Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Eritrea
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Facts & Stats
Images
Eritrea Eritrea Eritrea Eritrea map of Ethiopia Eritrea: Ethnolinguistic composition Eritrea: Religious affiliation Asmara, Eritrea Eritrea: Urban-rural
For Students
Eritrea summary
Quizzes
Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz
Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
Read Next
Portrait of Gregor MacGregor (1786-1845), mezzotint by Samuel William Reynolds, after Simon Jacques Rochard, c. 1820-1835. (Poyais)
The Craziest Scam? Gregor MacGregor Creates His Own Country
Union Jack flag of Great Britain, united kingdom
What’s the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Flags of the countries of the world (flagpoles).
How Many Countries Are There in the World?
Map of Europe. Detail from the World Atlas.
What Is the Newest Country in the World?
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Discover
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.
10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci
airplane in flight (plane, aircraft, flying)
7 Puzzling Plane Disappearances
Camel at Khor Rori, Oman; mammal.
Do Camels Store Water in Their Humps?
Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time
Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021.
Holi: Festival of Colors
Moonrise over Tucson, Arizona
Why Doesn’t Arizona Observe Daylight Saving Time?
Florence, Italy Statue of David by Michelangelo
How a Rejected Block of Marble Became the World’s Most Famous Statue

Eritrea: Facts & Stats

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Eritrea
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Amnesty International Condemns Gov’t For Forced Repatriation Of Eritreans • Mar. 8, 2025, 3:30 AM ET (The Reporter)
Murder inquiry launched in Glasgow after death of boy, 15, found injured on street • Mar. 7, 2025, 2:58 AM ET (The Guardian)
Foreign Ministry Downplays Former President's Comments On Eritrea As ‘Personal’ • Mar. 1, 2025, 7:09 AM ET (The Reporter)
UNHRC renews call for end to human rights violations in Eritrea, demands withdrawal from Tigray • Feb. 28, 2025, 9:40 PM ET (The Reporter)
Eritrea dib ugu yeertay ciidamadii howlgabka noqday, xilli madaxwaynihii hore ee Itoobiya uu ka digay dagaal dhexmara Itoobiya iyo Eritrea • Feb. 22, 2025, 5:09 AM ET (BBC)

Facts

Also Known As Ertra • State of Eritrea • Tigrinya
Head Of State And Government President: Isaias Afwerki
Capital Asmara
Population (2025 est.) 6,416,000
Form Of Government transitional regime2 with one interim legislative house ([transitional] National Assembly [1503])
Official Language none4
Official Religion none
Official Name State of Eritrea1
Total Area (Sq Km) 121,100
Total Area (Sq Mi) 46,757
Monetary Unit nakfa (Nfa)
Population Rank (2023) 113
Population Projection 2030 6,718,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2025) 137.2
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2025) 53
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 43.9% • Rural: (2024) 56.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2022) 64.3 years • Female: (2022) 69.5 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate Male: (2018) 84% • Female: (2018) 69%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2011) 1,941
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2011) 610
1The name in Tigrinya, the most widely spoken local language, is Hagere Iertra.2New constitution ratified in May 1997 was not yet implemented in May 2016. 3All seats indirectly elected; last elections were held in 1994.4The de facto “working” languages of government are Tigrinya, English, and Arabic.

Photos

Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea
map of Ethiopia
Asmara, Eritrea
Eritrea
National anthem of Eritrea
See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Oreste Baratieri
Italian governor of Eritrea

Related Places

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.
Africa
continent
Elevation of eastern Africa
eastern Africa
region, Africa
Asmara, Eritrea
Asmara
national capital, Eritrea
peoples and language areas of the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
region, eastern Africa
Massawa, Eritrea
Massawa
Eritrea
Asseb
Eritrea
Denakil Plain
region, Ethiopia-Eritrea
Ethiopian Plateau
Ethiopian Plateau
region, eastern Africa
Gash River
river, Africa
Tekezē River, Africa
Tekezē River
river, Africa
Italian East Africa
Abyssinia
historical region, Africa

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant Lobelia in foreground. (Mt. Kenya; Mt. Kenya National Park; mountains; rugged mountain; African geography, African landscape, stratovolcano)
Africa’s Physical Features
Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries of the World
10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres
You Name It!
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz
Catedral at night on Plaza de Armas (also known as plaza mayor) Lima, Peru.
Capital Cities of the Countries of the Northern Hemisphere Quiz
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries & Their Features
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.
Geography Fun Facts
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz