Map of Eritrea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: After independence from Italian colonial control in 1941 and 10 years of British administrative control, the UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afwerki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been highly autocratic and repressive. His government has created a highly militarized society by pursuing an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service - divided between military and civilian service - of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. A subsequent 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) demarcation was rejected by Ethiopia. More than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate ended in 2018 after the newly elected Ethiopian prime minister accepted the EEBC’s 2007 ruling, and the two countries signed declarations of peace and friendship. Following the July 2018 peace agreement with Ethiopia, Eritrean leaders engaged in intensive diplomacy around the Horn of Africa, bolstering regional peace, security, and cooperation, as well as brokering rapprochements between governments and opposition groups. In November 2018, the UN Security Council lifted an arms embargo that had been imposed on Eritrea since 2009, after the UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group reported they had not found evidence of Eritrean support in recent years for Al-Shabaab. The country’s rapprochement with Ethiopia has led to a steady resumption of economic ties, with increased air transport, trade, tourism, and port activities, but the economy remains agriculture-dependent, and Eritrea is still one of Africa’s poorest nations. Despite the country's improved relations with its neighbors, ISAIAS has not let up on repression and conscription and militarization continue.


top of page


Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 117,600 km²
Land: 101,000 km²
Water: 16,600 km²
Rank: 101
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 1840 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 125 km; , Ethiopia 1033 km; , Sudan 682 km

Coastline: 2,234 km
Note: (mainland on Red Sea 1151 km islands in Red Sea 1083 km)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation
Mean elevation: 853 m
Lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m
Highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 75.1% (2011 est.)
Forest: 15.1% (2011 est.)
Other: 9.8% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 210 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarmsvolcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011

Geography
Note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993


top of page


Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 6,081,196 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 112
Growth rate: 0.93% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 114
Below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Eritrean(s)
Adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.)
Note:  data represent Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups

Languages: Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages

Religions: Sunni Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Demographic profile: Eritrea is a persistently poor country that has made progress in some socioeconomic categories but not in others. Education and human capital formation are national priorities for facilitating economic development and eradicating poverty. To this end, Eritrea has made great strides in improving adult literacy - doubling the literacy rate over the last 20 years - in large part because of its successful adult education programs. The overall literacy rate was estimated to be almost 74% in 2015; more work needs to be done to raise female literacy and school attendance among nomadic and rural communities. Subsistence farming fails to meet the needs of Eritrea’s growing population because of repeated droughts, dwindling arable land, overgrazing, soil erosion, and a shortage of farmers due to conscription and displacement. The government’s emphasis on spending on defense over agriculture and its lack of foreign exchange to import food also contribute to food insecurity.Eritrea has been a leading refugee source country since at least the 1960s, when its 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia began. Since gaining independence in 1993, Eritreans have continued migrating to Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Egypt, or Israel because of a lack of basic human rights or political freedom, educational and job opportunities, or to seek asylum because of militarization. Eritrea’s large diaspora has been a source of vital remittances, funding its war for independence and providing 30% of the country’s GDP annually since it became independent.In the last few years, Eritreans have increasingly been trafficked and held hostage by Bedouins in the Sinai Desert, where they are victims of organ harvesting, rape, extortion, and torture. Some Eritrean trafficking victims are kidnapped after being smuggled to Sudan or Ethiopia, while others are kidnapped from within or around refugee camps or crossing Eritrea’s borders. Eritreans composed approximately 90% of the conservatively estimated 25,000-30,000 victims of Sinai trafficking from 2009-2013, according to a 2013 consultancy firm report.

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.23% (male 1,169,456/female 1,155,460)
15-24 years: 20.56% (male 622,172/female 627,858)
25-54 years: 33.42% (male 997,693/female 1,034,550)
55-64 years: 3.8% (male 105,092/female 125,735)
65 years and over: 4% (male 99,231/female 143,949) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 83.9
Youth dependency ratio: 75.6
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.3
Potential support ratio: 12.1 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 20.3 years
Male: 19.7 years
Female: 20.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 192

Population growth rate: 0.93% (2020 est.)
Rank: 114

Birth rate: 27.9 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 38

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 130

Net migration rate: -11.6 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 219

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 41.3% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.86% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 963,000 ASMARA (capital) (2020)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 21.3 years (2010 est.)
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 43.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 50.3 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 36.1 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 30

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 66.2 years
Male: 63.6 years
Female: 68.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 188

Total fertility rate: 3.73 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 35

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 8.4% (2010)

