People group profile · PG010136
The Lihir of Papua New Guinea
The Lihir of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 27,500 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 Protestantism, and they primarily speak Lihir.

Fast facts
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
- Population
- 27,500
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- New Guinea
- Primary language
- Lihir (lih)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 20% or Greater but Less than 30%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Region
- Melanesia, Oceania
Where they live
Gospel status
The Lihir 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 Lihir
- 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
Protestantism · Christianity
35% adherents
Primary language
Lihir · Austronesian family
100% speak Lihir
Gospel resources in Lihir
- Bible available, published 1927
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Lihir)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Lihir
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
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