Urdu

General area where Urdu exists in large numbers

Urdu is the Lingua Franca of numerous regions and countries in South Asia. A lingua Franca is a trade language, language used in government, commerce, or a common language where many unique languages exist. In south Asia, the highest concentration of Urdu speakers are in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The region where Urdu is most prevalent is overwhelmingly Muslim or Hindu, so places where Urdu is spoken can be extremely hostile to Christianity. Despite this, there are pockets of Jesus followers all over the region. Many of these people come from a variety of ethnicities, but they share in common the Christian faith and the Urdu language. Additionally, many of the areas where pockets of Christians exist are extremely poor.