LDS Statistical Map - Western Hemisphere

I have been working on creating a statistical map to provide in-depth insight into LDS Church growth trends by nation/territory.  Statistics provided for each nation include:

• Number of LDS members in 2010
• 2010 membership growth rate
• Percent membership growth since 2000
• Number of units (congregations)
• Number of temples
• Number of missions
• Number of stakes
• Number of districts
• Ratio of one Latter-day Saint per "x" inhabitants
• Change of ratio in LDS per inhabitants since 2000
• Percent of inhabitants reached by LDS congregations
• Number of unreached cities with over "x" number of inhabitants
• Estimated member activity rate
• Year of initial LDS Church establishment
• Year of country dedication for missionary work

Countries are color-coded to indicate whether there is an LDS temple and stake (red), a stake and no temple (yellow), a district and no stake or temple (green), or an LDS congregation and no district, stake, or temple (blue). Countries that have markers with dots indicate whether an LDS mission is headquartered in the country or not.

Below is a map of countries/territories in the Western Hemisphere provided with LDS statistics by country/territory.  I am still populating all of the statistical fields for these nations/territories as some of these remain blank.


View Western Hemisphere in a larger map

Stake Discontinued in Utah

A couple Sundays ago a stake was discontinued in the Salt Lake City area in Utah.  Formerly consisting of six wards, the Bennion Heights Utah Stake was discontinued and consolidated with the neighboring Bennion Utah and Bennion Utah West Stakes.  As part of the stake realignment, four wards were discontinued among the three stakes originally covering the area, including the Bennion 15th, Bennion Heights 4th, Bennion Heights 7th, and Ridgecrest 2nd Wards.  Currently the Bennion Utah Stake has eight wards and the Bennion Utah West Stake has seven wards and a branch.  There are 556 stakes and one district in Utah at present.

New Stake Organized in Argentina

For the first time since 2004, a new stake was created in Argentina.  The Buenos Aires Argentina Ramos Mejía Stake was organized from the Buenos Aires Argentina Aldo Bonzi and Buenos Aires Argentina West Stakes and includes the following seven wards: The Atalaya, Haedo 1st, Haedo 2nd, Los Pinos, Ramos Mejia, San Justo, and Tablada Wards.  The new stake is Argentina's 71st LDS stake and the 24th stake in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.  Unlike the LDS Church in other Latin American nations, steady congregational growth occurred in Argentina until the late 2000s.  For the past several years Argentina has experienced a steady decline in the number of LDS congregations primarily the result of the closure of dozens of branches.  The LDS Church reported 863 congregations in 2007 and currently operates approximately 826 congregations at present.  Notwithstanding the concerning trend of congregation consolidations, the organization of a new stake indicates that congregations and local leadership are stable in some areas of the country.

Full-time missionaries have also reported that a new stake will be organized in the near future in Mar del Plata. 

New Stake to be Created in Peru in September

Missionaries serving in the Peru Trujillo Mission report that the Huaraz Perú District will become a stake next month, bringing the total of LDS stakes in Peru to 96.  Originally organized in 1989, the Huaraz Perú District currently consists of six branches. 

The number of stakes in the LDS Church in Peru will likely reach 100 within the next or two, making Peru the fifth country to ever have over 100 stakes.  Several stakes appear close to splitting in Lima and Arequipa and some districts may become stakes in the near future.

New District in Sierra Leone; New Stakes in Idaho

Sierra Leone

The Freetown Sierra Leone District was split yesterday to create a second district in the city, the Freetown Sierra Leone East District.  During the first session of the newly organized district there were over 1,000 in attendance.  Full-time missionaries report that plans to open additional cities to missionary work were recently postponed to coordinate with local priesthood leaders in establishing the first LDS stakes in the near future.  There are now three districts, 23 branches, and several groups meeting throughout the country.

Idaho

A new stake was organized in the Boise area based in Star from the Eagle Idaho and Meridian Idaho Paramount Stakes.  The Star Idaho Stake includes the following seven wards: The Beacon Light, Lochsa Falls, Silverleaf, Star 1st, Star 2nd, Star 3rd, and Verona Wards.

A new stake was organized in Rexburg named the Rexburg Idaho YSA 4th Stake.  The new stake includes seven wards and two branches in Rexburg and the Upper Snake River Valley.  There are now 123 stakes in Idaho.

