragua
- Moscow Russia West
- Rafaela Argentina
2005
- Juaziero Brazil
- Gramado Brazil
- Okpuala Ngwa Nigeria
- Dar es Salaam Tanzania
- Kitwe Zambia
- Gonzaga Philippines
- Burgos Philippines
- Roxas Philippines Isabela
- Kampong Cham Cambodia
- Calabozo Venezuela
- Canje Guyana
- Mariano Roque Alonso Paraguay
- Alto Hospicio Chile
- Esquel Argentina
- Erfurt Germany
2004
- Izucar de Matamoros Mexico
- Chahuites Mexico
- Ariquemes Brazil
- Pouso Alegre Brazil
- Goiana Brazil
- Jequie Brazil
- Lagarto Brazil
- Palmares Brazil
- Parnaiba Brazil
- Agoo Philippines
- Baliwag Philippines
- Bongabon Philippines
- La Caroleta Philippines
- Curacao Netherlands Antilles
- Oranjestad Aruba
- Paramaribo Suriname
- Caleta Olivia Argentina
- Santa Teresita Argentina
- Tres Arroyos Argentina
- Managua Nicaragua Tipitapa
- Togliatti Russia
- Katowice Poland
- Basse Terre Saint Kitts and Nevis
2003
- Guanajuato Mexico
- Akure Nigeria
- Beira Mozambique
- Gweru Zimbabwe
- Kananga Democratic Republic of Congo
- Lusaka Zambia
- Maputo Mozambique
- Ballestros Philippines
- Bauang Philippines
- Camiling Philippines East
- Camiling Philippines West
- Mangaldan Philippines
- Mapandan Philippines
- Ipoh Malaysia
- Kuching East Malaysia
- Georgetown Guyana
- Coyhaique Chile
- La Union Chile
- Gualeguaychu Argentina
- Fort Stockton Texas
- Aracati Brazil
2002
- Bangui Philippines
- Bambang Philippines
- Vigan Philippines
- Phnom Penh Cambodia South
- Gerehu Papua New Guinea
- Goroka Papua New Guinea
- Kuriva Papua New Guinea
- Oro Papua New Guinea
- El Triunfo Ecuador
- Riberalta Bolivia
- Puerto Suarez Bolivia
- Coquimbo Chile
- Coronel Chile
- Lebu Chile
- Linares Chile
- Melipilla Chile
- Ovalle Chile
- Parral Chile
- San Fernando Chile
- Talagante Chile
- Vaiparaiso Chile West
- Canada de Gomez Argentina
- Volgograd Russia
- Basse-Terre Guadeloupe
- Christ Church Barbados
- Linstead Jamaica
- Montego Bay Jamaica
- New Providence Bahamas
- Likasi Democratic Republic of Congo
- Itapeva Brazil District
2001
- Pirassununga Brazil
- Sao Borja Brazil
- Sao Gabriel Brazil
- Aguilar Philippines
- Bangued Philippines
- Biliran Philippines
- Calasiao Philippines
- Phnom Penh Cambodia Central (Vietnamese)
- Jeju Korea
- Carupano Venezuela
- La Paz Argentina
- Ushuaia Argentina
- Krasnoyarsk Russia
- Omsk Russia
- Nueva Tolten Chile
7 comments:
So are you suggesting that between 1986 and 2000 the church went into a lot of new ares of the world ?(like the eastern bloc, parts of Asia and Africa, etc.).
Yes, I am. This was when most of the Church's current presence in Africa, Eastern Europe, and many Asian countries was established. I am also suggesting that the Church is currently going into a lot of new areas, or that the Church is being more firmly established in areas it has recently been established in.
To: Matt,
Thanks very much for this report. I have wanted to know the history of recent districts for a long time and it is great to have a chronological breakdown of new districts.
I also appreciate how you showed districts taken from existing stakes, created from parts of discontinued stakes, and districts that have been discontinued.
This information has been available nowhere until now and thanks again for all your work.
One question... Have you worked up the number of branches in these districts and other districts created earlier? It would be a good indication of potential new stakes.
Thanks, I was missing a couple. You were also missing two (that you've mentioned before): La Vega DR and Kabul Military
As always, great job, Matt, and thank you.
In addition to the La Vega Dominican Republic and Kabul Afghanistan Military Districts, I think these districts are also missing from the list: Nueva Tolten Chile (2001), Likasi Democratic Republic of Congo (2002), Itapeva Brazil (2002), and Rafaela Argentina (2006).
To Matt:
It's interesting to note that in the 7 days since you wrote this there have been 2 more districts created in Malaysia and Nigeria, making 22 for the year so far. It just goes to show us how fast Church growth is taking place now.
Thanks for the input and corrections. I added the missing districts and the two new ones we found out about in the past week.
Post a Comment