People group profile · PG000451
The Northern Saami of Norway
The Northern Saami of Norway, numbering about 44,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous Sámi people of northern Norway whose homeland lies within Sápmi across the Nordic north, forming the largest Sámi ethnolinguistic community and maintaining Northern Sámi cultural traditions and language.
They are an indigenous people in the Finno-Ugric, Saami people cluster of the Eurasian Peoples. Their primary religion is Unaffiliated, and they primarily speak Northern Sami.
Fast facts
- Country
- Norway
- Population
- 44,500
- Affinity group
- European Peoples
- People cluster
- Finno-Ugric, Saami
- Primary language
- Northern Sami (sme)
- Primary religion
- Unaffiliated
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Northern Europe, Europe
- Location
- Finnmark, Troms counties; Nordland county: Ofoten
Where they live
Gospel status
The Northern Saami are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Northern Saami
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
60% adherents
Primary language
Northern Sami · Uralic family
45% speak Northern Sami
Gospel resources in Northern Sami
- Bible available, published 2019
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Northern Saami
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Saami, Northern in other countries
The same people (ROP3 107458) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Saami | Sweden | 6,100 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Northern Saami | Finland | 1,800 | No Longer Unreached |
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