Guinea-Bissau

   Although Portugal ruled the region for several hundred years, islam predominates. in addition, traditional African religions have remained strong, especially among the peoples of the southeastern part of the country. As the 21st century begins, traditional religions claim 45 percent of the population, Islam 40 percent, and Roman Catholics around 12 percent.

   Protestantism came in 1939, when the World Evangelism Crusade (now WEC international) established a mission. The resultant Evangelical Church of Guinea has built a significant ministry, which includes a number of medical programs. Entering the country in the 1970s, the New Apostolic Church of Germany emerged in the 1990s as the largest non-Catholic Christian body in the land, with more than 25,000 members.

   See also French West Africa.

   Further reading:

   ■ David Barrett, The Encyclopedia of World Christianity, 2nd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001)

   ■ Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, Operation World, 21st Century Edition (Carlisle, Cumbria, U.K.: Paternoster, 2001)

   ■ H. Willis, The Light Shines in the Darkness: The Story of the Evangelical Church of Guinea-Bissau, 1940-1974 (Balstrade, U.K.: WEC, 1996).