Last year was the most violent for Christians in modern history, rising to “a level akin to ethnic cleansing,” according to a new report by Open Doors USA, a watchdog group that advocates for Christians. (CNN)

Numbers:

• Over 7,000 Christians killed for faith-related reasons. This is excluding North Korea, Syria and Iraq, where accurate records do not exist.
• Around 2,400 churches were attacked or damaged, which is over double the number for the previous year.
• North Korea is still the most difficult place in the world to be a Christian.
• Islamic State (IS) violence is radicalising Muslims and therefore increasing pressure on Christians in many countries.
• In six countries the level of persecution increased seriously (by 7 points or more): Eritrea, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Kuwait.

Find out the countries profiles here