MISSIONS IN

Maldives

God is moving in Maldives

The State of Missions in Maldives

Missions in Maldives reflect one of the world’s most religiously restricted nations, where citizenship is tied to Islam and no public Christian church is permitted. The Maldives developed no enduring public evangelical church because national identity became legally inseparable from Islam. 7 UPGs remain, totaling about 490,600 unreached people; Maldivian is the largest listed group.

  • 529K POPULATION
  • 0.3% CHRISTIANS
  • 99.3% LITERACY
  • 7 UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS
  • Maldivian LARGEST UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP
  • 491K UNREACHED POPULATION
  • Malé CAPITAL CITY
  • Malé Addu City Fuvahmulah LARGEST CITIES
  • Maldivian Rufiyaa CURRENCY
  • Tropical monsoon climate, with year-round warmth, high humidity, seasonal rains, and strong ocean. CLIMATE
  • Dhivehi PRIMARY LANGUAGES
  • Islam LARGEST UNREACHED RELIGION

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God Is at Work. You’re Invited Into the Story.

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Bible Translation Dhivehi Christian resources must be accessed privately because non-Islamic religious materials can create legal risk.
Church Planting No public Maldivian church can be planted under current law, so discipleship depends on private and diaspora ties.
Disaster Relief Church planting remains urgent among Somali, coastal Muslim.
Education Church planting remains urgent among Somali, coastal Muslim.
Gospel Access The Maldives has seven UPGs and about 490,600 unreached Maldivians, essentially the entire citizen population.
Human Trafficking Church planting remains urgent among Somali, coastal Muslim.
Medical Missions Church planting remains urgent among Somali, coastal Muslim.
Orphans & Vulnerable Children Church planting remains urgent among Somali, coastal Muslim.
Persecuted Church Public non-Islamic worship, Christian propagation, and involving Maldivians in such activity are prohibited by law.
Poverty & Justice Compassion for Maldivians should never be conditioned on religious response or used to evade the country's laws.
Unreached People Groups Millions still have little or no access to the gospel in their language and culture.

Active Projects across Maldives

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A History of God's Faithfulness in Maldives

Maldives’s evangelical missions history explains much of its present church landscape. there is no enduring public evangelical church history because non-Islamic worship and propagation are prohibited; any Maldivian believers must practice faith privately, often with support from diaspora and digital resources. Over time, responsibility moved increasingly toward local pastors, evangelists, teachers, and congregations.

  1. Early Beginnings

    The Maldives developed no enduring public evangelical church because national identity became legally inseparable from Islam.

  2. 1900s

    Foreign Christians have generally been permitted only private worship that does not involve Maldivian citizens.

  3. Independence Era

    Modern laws prohibit non-Islamic places of worship and criminalize propagation of religions other than Islam.

  4. Modern Movement

    Any Maldivian believers therefore rely on private faith, travel, digital Scripture, and relationships outside public institutions.

  5. Today

    The country's missions story today is one of prayer, discreet access, and concern for believers who cannot gather openly.

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