LDS Membership by Mexican State: 2010 Mexican Census

The Instituto Nacional de Información Estadística y Geográfica has recently published 2010 census results on religious affiliation in Mexico at http://www.inegi.org.mx/.  The census counted 314,932 self-identified Latter-day Saints in Mexico compared to 205,229 Latter-day Saints in 2000, a 53.5% increase over the decade whereas officially reported LDS membership statistics for Mexico reported 1,234,545 members in 2010 and 884,071 members in 2000, a 39.6% increase during the same time period.  Despite this increase in the number of members identifying as Latter-day Saints in the census, nearly 69% of the increase in membership between 2000 and 2010 reported by the LDS Church was unaccounted for in the 2010 census.  The percentage of members reported by the LDS Church who self identified on the 2000 and 2010 Mexican censuses slightly increased from 23.2% to 25.5%.

Below is a list of Mexican states ranked by the number of self-identified Latter-day Saints on the 2010 Mexican census.

1. México - 44,015
2. Distrito Federal - 28,440
3. Veracruz - 24,063
4. Puebla - 18,722
5. Chihuahua - 16,493
6. Nuevo León - 15,579
7. Tamaulipas - 13,235
8. Baja California - 12,712
9. Hidalgo - 11,828
10. Coahuila de Zaragoza - 11,698
11. Sonora - 11,252
12. Yucatán - 10,547
13. Oaxaca - 10,222 
14. Jalisco - 9,158
15. Sinaloa - 8,672
16. Chiapas - 8,501
17. Morelos - 7,712
18. Quintana Roo - 6,517
19. Guanajuato - 5,588
20. Guerrero - 5,584
21. Tabasco - 4,691
22. Durango - 4,314
23. Michoacán - 4,192
24. San Luis Potosí - 3,634
25. Querétaro - 3,300
26. Campeche - 3,133
27. Aguascalientes - 2,265
28. Baja California Sur - 2,006
29. Tlaxala - 1,991
30. Nayarit - 1,843
31. Zacatecas - 1,632
32. Colima - 1,393

The percentage of self-identified Latter-day Saints by state varied significantly on the 2010 census, with Yucatán (one member per 185 inhabitants) possessing the highest percentage of members whereas Michoacán (one member per 1,038) possessing the lowest.  Overall there was one Latter-day Saint per 357 inhabitants in Mexico as a whole according to the 2010 Mexican census.  One in 91 Mexicans is nominally affiliated with the LDS Church. 

Lastly, the map below provides the ratio of LDS members to the general population by Mexican state. Red indicates one member per 249 or fewer inhabitants, yellow indicates one member per 250-499 inhabitants, green indicates one member per 500-749 inhabitants, and blue indicates one member per 750 or more inhabitants.


View Percent LDS by Mexican State in a larger map

Both Districts in Bulgaria Discontinued

Both the Sofia Bulgaria and Plovdiv Bulgaria Districts were recently discontinued resulting in all remaining 11 LDS branches in the country reporting directly to the mission president.  The Bulgaria Sofia Mission is now the third LDS mission worldwide without a stake or district along with the Ukraine Dnepropetrovsk and Russia Vladivostok Missions.  The dissolution of both districts is a concerning development which has validated missionary reports of low member activity rates, very few convert baptisms, and an inadequate number of active priesthood holders to staff leadership for districts and branches.  The decision to close both districts was likely initiated by mission interests to help strengthen individual branches in Bulgaria with minimal assistance from full-time missionaries in administrative affairs. 

Bulgaria is now the country with the most Latter-day Saints without a stake or district.

Branches Discontinued in the Caribbean (Lesser Antilles)

Since 2009 the LDS Church has closed many of its branches in the Lesser Antilles, with some branches consolidating with neighboring congregations and others being downgraded to dependent branches or groups which are not reported by official LDS unit statistics.  This trend appears primary motivated by increasing standards for independent congregations to operate, such as requiring a local member to serve as a branch president, but is also largely attributed to low convert retention rates and few convert baptisms.  Inadequate numbers of active local priesthood holders in the region is a major concern which continues to stunt LDS Chuch growth prospects.

