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People group profile · PG024028

The Uzbeks of Afghanistan

The Uzbeks of Afghanistan, numbering about 4,470,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Turkic ethnolinguistic people of Central Asia whose identity emerged through a long process of interaction and integration among Turkic, Iranian, and Mongol populations in the region.

They are an indigenous people in the Uzbek people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Southern Uzbek.

Pray for the UzbeksPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Uzbeks people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Uzbek

Fast facts

Country
Afghanistan
Population
4,470,000
Affinity group
Central Asian Peoples
People cluster
Uzbek
Primary language
Southern Uzbek (uzs)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
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
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Faryab, Ghor, Jawzjan, Kunduz, Samangan, and Takhar provinces; Aqcha, Maimana, Saripul, and Sheberghan towns

Where they live

Gospel status

The Uzbeks 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Uzbeks

  • 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

Sunni Islam · Islam

100% adherents

Primary language

Southern Uzbek · Turkic family

99% speak Southern Uzbek

Gospel resources in Southern Uzbek

  • Bible available, published 2006
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Uzbeks

  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.

Download a prayer guide

Uzbek, Southern (Afghan Uzbek) in other countries

The same people (ROP3 110472) is reported in 3 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
UzbeksPakistan991,000Engaged yet Unreached
UzbeksTurkiye623,000Engaged yet Unreached
UzbeksUnited States27,000Engaged yet Unreached

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