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People group profile · PG050315

The Jola-Karon of The Gambia

The Jola-Karon of The Gambia, numbering about 104,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic group indigenous to the Senegambian region of West Africa.

They are a diaspora people in the Atlantic-Jola people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Karon.

Pray for the Jola-KaronPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Gambia
Population
104,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Atlantic-Jola
Primary language
Karon (krx)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Western Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Jola-Karon are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Jola-Karon

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Sunni Islam · Islam

84% adherents

Primary language

Karon · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Karon

Gospel resources in Karon

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

Films

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

Pray for the Jola-Karon

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

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