Azerbaijan, Central Asia
Population: 8,120,247
Christians: 4-5%
Dominant Religion: Shia Islam
Persecution Ranking: 24th
Political Leader: President Ilham Aliyev
Religious Freedom in Constitution: Yes
Azerbaijan is a Muslim country that is not open to the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians may not worship openly and have been harassed and arrested for meeting in house churches. However, because of the rich oil reserves, Azerbaijan hosts petroleum employees from all over the world, opening the door for western Christians to enter the country. Although they may not be able to openly proclaim the Gospel, they have ample opportunity to show the love of Christ to those around them and to build relationships with the Azerbaijani people.