Below is a list of countries/territories in the Lesser Antilles which have experienced congregational decline in independent branches since 2008

• Aruba (three in 2008, one at present)
• British Virgin Islands (two in 2008, one at present)
• Curacao (two in 2008, one at present)
• Dominica (three in 2008, one at present)
• Guadeloupe (seven in 2008, three at present)
• Martinique (two in 2008, one at present)
• Saba (one in 2008, none at present)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis (two in 2008, one at present)
• Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (two in 2008, one at present)

The below countries and territories have experienced no change in the number of congregations since 2008:

• Antigua and Barbuda (one branch)
• Barbados (four branches)
• Bonaire (one branch)
• Grenada (one branch)
• Saint Lucia  (two branches)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (two branches)
• Trinidad and Tobago (five wards, seven branches)
• United States Virgin Islands (two branches)

It is unclear exactly how many dependent branches and groups operate in the Lesser Antilles.  Senior missionaries serving in the West Indies Mission reported 16 dependent branches in the mission at the end of 2010.  It appears that between 10 and 20 dependent units operate in the Lesser Antilles today. 

LDS Church Growth in the United States: 2000 to 2010

Four different statistics are provided below for the LDS Church in the United States between 2000 and 2010:

• States with the highest and lowest percentage growth in membership
• States with the highest and lowest percentage growth in congregations
• States with the highest and lowest numerical increase in membership
• States with the highest and lowest numerical increase in congregations

As a whole LDS membership and the number of congregations increased by 18% in the United States during this period indicating that the number of congregations and church membership increased commensurately.  LDS membership increased by 935,755 and the total number of congregations increased by 2,059 nationwide.

States with the highest percentage growth in membership:

1. District of Columbia - 87% - 2,382 members
2. Tennessee - 44% - 45,574 members
3. Iowa - 37% - 24,614 members
4. Kentucky - 37% - 32,261 members
5. Texas - 36% - 296,141 members
6. North Dakota - 36% - 6,930 members
7. Delaware - 35% - 5,814 members
8. West Virginia - 35% - 16,710 members
9. Arkansas - 34% - 27,559 members
10. South Carolina - 33% - 36,947 members

States with the lowest percentage growth in membership:

1. California - 2% - 763,370 members
2. Oregon - 9% - 147,965 members
3. New Hampshire - 10% - 8,231 members
4. Michigan - 11% - 42,319 members
5. Vermont - 13% - 4,384 members
6. Massachusetts - 15% - 24,965 members
7. Montana - 15% - 46,484 members
8. Maryland - 16% - 40,854 members
9. Wyoming - 16% - 63,069 members
10. Rhode Island - 17% - 3,833 members

States with the highest percentage growth in congregations:

1. Delaware - 50% - 12 congregations
2. Virginia - 33% - 195 congregations
3. North Carolina - 32% - 154 congregations
4. Texas - 29% - 577 congregations
5. Tennessee - 29% - 98 congregations
6. Idaho - 27% - 1,077 congregations
7. Georgia - 27% - 151 congregations
8. Alaska - 25% - 80 congregations
9. Utah - 25% - 4,834 congregations
10. Arizona - 25% - 801 congregations

States with the lowest percentage growth in congregations:

1. Louisiana - -18% - 51
2. Connecticut - -6% - 32
3. New York - -6% - 151
4. Maryland - -5% - 78
5. New Jersey - -3% - 59
6. New Hampshire - 0% - 21
7. Vermont - 0% - 12
8. Rhode Island - 0% - 7
9. Maine - 0% - 28
10. South Dakota - 0% - 33
11. District of Columbia - 0% - 3

States with the highest numerical increase in membership:

1. Utah - 280,341 members - 1,910,343 members
2. Texas - 78,416 members - 296,141 members
3. Arizona - 74,673 members - 387,950 members
4. Idaho - 65,754 members - 414,185 members
5. Washington - 38,290 members - 267,927 members
6. Nevada - 27,063 members - 175,149 members
7. Colorado - 26,865 members - 142,473 members
8. Florida - 24,705 members - 136,549 members
9. Virginia - 20,168 members - 89,297 members
10. North Carolina - 19,033 members - 76,865 members

States with the lowest numerical increase in membership:

