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People group profile · PG019308

The Bao of Papua New Guinea

The Bao of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 4,400 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 Aighon.

Pray for the BaoPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Papua New Guinea
Population
4,400
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Aighon (aix)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC ?
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Bao are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Bao

  • 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

40% adherents

Primary language

Aighon · Austronesian family

100% speak Aighon

Gospel resources in Aighon

  • Bible available, published 2024
  • 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 Bao

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

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