Asia is “the new hotbed of persecution of Christians,” a report has found, with one in three in the region - or nearly 140 million people - facing high levels of persecution.

The annual report of the Open Doors World Watch List, a global monitoring body, ranked North Korea the most anti-Christian country in the world for the 18th consecutive year.

The atheist dictatorship was followed by Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya and Pakistan.

India entered the top-10 for the first time in the report’s history after its researchers found “extreme” levels of Christian persecution under the Hindu-nationalist government.

The harshest criticism in the report released on Wednesday was reserved for China, which rose to 27th place from 43rd. The repression of Christianity, it said, was at its worst since the Cultural Revolution.