Updated Country Profile - Iraq

Click here to access our updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Iraq. The Church established its first official branches in Iraq during 2003 when the American-led coalition invaded Iraq. All military branches were discontinued by the early 2010s upon the removal of most foreign military personnel. In the mid-2010s, a Church presence was established among Kurdish and Assyrian/Chaldean peoples in Kurdistan. Today there are two member groups led by local leaders.

Graph with Labels - Temple Announcements and Number of Members: Analysis

I am not the greatest making graphs and charts with Excel, but I managed to put labels on for each of the points in the graph I presented in the post for Temple Announcements and Number of Members: Analysis. This way, it is easier to identify trends with when temples are announced by country or geographical area. For example, the Church has announced temples in Latin American countries when there are more members than in countries in other regions of the world. This is likely due to lower member activity rates. See below for the updated graph. Click on the graph so the labels are legible.

Updated Country Profile - Kyrgyzstan

Click here to access our updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Kyrgyzstan. The Church missed its window of opportunity to enter Kyrgyzstan in the 1990s when religious freedom laws better accommodated foreign, proselytizing Christian groups. Today, the Church has the virtually insurmountable barrier for 200 adult citizen members required for government registration. Although a mission branch exclusively services Kyrgyzstan under the Russia Yekaterinburg Mission, no official branch meets within the country. A member group has historically functioned to service American military personnel. A senior missionary couple on humanitarian assignment has served in the country since the mid-2010s. There are no translations of Church materials into Kyrgyz although there is a small number of translations of materials in Kazakh which is mutually intelligible with Kyrgyz.

Temple Announcements and Number of Members: Analysis

Over the years I have wondered what the relationship between church membership and temple announcements has looked like, particularly in regards to when the Church announces its first temple in a given country. See below for a list of all countries with a dedicated or announced temple current as of October 2018. There are currently 57 countries and territories/dependencies that have a temple dedicated or announced. This list provides the year when the first temple was announced for each country and the number of members who lived in the country at the time the first temple was announced per official membership statistics from the Church (or best estimates for years without membership data available). There has not appeared to be a significant change in the number of members in countries when the first temple is announced. See below for a scatter plot that display these data:

On average, the Church typically announces a temple when there are 32,657 members in a country. However, the median membership for when the Church announces its first temple in a country is 23,326. The countries with the fewest members to have a temple announced was Switzerland in 1952 (approximately 2,000 members), Guam in 2018 (2,500 members), and the United States in 1832 (approximately 2,661 members). The countries with the most members to have a temple announced for the first time include Mexico in 1976 (141,768 members), Honduras in 2006 (116,416 members), and El Salvador in 2007 (98,575 members). The years 1981 and 2018 tie for the most new temple announcements in countries where no temples previously operated as there were seven countries for both of these years where temples were announced for the first time.

• United States - 1832 - 2,661 members
• Canada - 1913 - 10,000 members
• Switzerland - 1952 - 2,000 members
• United Kingdom - 1953 - 8,000 members
• New Zealand - 1955 - 14,000 members
• Japan - 1975 - 27,516 members
• Brazil - 1975 - 45,747 members
• Mexico - 1976 - 141,768 members
• Samoa - 1977 - 21,890 members
• French Polynesia - 1980 - 6,600 members
• Tonga - 1980 - 18,563 members
• Australia - 1980 - 37,537 members
• Argentina - 1980 - 60,972 members
• Chile - 1980 - 63,658 members
• Sweden - 1981 - 6,410 members
• South Africa - 1981 - 8,394 members
• Guatemala - 1981 - 22,234 members
• South Korea - 1981 - 23,400 members
• Germany - 1981 - 26,177 members
• Peru - 1981 - 40,646 members
• Philippines - 1981 - 56,717 members
• Taiwan - 1982 - 8,679 members
• Ecuador - 1982 - 30,386 members
• Colombia - 1984 - 45,800 members
• Hong Kong - 1992 - 18,000 members
• Spain - 1993 - 25,000 members
• Dominican Republic - 1993 - 47,000 members
• Venezuela - 1995 - 73,000 members
• Bolivia - 1995 - 83,500 members
• Ukraine - 1998 - 5,000 members
• Fiji - 1998 - 12,000 members
• Ghana - 1998 - 16,000 members
• Uruguay - 1998 - 70,000 members
• Denmark - 1999 - 4,600 members
• Netherlands - 1999 - 7,627 members
• Costa Rica - 1999 - 29,000 members
• Finland - 2000 - 4,403 members
• Nigeria - 2000 - 42,746 members
• Paraguay - 2000 - 44,632 members
• Panama - 2002 - 39,559 members
• Honduras - 2006 - 116,416 members
• El Salvador - 2007 - 98,575 members
• Italy - 2008 - 22,886 members
• Portugal - 2010 - 39,031 members
• Democratic Republic of the Congo - 2011 - 30,435 members
• France - 2011 - 36,403 members
• Thailand - 2015 - 19,665 members
• Haiti - 2015 - 20,414 members
• Cote d'Ivoire - 2015 - 27,052 members
• Zimbabwe - 2016 - 27,825 members
• Kenya - 2017 - 13,189 members
• Guam - 2018 - 2,500 members
• India - 2018 - 13,570 members
• Cambodia - 2018 - 14,600 members
• Cape Verde - 2018 - 14,700 members
• Puerto Rico - 2018 - 23,234 members
• Russia - 2018 - 23,252 members
• Nicaragua - 2018 - 98,534 members

