The Baháʼí Faith in Turkmenistan begins before Russian advances into the region when the area was under the influence of Persia. By 1887 a community of Baháʼí refugees from religious violence in Persia had made a religious center in Ashgabat. Shortly afterwards – by 1894 – Russia made Turkmenistan part of the Russian Empire. While the Baháʼí Faith spread across the Russian Empire and attracted the attention of scholars and artists, the Baháʼí community in Ashgabat built the first Baháʼí House of Worship, elected one of the first Baháʼí local administrative institutions and was a center of scholarship. During the Soviet period religious persecution made the Baháʼí community almost disappear – however, Baháʼís who moved into the regions in the 1950s did identify individuals still adhering to the religion. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Baháʼí communities and their administrative bodies started to develop across the nations of the former Soviet Union; In 1994 Turkmenistan elected its own National Spiritual Assembly however, laws passed in 1995 in Turkmenistan required 500 adult religious adherents in each locality for registration and no Baháʼí community in Turkmenistan could meet this requirement. As of 2007 the religion had still failed to reach the minimum number of adherents to register and individuals have had their homes raided for Baháʼí literature.
The Baháʼí Faith in Samoa and American Samoa begins with the then head of the religion, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, mentioning the islands in 1916. This inspired Baháʼís on their way to Australia in 1920 to stop in Samoa. Thirty four years later another Baháʼí from Australia pioneered to Samoa in 1954. With the first converts the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1961, and the Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly was first elected in 1970. Following the conversion of Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoa's then-head of state, the first Baháʼí House of Worship in the Pacific region was completed in 1984 and the Baháʼí community reached a population of over 3,000 by the year 2000.
The Baháʼí Faith in New Caledonia was first mentioned by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in 1916, though the first Baháʼí arrived in 1952 during a temporary visit because of restrictive policies on English-speaking visitors. In 1961 Jeannette Outhey was the first New Caledonian to join the religion. On the same year, Emma and Georges Wayenece were the first melanesian couple to accept the Faith of Baha'u'llah. With other converts and pioneers, they elected the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of Nouméa in 1962. The Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly of New Caledonia was elected in 1977. Multiplying its involvements through to today, the 2001 population was reported at 1,070. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 955 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Baháʼí Faith in Nepal begins after a Nepalese leader encountered the religion in his travels before World War II. Following World War II, the first known Baháʼí to enter Nepal was around 1952 by N. P. Sinha who moved to Birgunj and the first Nepalese Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly elected in 1959, and its National Assembly in 1972. For a period of time, between 1976 and 1981, all assemblies were dissolved due to legal restrictions. The 2001 census reported 1,211 Baháʼís, and since the 1990s the Baháʼí community of Nepal has been involved in a number of interfaith organizations including the Inter-religious Council of Nepal promoting peace in the country. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 4,300 Baháʼís in 2005.
In 1916-1917 a series of letters by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, asked the followers of the religion to take the religion to regions of Africa; these letters were compiled together in the book titled Tablets of the Divine Plan. In 1929 Shoghi Effendi, then Guardian of the religion, was the first Baháʼí to visit the area. In 1953 several Baháʼís settled in what was then South Rhodesia as pioneers. Along with indigenous conversions in 1955 the Baháʼís formed the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Harare. By the end of 1963 there were 9 assemblies and more smaller groups and isolated members of the religion. While still a colony of the United Kingdom, the Baháʼís nevertheless organized a separate National Spiritual Assembly in 1964. Though Rhodesia declared independence in 1965, succeeding political developments and wars changed the status of the country and the National Assembly was reformed and has continued since 1970 while Zimbabwe regained independence in 1980. By 2003, the 50th anniversary of the Baháʼís in Zimbabwe, a year of events across the country culminated with a conference of Baháʼís from all provinces of Zimbabwe and nine countries. There were 43 local spiritual assemblies in 2003.
The Baháʼí Faith in Dominica begins with a mention by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, in 1916 as Latin America being among the places Baháʼís should take the religion to. The island of Dominica was specifically listed as an objective for plans on spreading the religion in 1939 by Shoghi Effendi, who succeeded ʻAbdu'l-Baha as head of the religion. In 1983, William Nedden is credited with being the first pioneer to Dominica at the festivities associated with the inaugural election of the Dominican Baháʼís National Spiritual Assembly with Hand of the Cause, Dhikru'llah Khadem representing the Universal House of Justice. Later research records Ivor Ellard arrived two days before, April 17, 1966. The first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of Dominica was elected in 1976. Since then, Baháʼís have participated in several projects for the benefit of the wider community, and in 2001 various sources report between less than 1.4% and up to 1.7% of the island's approximately 70,000 citizens are Baháʼís.
The origins of the Baháʼí Faith in Bangladesh begin previous to its independence, when it was part of British Raj. The roots of the Baháʼí Faith in the region go back to the first days of the Bábí religion in 1844. During Baháʼu'lláh's lifetime, as founder of the religion, he encouraged some of his followers to move to India. It may have been Jamál Effendi who was first sent and stopped in Dhaka more than once. The first Baháʼís in the area that would later become Bangladesh was when a Bengali group from Chittagong accepted the religion while in Burma. By 1950 there were enough members of the religion to elect Local Spiritual Assemblies in Chittagong and Dacca. The total number of Baháʼís in Bangladesh is too small to have any major direct impact on society at large. However, the World Christian Encyclopedia estimated the Baháʼí population of Bangladesh about 9,603 in 2010. Baháʼís are widely persecuted in Bangladesh. According to The Business Standard the population is about 300,000.
