West Asia
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[edit] West Asia
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Western Asia stretches from Iraq to the Red Sea. It includes Central Asia.
Western Asia’s population is fairly average for the world. Rising from 29 million in 1900 to 200 million today, it is growing at about 7 million annually. The people are largely urban: two-thirds live in cities, and there are 209 megacities. Some 70 million are children, or 35% of the population.
Since 1950, over a dozen serious wars have been fought and future wars are almost certain. The concentration of religious fervor, oil, lack of water, and human rights abuses together make this region a powderkeg waiting for a match.
The economies of the region are mixed: some suffer abject poverty, some are very wealthy, and some are managing their wealth well. While oil is unlikely to run out soon, it will not last this century. By 2050, almost certainly most of the petrodollars will be gone: navigating this transition will be the challenge of the next generation.
Most of the governments are stable, but highly controlling to dictatorial. Few have any vestige of democracy, although some (particularly the smaller nations) are more liberal than others. Western Asia was the birthplace of the world’s monotheistic religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Christians make up a very small percentage of the region; most believers are found amongst Orthodox and Catholic majority nations in the north and the migrant workers of the south. Islam is dominant elsewhere. While the number of Christians is growing, in most places they are not growing fast enough. There are significant restrictions and penalties for evangelism and conversion in most of the countries: Saudi Arabia is most notorious for this, but it is by no means alone. Israel, too, has been quite restrictive and harsh, particularly in its treatment of Messianic Jews. Ironically, Libya and Iraq have been two of the more open countries in the past.
There are about 29 millions Arab speaking Christians (belonging to any kind of church) in this region, this includes the Christians in Egypt and the other Christians in North Africa.
Despite this obstacles, there are a number of mission initiatives in several of the countries. Work here will likely continue to be difficult and tenuous for the foreseeable future, due to the severe restrictions and the difficult world climate.
[edit] Tentmaker
- The doors are wide open on the Arabian Peninsula for professional tentmakers who love Jesus. Midwives and female gynaecologists are urgently needed in two obstetrical clinics (one with over 4,000 deliveries a year, the other with over 800). Mechanics, engineers and anyone who can teach a subject or train people will also find open doors.
[edit] Countries of West Asia
| Name | P ‘00 | P ‘25 | C ‘00 | % | C ‘25 | % | 75-00 | 00-25 | Issues affecting the future |
| Armenia | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 82% | 2.6 | 89% | + + | - + | Politically stable, conflict with Azerbaijan, light restrictions, poverty. |
| Azerbaijan | 8.1 | 9.6 | 0.2 | 3% | 0.2 | 2% | + - | + - | Poverty, oil wealth, corruption, unstable government, light restrictions. |
| Bahrain | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 9% | 0.1 | 13% | + + | + + | Stable government, moderate restrictions, effective ministry, migrants. |
| Cyprus | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 94% | 1.0 | 95% | + - | + + | Stable, conflict with North, key Christian base, work monitored. |
| Georgia | 4.7 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 62% | 2.6 | 66% | - + | - + | Wars, economic development, light restrictions. |
| Iraq | 25.1 | 44.7 | 0.7 | 3% | 1.2 | 3% | + - | + - | Reconstruction, unrest, moderate restrictions. |
| Israel | 6.1 | 8.7 | 0.2 | 3% | 0.2 | 3% | + + | + - | Peace process, moderate restrictions, threat of anti-conversion laws. |
| Jordan | 5.0 | 8.1 | 0.2 | 3% | 0.2 | 2% | + - | + - | Poverty, moderate restrictions, Palestinian refugees. |
| Kuwait | 2.2 | 4.0 | 0.2 | 10% | 0.4 | 11% | + + | + + | Many migrant workers, oil-based economy, moderate restrictions. |
| Lebanon | 3.4 | 4.3 | 1.2 | 37% | 1.6 | 38% | + - | + + | Political instability, debt, conflict with Israel, religious freedom. |
| Oman | 2.4 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 3% | 0.3 | 7% | + + | + + | Stable, liberal government, developed economy, moderate restrictions. |
| Palestine | 3.2 | 6.4 | 0.1 | 3% | 0.1 | 2% | + - | + - | Peace process, political and economic development, poverty. |
| Qatar | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 11% | 0.1 | 8% | + + | + - | Liberalization, materialism, light restrictions. |
| Saudi Arabia | 21.5 | 37.2 | 1.1 | 5% | 1.9 | 5% | + + | + + | Oil wealth management, reforms, severe restrictions, poverty. |
| Syria | 16.8 | 28.1 | 0.9 | 5% | 1.2 | 4% | + - | + - | Water stress, Israeli conflict, political control, moderate restrictions. |
| Turkey | 68.2 | 90.6 | 0.3 | 0% | 0.2 | 0% | + - | + - | Cultural renaissance, political tensions, moderate restrictions. |
| United Arab Emirates | 3.2 | 6.7 | 0.3 | 10% | 0.4 | 7% | + + | + - | Massive economic development, moderate restrictions. |
| Yemen | 17.9 | 37.1 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.1 | 0% | + + | + - | Oil, widespread poverty, hurt by wars, moderate restrictions. |
