Where Do Mennonites Live (Where Are Mennonites Located Throughout the World)?

I developed an interest in various denominations and churches in theology school. One of them was the Mennonite Church. Since I have a great intrigue in them, I like to impart the knowledge I know about Mennonites to my current theology class. Having lived with Mennonites as part of my studies for a few months when I was in school, I trust I know quite a bit about them. But unfortunately, my students don’t. In fact, in our most recent session, barely anyone knew just how global this particular reform movement is, and all I could get were misconceptions. As we discussed the Mennonite demographic, I asked them one question, and no one got it right: where do Mennonites live?

In this article, I take an in-depth look at how the Mennonite community is spread worldwide. Not only did I research the countries and regions with the most Mennonites, but the least populated ones too. Using credible statistics, you will know how many believers each continent and country has. This is a piece you definitely do not want to miss.

Where Did the Mennonites Originate From?

The initial Mennonites originated from Switzerland and Germany. Before Mennonites dispersed to various parts of the world, they were centralized in Western Europe, with the earliest churches being in areas such as Zurich. Due to persecution and hostile environments, they were forced to leave as martyrs and migrate to more accommodating places, such as North America and Russia, in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. By the 20th century, Mennonites had set up churches and missionary stations in places all around the world. Even though they are now distributed in many locations, the movement still maintains its traditions and culture. For example, the older generation still speaks a low German dialect known as Plattdeutsch. They also eat some traditional dishes and preserve their old dress codes.

What Nationality Are Most Mennonites?

According to figures from the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, most Mennonites today are American. With a population of over 530,000 believers as of 2015, the American Mennonite community is the largest of any country, with the majority of them residing in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, and Illinois. Some of the biggest Mennonite groups are in America. They are:

• The Mennonite Church of USA (114,000 members)
• Brethren in Christ (over 50,000 members)
• Church of God in Christ (16,000 members in over 230 churches)
• Conservative Mennonite Conference (over 10,000 members)
• Beachy Amish Mennonite (10,000 members in over 150 congregations)

The Mennonite Movement first got to America aboard the Concord in October 1683. The initial group of Mennonites from Germany reached Pennsylvania under the leadership of Mennonite Francis Daniel Pastorius as they sought religious freedom from the oppressive persecution they faced in Europe. At the time, the Anabaptist reform group was under heavy political and religious sanctions because of their pacifist views, which made them refuse to participate in violence, warfare, military activities, and political movements. Since America (and North America at large) was more accommodating, they set up Germantown (in modern-day Philadelphia), which became a safe haven for more immigrant Mennonites. This location was also more suited to the simple Mennonite lifestyle since Philadelphia at the time was more rural and into farming activities. By the time the American Revolution started in 1765, more than 100,000 German Mennonites were in America. Since then, their numbers have grown, and the rest is history.

After the United States, the countries with the most Mennonites are the Democratic Republic of Congo (over 230,000 members), Ethiopia (over 250,000 members), India (over 250,000 members), and Canada (over 140,000 members).

Where Are Most Mennonites Located Today?

As of 2022, most Mennonites are located in Africa. Despite the United States of America having the most Mennonite nationals, Africa is the continent with the greatest number of followers. According to the Mennonite World Conference, out of the church’s 2.13 million believers, 36.43% are located in the African continent, 30.50% in North America, 20.58% in Asia and Pacific, 2.98% in Europe, and the remaining 9.51% in Latin America and the Caribbean. In total, Africa is believed to have over 700,000 Mennonites as of 2015, with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia having the most worshipers.

Although data concerning the African Mennonite communities before 1948 is not well recorded, over the past 60 years, the continent has experienced a great surge in numbers. It is believed that the church’s missions started in Congo and Tanzania before spreading to other regions. Pioneer missionaries such as Aaron Janzen and his wife Ernestina first introduced the Anabaptist religion to the continent in the early 20^th century under Mennonite organizations known as Congo Inland Mission and the Defenseless Mennonite Church. Other key missionaries that brought the church to Africa are Lawrence B. and Rose Boehing Haigh of the Central Mennonite Conference and Alvin Stevenson. By the 1950s, Mennonites were well established in the continent and had blown up in many countries. Some of the largest Mennonite groups are found in Africa today. They include:

• Meserete Kristos Church in Ethiopia (120,600 members)
• Kanisa La Mennonite Church in Tanzania (50,000 members in over 200 congregations)
• Communauté Mennonite in Congo (87,000 members)

Which Region Has The Least Mennonites?

The Middle East region is known to have the least number of Mennonites. The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online attributes this to the strong Muslim presence in this area. Studies have shown that Christian missions have not been able to penetrate Middle Eastern countries because of strong resistance to not only the Mennonite Church but Christianity as a whole. As a result, there is insufficient data and information on the Mennonite community in the Middle East. Despite this, the church has impacted the region through relief and development work done by the Mennonite Central Committee concerning the Palestine refugee crisis and Israel.

Europe also has a relatively small Mennonite community. While the prior persecution founding Mennonites faced is a factor, leaders in the church also owe its dwindling congregation to secularization. According to research, older members of the movement still cherish traditional Mennonite heritage and culture, while the youth has abandoned it. Since no new Mennonites are joining, the church’s membership has dropped drastically in recent years, making it one of the regions with the least followers.

Where Are Mennonites Located Throughout the World?

With the Mennonite Church being a global Christian community, it has bases worldwide in over 85 countries across 6 continents. As of 2015, here is how Mennonites are spread out, according to Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online estimates:

Africa	736,801
Angola	33,606
Benin	56
Botswana	211
Burkina Faso	585
Burundi	894
Congo, Dem. Rep. of	235,852
Congo, Rep. of	622
Eritrea	400
Ethiopia	255,493
Ghana	5,213
Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)	1,100
Kenya	37,172
Malawi	5,744
Mozambique	7,843
Namibia	300
Nigeria	19,603
Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea Bissau	110
Somalia	N/A
South Africa	2,033
Tanzania	65,456
Togo	72
Uganda	380
Zambia	18,772
Zimbabwe	45,284

North America	682,559
United States	538,839
Canada	143, 720

Asia, Pacific, and Australia	431,313
Australia	334
Bangladesh	14
Cambodia	200
China/Hong Kong	217
China/Macau	30
India	256,611
Indonesia	111,372
Japan	2,802
Kazakhstan	300
Kyrgyzstan	200
Myanmar	1,993
Nepal	1,029
Philippines	1,381
Singapore	78
South Korea	102
Taiwan	1,782
Thailand	42,368
Vietnam	10,500

Europe	64,610
Albania	30
Austria	369
Belgium	35
France	2,078
Germany	47,202
Great Britain	326
Ireland	25
Italy	200
Lithuania	203
Luxembourg	N/A
Moldova	N/A
Netherlands	7,680
Poland	N/A
Portugal	170
Romania	67
Russia	3,000
Spain	376
Switzerland	2,350
Ukraine	499

Latin America and the Caribbean	199,912
Antigua and Barbados	N/A
Argentina	4,974
Bahamas	25
Belize	5,405
Bolivia	26,661
Brazil	14,748
Chile	1,452
Colombia	3,644
Costa Rica	3,869
Cuba	8,664
Dominican Republic	5,780
Ecuador	1,340
El Salvador	909
Grenada	8
Guatemala	9,496
Guyana	N/A
Haiti	5,566
Honduras	21,175
Jamaica	733
Mexico	33,881
Nicaragua	11,501
Panama	820
Paraguay	34,579
Peru	1,524
Puerto Rico	798
Trinidad and Tobago	300
Uruguay	1,464
Venezuela	596