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Purpose of the Church Guided Research Project

Instructions and resources for completing the country project for Introduction to the Purpose of the Church.

What Missionaries Need to Know

Before packing your bags and moving to a country to partner with what God’s doing, it is important to gain some basic information about the country, the people who live there, the government, and the quality of life or standard of living in the country.

For each of the following sections, a variety of statistical categories are listed.  Find 36 (about half) of the following statistical categories using the information resources listed under Suggested Resources or other resources of your choice and present the information in the charts linked below.  The same information for the United States is included for comparison purposes. 

Print out a current political map and flag for your country, preferably in color.  This is a required item and does not count as one of the 36 required statistical items. 

Locate the following information concerning the geography of your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Land Area
  • Types of Terrain
  • Climate
  • Comparative Area (size)
  • Coastline (length in kilometers or miles)
  • Average Rainfall
  • Average summer temperature
  • Average winter temperature

Locate the following demographic information concerning the people who live in your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Total Population
  • % of Urban population
  • % of Rural Population
  • % of Ethnic population groups
  • Major Cities & Populations
  • % of Population ages 0-14
  • % of Population Ages 15-64
  • % of Population ages 64+
  • Annual Population Growth Rate
  • Population Density

Locate the following demographic information concerning the government of your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Type of Government
  • Official Name of Country
  • Capital City
  • Name of the Leader
  • Bordering Countries
  • Relations with Bordering Countries
  • Relations with U.S.
  • Suffrage (Voting Age)
  • Major Political Parties
  • Number of Administrative Divisions (ex. States)
  • Government Attitude toward Christians or Missionaries

Locate the following statistical information concerning the economy your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Income (GNP) per Capita
  • Currency
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Currency Exchange Rate
  • Inflation Rate
  • Labor Force Size
  • Natural Resources
  • Major Industries
  • Agricultural Products
  • % of Land in Agriculture
  • Exports ($ figure)
  • Major Exports
  • Imports ($ figure)
  • Major Imports
  • Major Trading Partners
  

Locate the following statistical information concerning health in your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Birth Rate
  • Death Rate
  • Maternal Morality Rate
  • Infant Mortality Rate
  • Life Expectancy for Male and Female
  • Physicians per Capita
  • Total Access to Safe Water
  • Hospital Beds per Capita
  • Dentists per Capita
  • Nurses per Capita
  • Total Fertility Rate
  • Abortion per Live Birth
  • % of People Affected with AIDS
  • AIDS Death Rate
  • Major Diseases/Causes of Death
  • Access to Adequate Sanitation for Rural and Urban Populations

Locate the following statistical information concerning education in your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Literacy Rate (Total, Male, Female)
  • Official Languages
  • Languages Spoken by % of Population
  • Ages of Compulsory Education

Locate the following statistical information concerning transportation and communication in your country and record it in the demographic chart:

  • Automobiles per Capita
  • Highways (Length in Kilometers or Miles): Paved and Unpaved
  • Televisions per Capita
  • Telephones per Capita
  • Radios per Capita
  • Computers per Capita

Suggested Resources