How many lands left?

[Sequoia]

On 5/24/2019 at 2:05 PM, pholmes38 said:

I came across this chart some months ago 

 

 

In some of these countries we are restricted but not entirely banned.

[Sequoia]

I believe that there are close to 200 countries or 200 in the world, some of the 240 lands where we are legally active are territories.  So we are free to practice our faith in most countries and there are Witnesses even in countries under ban.

[Shawnster]

1 hour ago, JW2017 said:

I believe that there are close to 200 countries or 200 in the world, some of the 240 lands where we are legally active are territories.  So we are free to practice our faith in most countries and there are Witnesses even in countries under ban.

Correct!
 

Quote

 

There are 195 countries in the world today. This total comprises 193 countries that are member states of the United Nations and 2 countries that are non-member observer states: the Holy See and the State of Palestine.  https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/

 

 

 

On the other hand, this website lists 196 countries  https://www.thoughtco.com/non-members-of-the-united-nations-1435429

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Although most of the world's 196 countries have joined forces to tackle global issues like global warming, trade policy, and human rights and humanitarian issues through joined the United Nations as members, three countries are not members of the U.N.: Kosovo, Palestine, and Vatican City.

 

 

 

What confuses Witnesses and the reason our list is different than the world's is we count lands differently.  For example, for a long time we counted Hawaii and Alaska as separate from the USA (see some old Yearbooks for example).

Quote

 

2018 Grand Totals  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/2018-service-year-report/2018-grand-totals/

Branches of Jehovah’s Witnesses: 87

Number of Lands Reporting: 240

Total Congregations: 119,954

Worldwide Memorial Attendance: 20,329,317

Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 19,521

 

 

 

 

So, we have a difference of 45 lands.  

Edited May 29, 2019 by Shawnster

[Sequoia]

I forgot to mention that as many know countries where we're banned or restricted are not included in our list of lands even where there are Witnesses.

[Shawnster]

37 minutes ago, JW2017 said:

I forgot to mention that as many know countries where we're banned or restricted are not included in our list of lands even where there are Witnesses.

They are included in our list.  We have always included banned countries in the total amount, just never listed the country by name or number of Witnesses in that country.   Notice after Zimbabwe there are 33 other lands and then the grand total.  Those 33 other lands are included in the 240.

 

 

 

[Needgr8er]

I travelled Morocco in 1998, so 21 years ago.... and is still under ban now.... I walked through a market and I saw the old 1994 New World tract lying on the ground..... So witnesses were there then, so I often think about other lands and word spreading. 

 

Jehovah has it all sorted. 

[Hugh O'D]

I remember back in the late 90's or early 2000's (its a blur) we were having a Zone visit and in one of the talks the speaker said people asked "What about India or China?" and he said "I don't know about India or China, what I do know is that whatever Jehovah does will be far wiser than anything I can think off". At the time I thought, "Oh, ok", within about a year Chinese ministry started in our congregation (we've both a sizable Chinese population and also many Chinese come to Dublin to study), that became a group and a few years ago that became a congregation. Over the years quite a few from that group and then congregation moved on to China as well to continue the ministry there. So, yeah, I can say I've personally seen Jehovah dealing with those matters in  ways I wouldn't have thought off. Funnily enough, I've also married an Indian woman so get to first hand see how Jehovah is moving matters there too. No, I don't know how he'll handle completing the ministry, but I do know it will be fascinating to see.