Drinking water source
Urban: 26.8% of population
Rural: 46.7% of population
Total: 42.2% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 2.9% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.06 physicians/1000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density: 0.7 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 55.5% of population
Rural: 92.7% of population
Total: 84.3% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 55
People living with hivaids: 14,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 92
Deaths note: <500 (2019 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5% (2016)
Rank: 183

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 39.4% (2010)
Rank: 2

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 76.6%
Male: 84.4%
Female: 68.9% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 59 years
Male: 8 years
Female: 7 years (2015)

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: State of Eritrea
Conventional short form: Eritrea
Local long form: Hagere Ertra
Local short form: Ertra
Former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Etymology: the country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation Erythra Thalassa meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Asmara (Asmera)
Geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: the name means 'they [women] made them unite,' which according to Tigrinya oral tradition refers to the women of the four clans in the Asmara area who persuaded their menfolk to unite and defeat their common enemy; the name has also been translated as 'live in peace'

Administrative divisions: 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi K'eyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Dependent areas

Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1991)

Constitution
History: ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (not fully implemented)
Amendments: proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
Head of government: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993)
Cabinet: State Council appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the only election was held on 8 June 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next election postponed indefinitely)
Election results: ISAIAS Afwerki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS  Afwerki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) (150 seats; 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party and 75 directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the countrys legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia, and as of May 2019, there was no sitting legislative body
Election results: NA

Judicial branch
Highest courts: High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections)
Judge selection and term of office: High Court judges appointed by the president
Subordinate courts: regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afwerki] (the only party recognized by the government)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires BERHANE Gebrehiwet Solomon (since 15 March 2011)
In the us chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires Natalie E. BROWN (since September 2016)
From the us telephone: [291] (1) 120,004
From the us embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara
From the us FAX: [291] (1) 127,584

Flag description: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle; green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red signifies the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue symbolizes the bounty of the sea; the wreath-olive branch symbol is similar to that on the first flag of Eritrea from 1952; the shape of the red triangle broadly mimics the shape of the country
Note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu

National symbols: camel; national colors: green, red, blue

National anthem
Name: Ertra, Ertra, Ertra (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea)
Lyricsmusic: SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion
Note: adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 46

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 197

Gross national saving:
Rank: 174

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 80.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 6.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 10.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -22.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.7% (2017 est.)
Industry: 29.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 58.7% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (2017 est.)
Rank: 52

Labor force: 2.71 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 108
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry: 20% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 95

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 2.029 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 2.601 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -9.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 209

Taxes and other revenues: 34.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 64

Public debt:
Rank: 6

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 204

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:
Rank: 91

Exports:
Rank: 171
Partners: China 62%, South Korea 28.3% (2017)
Commodities: gold and other minerals, livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small industry manufactures

Imports:
Rank: 182
Commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Partners: UAE 14.5%, China 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 13.2%, Italy 12.9%, Turkey 5.6%, South Africa 4.6% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 171

Debt external:
Rank: 169

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access population without electricity: 3 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 47% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 95% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 13% (2019)
Production: 415.9 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 168
Consumption: 353.9 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 180
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 131
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 145
Installed generating capacity: 160,700 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 172
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 22
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 85
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 169
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 152

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 131
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 118
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 122
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 127

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 140
Products consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 183
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 151
Products imports: 3,897 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 179

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 127
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 142
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 99
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 121
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 131

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 597,100 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 182

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 116,882
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.94 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 137
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,226,660
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20.36 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 159

Telephone system

Broadcast media: government controls broadcast media with private ownership prohibited; 1 state-owned TV station; state-owned radio operates 2 networks; purchases of satellite dishes and subscriptions to international broadcast media are permitted (2019)

Internet
Country code: .er
Users total: 78,215
Users percent of population: 1.31% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 183

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 600 (2017 est.)
Rank: 201


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces: Eritrean Defense Forces: Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2019)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 102,729 (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: E3 (2016)

Airports: 13 (2020)
Rank: 152
With paved runways total: 4 (2019)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 9 (2013)
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 306 km (2018)
Narrow gauge: 306 km
Note: 0.950-m gauge (2018)
Rank: 121

Roadways
Total: 16,000 km (2018)
Paved: 1600 km (2000)
Unpaved: 14,400 km (2000)
Rank: 122

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 9
By type: general cargo 4, oil tanker 1, other 4 (2019)
Rank: 156

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Assab, Massawa


top of page


Disputes international: Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs