The number of Christians in Nepal has grown from zero in 1951 to an estimated 2.3 million, a report has found.

A census carried out more than half a century ago could not find a single Christian in the South Asian country which runs along the Himalayas.

But by 2011 official figures showed 3750,000 while a recent report by International Institute for Religious Freedom has led religious religious leaders to believe there could be as many as 2.3 million.

Eric Metaxas writes in the Christian Post that one reason for the growth is that Nepal’s law banning people from converting others is difficult to enforce.

”A larger part is that Christians have stepped into areas of need that neither the government nor the Hindu majority can or even will serve,” Eric adds.