Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG009994

The Iteri of Papua New Guinea

The Iteri of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 1,300 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous ethnic group of Papua New Guinea.

They are an indigenous people in the New Guinea people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Iteri.

Pray for the IteriPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Iteri people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Iteri

Fast facts

Country
Papua New Guinea
Population
1,300
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Iteri (itr)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
10% or Greater but Less than 15%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Iteri are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Iteri

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Animism · Ethnoreligion

70% adherents

Primary language

Iteri · Left May family

65% speak Iteri

Gospel resources in Iteri

  • Bible available, published 2000
  • 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 Iteri

  1. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  2. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  3. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  4. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.