Currently, there is only one country, Papua New Guinea, which has more than the median number of members for when the Church announces its first temple in a country.

New Stakes Created in Bolivia, Ecuador, Idaho, and Peru; District Discontinued in the Federated States of Micronesia

Bolivia
The Church organized a new stake in Santa Cruz on October 14th. The Santa Cruz Bolivia La Libertad Stake was organized from a division of the Santa Cruz Bolivia La Pampa Stake and the Santa Cruz Bolivia La Merced Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the La Cañada, La Libertad, Plan Tres Mil, and Primero de Mayo Wards. Based upon survey data from local members and returned missionaries obtained within the past 3-4 years, at least two of the wards had 140 or more active members. There are now 10 stakes in Santa Cruz - more than any other city in Bolivia. The Church has experienced steady stake growth in Santa Cruz since the first stake was organized in 1979 as additional stakes have been organized in 1981, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2017 (2), and 2018. Furthermore, the number of wards in Bolivia has also increased within the past 10 years from 165 in 2008 to 194 at present.

There are now 33 stakes and eight districts in Bolivia

Ecuador
The Santa Rosa Ecuador Stake was organized from the Santa Rosa Ecuador District on September 23rd. The district was originally organized in 1994 and has tried for many years to become a stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Huaquillas, Pasaje, Santa Rosa 1st, Santa Rosa 2nd, and Santa Rosa 3rd Wards, and the Arenillas and Piñas Branches.

There are now 41 stakes and eight districts in Ecuador. The Church has experienced steady stake growth in Ecuador due to increasing numbers of wards. For example, there were only 33 stakes and 10 districts in Ecuador in 2008.

Idaho
The Church organized a new stake in Rexburg at Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho) on September 30th. The Rexburg Idaho YSA 11th Stake was organized from the Rexburg Idaho YSA 1st Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 2nd Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 3rd Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 6th Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 7th Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 8th Stake, Rexburg Idaho YSA 9th Stake, and Rexburg Idaho YSA 10th Stake. The new stake includes the following 12 wards: the Rexburg YSA 11th, Rexburg YSA 16th, Rexburg YSA 28th, Rexburg YSA 35th, Rexburg YSA 49th,  Rexburg YSA 50th, Rexburg YSA 68th, Rexburg YSA 85th, Rexburg YSA 114th, Rexburg YSA 115th, Rexburg YSA 116th, and Rexburg YSA 117th Ward. There are now 11 YSA stakes and four student married stakes in Rexburg.

There are now 132 stakes in Idaho.

Perú
The Church organized a new stake in Lima, Peru on October 14th. The Lima Perú Mayorazgo Stake was organized from a division of the Lima Perú Santa Patricia Stake and the Lima Perú Vitarte Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Covima, Mayorazgo 1st, Mayorazgo 2nd, Portales, and Veintisiete de Abril Wards. The Lima Perú Mayorazgo Stake is the second stake in Lima to be organized in 2018. There are now 44 stakes in the Lima metropolitan area - more stakes than any other metropolitan area in the world outside of the United States.

