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People group profile · PG047126

The Central Asmat of Indonesia

The Central Asmat of Indonesia, numbering about 7,900 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Indonesia.

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 Central Asmat.

Pray for the Central AsmatPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Central Asmat people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Central Asmat

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
7,900
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Central Asmat (cns)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
15% or Greater but Less than 20%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Papua province: Asmat regency; Sawa-Erma, Agats, Atsy, and Pantai Kasuari sub-districts, south coast from Owap river northwest to Farec river southwest, inland; Mappi regency, Edera and Nambai sub-districts in Digul river delta area

Where they live

Gospel status

The Central Asmat 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 Central Asmat

  • 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

Primary language

Central Asmat · Nuclear Trans New Guinea family

100% speak Central Asmat

Gospel resources in Central Asmat

  • Bible available, published 1985
  • 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 Central Asmat

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

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