1. Vermont - 514 members - 4,384 members
2. Rhode Island - 546 members - 3,833 members
3. New Hampshire - 762 members - 8,231 members
4. District of Columbia - 1,111 members - 2,382 members
5. Delaware - 1,347 members - 5,184 members
6. South Dakota - 1,592 members - 9,812 members
7. Maine - 1,698 members - 10,684 members
8. North Dakota - 1,828 members - 6,930 members
9. Connecticut - 2,372 members - 14,990 members
10. Massachusetts - 3,229 members - 24,965 members

States with the highest increase in the number of congregations:

1. Utah - 962 - 4,834
2. Idaho - 229 - 1,077
3. Arizona - 158 - 801
4. Texas - 130 - 577
5. Nevada - 60 - 323
6. Washington - 49 - 522
7. Virginia - 48 - 195
8. Colorado - 45 - 289
9. California - 43 - 1,361
10. North Carolina - 37 - 154

 States with the lowest increase in the number of congregations:

1. Louisiana - -11 - 51
2. New York - -9 - 151
3. Maryland - -4 - 78
4. Connecticut - -2 - 32
5. New Jersey - -2 - 59
6. Vermont - 0 - 12
7. Rhode Island - 0 - 7
8. New Hampshire - 0 - 21
9. District of Columbia - 0 - 3
10. South Dakota - 0 - 33
11. Maine - 0 - 28

Below is a pie chart providing a breakdown of numerical increase in membership by state between 2000 and 2010.

Potential New LDS Missions

Below is a list of potential locations for future LDS missions.  Prospective missions are provided with the estimated number of inhabitants serviced and the names of countries and administrative divisions which may be included.  Possible sites for future missions were deduced from the number of LDS units in current missions, congregational and membership growth trends, recent mission creation trends, prospects for future growth, member activity rates, the number of countries administered by current missions, the geographic size of current missions, and the size of the population within the prospective mission.  Like LDS temples, new LDS missions are announced by revelation from the First Presidency.  Population figures were obtained from the CIA World Factbook and www.citypopulation.de.

• Angola Luanda - 13.5 million - Angola, Sao Tome and Principe
• Brazil Campinas (second mission) - 5 million (estimate) Half of current Brazil Campinas Mission
• Brazil Fortaleza (second mission) - 4 million (estimate) - Half of Ceare State
• Brazil Natal - 3.2 million - Rio Grande do Norte State
• Burundi Bujumbura - 21.6 million - Burundi, Rwanda
• Cameroon Yaounde - 26.9 million - Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
• Democratic Republic of Congo Mbuji-Mayi - 40 million (estimate) - Central and northern DR Congo
• Ethiopia Addis Ababa - 91.6 million - Djibouti and Ethiopia
• Ghana Kumasi - 11.2 million - Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East, Upper West Regions
• Guyana Georgetown - 1.5 million - French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname
• Honduras San Pedro Sula (second mission) - 2 million (estimate) - Half of northern Honduras
• Mexico Cancun - 2 million - Quintana Roo and eastern Yucatan States
• Mexico Juchitan - 3 million (estimate) - Southwest Chiapas and Southeastern Oaxaca States
• Mexico Poza Rica - 3 million (estimate) - Central Veracruz State
• Mexico Toluca - 5-7 million (estimate) - Western Mexico State
• Nigeria Benin City - 7.3 million - Delta and Edo States
• South Africa Johannesburg (second mission) - 10 million (estimate) - Botswana; North West and Limpopo Provinces
• Tanzania Dar Es Salaam - 42.7 million - Tanzania
• Vanuatu Port Vila - 0.5 million - New Caledonia and Vanuatu

Cities in Latin America with the most inhabitants without an LDS temple

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 12.6 million - 10 stakes
2. Belo Horizonte, Brazil - 5.75 million - 5 stakes
3. Brasília, Brazil - 4.0 million - 5 stakes
4. Medellín, Colombia - 3.68 million - 2 stakes
5. Salvador, Brazil - 3.68 million - 4 stakes
6. Puebla, Mexico - 2.85 million - 8 stakes
7. Cali, Colombia - 2.83 million - 3 stakes
8. Belém, Brazil - 2.18 million - 5 stakes
9. Goiânia, Brazil - 2.15 million - 2 stakes
10. La Paz, Bolivia - 1.96 million - 7 stakes
11. Maracaibo, Venezuela - 1.96 million - 5 stakes

Six of the 11 most populous cities in Latin America without an LDS temple are in Brazil.