There are now 104 stakes and 19 districts in Perú.

Federated States of Micronesia
The Yap Micronesia District was recently discontinued and the two branches that previously pertained to the district (Colonia and Thol) were reassigned to the Barrigada Guam Stake. Additionally, the Koror Branch on Palau was also reassigned to the Barrigada Guam Stake. Inclusion of these branches into a stake provides the opportunity for one or more branches to advance into wards if each branch meets the minimum criteria for a ward to function. The Yap Micronesia District was originally organized in 1989. There is now one stakes and two districts in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Updated Country Profile - Afghanistan

Click here to access our Reaching the Nations country profile for Afghanistan. The Church's presence in Afghanistan has been solely limited to foreign military personnel although a few Afghan individuals have joined the Church, particularly in the United States and India. Government legislation that bars the proselytism and conversion of Muslims, societal intolerance for Christian proselytism, and the severe persecution of religious minorities pose significant barriers for any future Church presence in the foreseeable future.

Stake, District, and Temple Map

A new map from Church of Jesus Christ Temples (formerly www.ldschurchtemples.org) provides the location for all non-sensitive stakes and districts in the worldwide Church. The new map can be found here: https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/maps/google/. This is a great resource for looking at the international distribution of the Church's "centers of strength" worldwide. Special thanks for Rick Satterfield for developing this resource!

Updated Country Profile - Tajikistan

Click here to access our updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Tajikistan. Tajikistan is the only Persian nation in Central Asia that used to be part of the Soviet Union as the population of the four other former Soviet republics in the region are Turkic in ethnicity. The Church has operated a member group in Dushanbe to service foreign members although it is unclear whether this member group operates at present. There are only a few known Tajikistani converts. Significant restrictions on religious freedom, including the recent ban on individuals under age 18 attending public religious services, pose insurmountable obstacles for an official Church establishment at present. Nevertheless, the Church assigned Tajikistan to the Central Eurasian Mission in 2015 although prospects for outreach within the foreseeable future appear dim.

UPDATED: The 10 Countries/Territories with the Most Members without a Temple Announced, Under Construction, or in Operation

I have updated the list of the countries and dependencies with the most members without a temple with year-end 2017 membership totals or more recent membership data if available. Temples that service stakes, districts, and mission branches in each country are identified. Previous lists are also available for April 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, mid-2011, late 2008, and late 2007.

1. Papua New Guinea

• 27,163 members
• 2 stakes, 12 districts
• 80 congregations
• Sydney Australia Temple

2. Sierra Leone

• 20,045 members
• 5 stakes, 4 districts
• 67 congregations
• Accra Ghana Temple

3. Kiribati

• 19,690 members
• 2 stakes, 2 districts
• 32 congregations
• Suva Fiji Temple, Laie Hawaii Temple

4. American Samoa

• 16,339 members
• 5 stakes
• 43 congregations
• Apia Samoa Temple

5. Uganda

• 15,979 members
• 3 stakes, 0 districts
• 31 congregations
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple

6. Liberia

• 12,544 members
• 4 stakes, 1 districts
• 44 congregations 
• Accra Ghana Temple

7. Madagascar

• 11,881 members
• 2 stakes, 3 districts
• 40 congregations
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple 

8. Mongolia

• 11,641 members
• 2 stakes, 1 district
• 25 congregations
• Hong Kong China Temple

9. Mozambique

• 10,835 members
• 3 stakes, 1 district
• 33 congregations
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple

10. Malaysia

• 10,224 members
• 0 stakes, 6 districts
• 32 congregations
• Hong Kong China Temple

Updated Country Profile - Turkmenistan

Click here to access the updated country profile for Turkmenistan. The Church has never operated an official presence in Turkmenistan although a small group for American military personnel has historically functioned in the country. Turkmenistan was assigned to a full-time mission in 2015 when the Central Eurasian Mission was organized. Extremely few Turkmen have joined the Church abroad although there has been at least one Turkmen returned missionary. Severe government restrictions on religious freedom pose significant challenges for a Church establishment one day.