Andhra Pradesh

In medieval times, the diamonds that came from the mines of Andhra Pradesh drew world acclaim. Today, the state is a major tourist center, with historical monuments and temples—and India's largest tiger reserve.

Geographically, Andhra Pradesh lies on the Bay of Bengal and forms the link between northern and southern India. The state has 374 miles of coastline, and its terrain ranges from the fertile plains along the coast to the mountains of the north. The seaport city of Vishakhapatnam is the most famous shipbuilding center in India.

The state has 80 million inhabitants—most of them Hindus—and 500 major ethnic groups. It derives its name from the "Andhras" people group, an Aryan race that migrated to the area centuries ago. From 1565 until it became a state in 1953, Andhra Pradesh was ruled by Muslim sultans.

Important industries include textiles, paper, fertilizers, tobacco and cement. Handloom saris, silver articles of fine filigree work, wooden toys and carpets also contribute to the economy. Agriculture accounts for around 50 percent of the state's income and sustains 70 percent of the people. Since fishing is widespread, a typical diet includes plenty of fish, along with vegetables and a flatbread called chapati.

Eighty-five percent of the people speak Telugu and around 8 percent speak Urdu. Small segments also use Hindi and Tamil. Thankfully, the Scriptures are available in all of these languages. Sixty-two percent of the population is literate.

In 1710, a Roman Catholic missionary established one of the first mission stations in the region and nearly 300 people came to faith. Various Protestant missions groups arrived some two hundred years later. Today, 30 major denominations are represented in the state. The Church at large, however, has struggled long and hard against nominalism.

Until recently, little effort has been made to evangelize the Muslim community (9%), especially in the capital city of Hyderabad, which is 40 percent Muslim. Of the 33 tribal groups in Andhra Pradesh, 16 have yet to be won to Christ.