The Baháʼí Faith originated in the 19th century Persian empire, and soon spread into the neighboring British India, which is now Pakistan and other states. The roots of the religion in Pakistan go back to the 1840s, and it was recognized in the constitution of 1981 as a religious minority with legal rights. According to various sources, there are 2,000 to 87,000 Baha'is living in Pakistan.
The Baháʼí Faith in Iceland began with Baháʼís first visiting the Iceland in the early 20th century, and the first Icelandic Baháʼí was Hólmfríður Árnadóttir. The Baháʼí Faith was recognized as a religious community in 1966 and the first Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1972. Currently there are around 400 Baháʼís in the country and 13 Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assemblies. The number of assemblies is the highest percentage, by population, in all of Europe.
The Baháʼí Faith in Costa Rica begins when ʻAbdu'l-Bahá mentions it as one of the places Baháʼís should take the religion to in 1919. However the first pioneers began to settle in Coast Rica in 1940 followed quickly by the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly being elected in San José in April 1941. The National Spiritual Assembly was first elected in 1961. As of 2009 Baháʼís sources indicate the national community includes various peoples and tribes and over 4,000 members organized groups in over 30 locations throughout the country. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 13000 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Baháʼí Faith in Senegal begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, mentioned Africa as a place the religion should be more broadly visited by Baháʼís. The first to set foot in the territory of French West Africa that would become Senegal arrived in 1953. The first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of Senegal was elected in 1966 in Dakar. In 1975 the Baháʼí community elected the first National Spiritual Assembly of Senegal. Baháʼís claimed there are 34 local assemblies in 2003. The most recent estimate, by the Association of Religion Data Archives in a 2005 report estimates the population of Senegalese Baháʼís at 24700.
The Baháʼí Faith in Angola begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916. The first Baháʼí pioneered to Angola about 1952. By 1963 there was a Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly in Luanda and smaller groups of Baháʼís in other cities. In 1992 the Baháʼís of Angola elected their first National Spiritual Assembly. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 2,000 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Baháʼí Faith in the Democratic Republic of the Congo begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916. The first Baháʼí to settle in the country came in 1953 from Uganda. The first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly of the country was elected in 1957. By 1963 there were 143 local assemblies in Congo. Even though the religion was temporarily banned, and the country torn by wars, the religion grew so that in 2003 there were some 541 assemblies. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 290,900 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Baháʼí Faith in Mozambique begins after the mention of Africa in Baháʼí literature when ʻAbdu'l-Bahá suggested it as a place to take the religion to in 1916. The first known Baháʼí to enter the region was in 1951–52 at Beira when a British pioneer came through on the way to what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. The Mozambique Baháʼí community participated in successive stages of regional organization across southern Africa from 1956 through the election of its first Mozambique Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly in 1957 and on to its own National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1985. Since 1984 the Baháʼís have begun to hold development projects. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated just over 2,800 Baháʼís in 2005.
The International Year of Peace was recognized in 1986 by the United Nations. It was first proposed during the UN conference of November 1981 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, with a date associated with the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the UN.
The Baháʼí Faith in Tanzania begins when the first pioneer, Claire Gung, arrived in 1950 in what was then called Tanganyika. With the first Tanganyikan to join the religion in 1952 the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1952 of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam. In 1956 a regional Baháʼí Assembly which included Tanganyika was elected. Later each of the constituent countries successively formed their own independent Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly and Tanganyika, with Zanzibar, formed its own in 1964 and it and the country was renamed Tanzania. Since 1986 the Baháʼís have operated the Ruaha Secondary School as a Baháʼí school. In 2005 Baháʼís were estimated at 163,800 adherents.
The Baháʼí Faith in Equatorial Guinea begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916. The first pioneer to Spanish Guinea was Elise Lynelle who arrived in Bata, Spanish Guinea, on 17 May 1954, and was recognized as a Knight of Baha'u'llah. In 1968 the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Equatorial Guinea was elected in Santa Isabel,. The community has elected a National Spiritual Assembly since 1984. The community celebrated its golden jubilee in 2004. The Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 3,500 Baháʼís in 2005.
The Baháʼí Faith in Papua New Guinea begins after 1916 with a mention by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, that Baháʼís should take the religion there. The first Baháʼís move there in Papua New Guinea arrived there in 1954. With local converts the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1958. The first National Spiritual Assembly was then elected in 1969. According to the census of 2000 showed that the number of Baháʼís does not exceed 21000. But the Association of Religion Data Archives estimated three times more Baháʼís at 200.000 or 6% of the nation were Baháʼís in 2015 Either way it is the largest minority religion in Papua New Guinea, if a small one.
The Baháʼí Faith in Botswana begins after ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then leader of the Baháʼí Faith, wrote letters encouraging taking the religion to Africa in 1916. The first Baháʼí pioneers arrived in Botswana about October 1954, where they befriended many Africans. The first election of Botswana's Baháʼí National Spiritual Assembly was in 1970. The 2001 national census counts approximately 700 Baháʼís. However, the Association of Religion Data Archives estimated some 16,500 Baháʼís in Botswana as of 2010.
