Check out the top 10 countries in the 2019 list of "The 50 countries where it’s most dangerous to follow Jesus"

Open Doors USA has released the 2019 World Watch List of "The 50 countries where it’s most dangerous to follow Jesus"

The top ten countries on this list are listed below:

1. North Korea. Source of persecution - Communist and post-communist oppression
2. Afghanistan. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
3. Somalia. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
4. Libya. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
5. Pakistan. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
6. Sudan. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
7. Eritrea. Source of persecution - Dictatorial Paranoia
8. Yemen. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
9. Iran. Source of persecution - Islamic Oppression
10. India. Religious Nationalism

Nigeria is ranked 12 on this list. 

The World Watch List is an annual report on the global persecution of Christians ranking the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Released at the beginning of each year, the list uses data from Open Doors field workers and external experts to quantify and analyze persecution worldwide.

Countries are ranked by the severity of persecution of Christians, calculated by analyzing the level of violent persecution plus the pressure experienced in five spheres of life - Church Life, National Life, Community Life, Private Life and Family Life

According to David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, "The rankings and the numbers are important. But please remember these numbers represent real people and every data point represents Christians, like you and me, who are following Jesus—and suffering because of it."

In over 60 countries, Open Doors supports persecuted Christians by providing Bibles, emergency aid, discipleship training, vocational instruction, trauma counseling, advocacy and many other kinds of support.

The goal is to let Christians know they’re not alone. Open Doors exists to allow the church, no matter where it is, to be the Church.

Click here to download the full report.