1987
Four New Areas to be Organized in August
July 1987


“Four New Areas to be Organized in August,” Ensign, July 1987, 74

Four New Areas to be Organized in August

Four new administrative areas of the Church will be organized effective August 15, according to the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve.

Appointments of Area Presidencies, who will regulate Church affairs in the geographic areas worldwide, will be announced later.

The new areas will be created by divisions of four of the existing thirteen areas.

The Philippines/Micronesia Area, to include thirty-two stakes, twenty-two districts, and six missions in the Philippines, Micronesia, and Guam, will be formed from the present Asia Area.

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Map of the Asia Area

Remaining in the Asia Area will be forty-four stakes, twenty-six districts, and nineteen missions in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The new British Isles/Africa Area will include forty-four stakes, fifteen districts, and fourteen missions in the British Isles and Africa.

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Map of the Europe Area

The Europe Area will include thirty-eight stakes, fifty-two districts, and twenty-two missions in Continental Europe, Iceland, and several islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

A new Brazil Area will be created, with fifty-two stakes, fifteen districts, and nine missions. The countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, with their fifty-two stakes, fifty-two districts, and eleven missions, will remain in the South America North Area.

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Map of the North America Central Area

In North America, the North America Central Area will be formed by a division of two areas: North America Northwest and North America Northeast.

The new North America Central Area will include eighty-nine stakes, sixteen districts, and thirteen missions in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and western Ontario, all of the U.S. states of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and parts of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, and Wyoming.

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Map of the North America Northwest Area

The North America Northwest Area will encompass 170 stakes, six districts, and six missions in British Columbia and the Yukon in Canada, all of the U.S. states of Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, and parts of California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Utah.

The North America Northeast Area will administer Church affairs in ninety-seven stakes, nine districts, and twenty-one missions in Labrador, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, eastern Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec in Canada; all of the U.S. states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia; parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, and Virginia; and the District of Columbia.

Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy are assigned on a rotation basis to serve in Area Presidencies, one as Area President and two as his counselors. Those who serve in areas outside of North America reside in those areas.

After August 15, there will be nine areas outside of North America, including Asia, Philippines/Micronesia, Europe, British Isles/Africa, Pacific, Mexico/Central America, Brazil, South America North, and South America South.

There will be eight areas in North America: North America Northeast, North America Northwest, North America Central, North America Southeast, North America Southwest, North America West, Utah North, and Utah South.

Church membership has grown to more than 6.2 million, with wards and branches organized in ninety-eight sovereign countries and twenty-four territories, colonies, and possessions. Forty new stakes and 379 wards and branches were created during 1986.