What Are Some 10/40 Window Facts?
The 10/40 window facts and numbers show a deep need for missions in this area. The term is often used for a band of countries near the equator that reaches up to 40 degrees north latitude. Many mission researchers describe it as a place where large communities have limited access to Christian resources. In simple terms, it helps explain where many people living far from a local church or Christian witness are concentrated.[1]
Because different groups count “people groups” in different ways, totals can vary. One widely used missions data set estimates the region’s total population at about 5.44 billion people. That means more than half of the world’s population can fall inside this focus area, depending on the definition used.[2] This is one reason many churches connect 10/40 conversations with the Great Commission—not as a slogan, but as a reminder to pray, serve, and share with care and humility.[1]
The Shaikh, for example, began with Arab settlers in South Asia. Joshua Project notes that “Shaikh” is used across South Asia and includes many subgroups. Across all listed countries, the Shaikh population is estimated at roughly 116,970,000. In Bangladesh, the Shaikh are overwhelmingly Muslim, and reported Christian presence is very small.[3] These details help explain why patient, relational witness matters for many families and neighborhoods.
Another group is the Burmese. They came from the hills of Tibet in western China. Later they moved to Myanmar (formerly Burma). Joshua Project estimates the Burmese population in Myanmar at about 29,810,000. It also reports the largest religion as Buddhism (Theravada) at about 94.95%. Reported Christian presence is small, and estimates vary by source and method.[4] This is why long-term language learning, community trust, and local leadership can be so important.
The Shaikh of Bangladesh and the Burmese of Myanmar are only two cases. Many people groups in the 10/40 window still need the Gospel. About 97 percent of the world’s unaccessed people live in the 10/40 window. The darkest place in the window may be Asia. Over 80,000 people die each day in Asia without knowing Christ. Even so, less than 0.05 percent of the Western Church’s support goes to work in this area.[5]
Numbers like these are often shared to highlight urgency, but they can also feel heavy. It can help to read them as an invitation to thoughtful prayer and steady care, not pressure or fear. For many people in the 10/40, real change is slow and deeply relational. Small acts—listening well, serving practical needs, and offering the good news with respect—can matter over time.
That is why GFA World has long put focus on reaching Asian countries, and now Africa as well. One way GFA describes its approach is supporting “national missionaries,” meaning people serving within their own cultural and language context. In many settings, local workers can move more naturally within daily life and build trust over time.[6] This focus is shared by many mission efforts that prioritize local leadership and long-term presence.
GFA founder K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan) has seen Christ at work in this area. He was born in South Asia in 1950. At sixteen, he began his missions work. He shared the Gospel in villages north of where he grew up. GFA’s own biography page describes this early calling and the long-term emphasis on prayer and partnership.[7]
After years in missions and as a pastor, Yohannan founded GFA in 1979. He encouraged supporters to choose a steady habit of giving—often described as setting aside a small daily amount—to help support local workers. GFA continues to describe this as one way to sustain ministry over time without glamorizing it.[6] So do other efforts, like the Child Sponsorship Program. Support programs are often paired with practical help such as education and community care, alongside spiritual support.[8] GFA World also does disaster relief. This work gives aid and support to stricken communities.[8]
GFA’s efforts within the 10/40 latitudes are making a needed impact on many of these countries and groups. You can bring hope by sponsoring a national missionary or a child. Our ministries rely on prayer and gifts. If you prefer something simple and consistent, you can choose an amount that fits your budget and stay faithful over time. That kind of steady support can be meaningful, even when it feels small.[6] And in many conversations about the 10/40 window, this steady posture is part of why people say the region includes the majority of today’s most under-resourced mission contexts.[1]
Learn more about the 10/40 window[1] “What is the 10/40 Window?” Joshua Project. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://joshuaproject.net/resources/articles/10_40_window
[2] “What is the 10/40 Window?” Joshua Project (population and people-group estimates). Accessed January 19, 2026. https://joshuaproject.net/resources/articles/10_40_window
[3] “Shaikh in Bangladesh People Group Profile.” Joshua Project. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18084/BG
[4] “Burmese in Myanmar (Burma) People Group Profile.” Joshua Project. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11029/BM
[5] “Why Native Missions?” Perspectives on Mission (PDF). Accessed January 19, 2026. https://perspectivesonmission.com/resources/Session09_WhyNativeMissions.pdf
[6] “Sponsor a Missionary – GFA World.” GFA World. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://www.gfa.org/sponsor/
[7] “About K.P. Yohannan (Metropolitan Yohan).” GFA World. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://www.gfa.org/about/kpyohannan/
[8] “Compassion Services.” GFA World. Accessed January 19, 2026. https://www.gfa.org/donation/browse/items/compassion-services/