Map of Eritrea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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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
Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Country comparison total: 1,840 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Djibouti 125 km; Ethiopia 1,033 km; Sudan 682 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,840 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 125 km; Ethiopia 1,033 km; Sudan 682 km

Coastline: 2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 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
Highest point: Soira 3,018 m
Lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m
Mean elevation: 853 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 75.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 6.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 68.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 15.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 9.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 210 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 7.32 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms
Volcanism: 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


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Population
Distribution: density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south as shown in this population distribution map
Total: 6,343,956
Male: 3,122,433
Female: 3,221,523 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.12% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Eritrean(s)
Adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: Tigrinya 50%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Afar 4%, Kunama 4%, Bilen 3%, Hedareb/Beja 2%, Nara 2%, Rashaida 1% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups

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

Religions: Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.7% (male 1,138,382/female 1,123,925)
15-64 years: 60.3% (male 1,882,547/female 1,944,266)
65 years and over: 4% (2024 est.) (male 101,504/female 153,332)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 77.9
Youth dependency ratio: 70.8
Elderly dependency ratio: 7.1
Potential support ratio: 14 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 21.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 20.8 years
Female: 21.8 years

Population growth rate: 1.12% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 26.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 43.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.073 million ASMARA (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Paris Agreement

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 22.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.71 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 4.48 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 322 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 39.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 46.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 32.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 64.9 years
Female: 70.2 years

Total fertility rate: 3.43 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 73.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 46.7% of population
Unimproved total: 42.2% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved urban: 26.8% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 44.5% of population
Improved rural: 7.3% of population
Improved total: 15.7% of population
Unimproved urban: 55.5% of population
Unimproved rural: 92.7% of population
Unimproved total: 84.3% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 5% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 7.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 14.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 0.2% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 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: 8 years
Male: 8 years
Female: 7 years (2015)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 8.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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
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'eyyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash-Barka, Ma'ikel (Central), Semienawi K'eyyih 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 (never 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 24 May 1993)
Head of government: President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993)
Cabinet: State Council appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term), according to the constitution; the only election held was on 24 May 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next postponed indefinitely)
Election results: 1993: ISAIAS Afwerki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afwerki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5%
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

Legislative branch
Description: National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) (seats - NA; members to be directly elected to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: NA
Elections results: NA
Note: in 1997, after the new constitution was adopted, the government formed a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to form a National Assembly could be held; the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all National Assembly members 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; as of 2024, no sitting legislative body exists

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 (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), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires 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
In the us email address and website: embassyeritrea@embassyeritrea.org; [link]
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Leslie FRERIKSEN (since 18 July 2022)
From the us embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara
From the us mailing address: 7,170 Asmara Place, Washington DC 20,521-7,170
From the us telephone: [291] (1) 12-00-04
From the us fax: [291] (1) 12-75-84
From the us email address and website: consularasmara@state.gov; [link]

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)
Lyrics/music: SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion
Note: adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: largely agrarian economy with a significant mining sector; substantial fiscal surplus due to tight controls; high and vulnerable debts; increased Ethiopian trade and shared port usage decreasing prices; financial and economic data integrity challenges

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $9.702 billion (2017 est.); $8.953 billion (2016 est.); $8.791 billion (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (2017 est.); 1.9% (2016 est.); 2.6% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,600 (2017 est.); $1,500 (2016 est.); $1,500 (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

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, milk, barley, vegetables, root vegetables, cereals, pulses, millet, wheat, beef (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2014 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.8 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.87% (2023 est.); 5.94% (2022 est.); 6.34% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 10% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 8.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $633 million (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $549 million (2018 est.)

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

Public debt: 131.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9% (2017 est.); 9% (2016 est.)

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: -$137 million (2017 est.); -$105 million (2016 est.)

Exports: $624.3 million (2017 est.); $485.4 million (2016 est.)
Partners: China 52%, UAE 33%, South Korea 9%, Japan 2%, Madagascar 2% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: zinc ore, gold, copper ore, wheat, garments (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $1.127 billion (2017 est.); $1.048 billion (2016 est.)
Partners: China 34%, UAE 26%, Turkey 12%, US 7%, India 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: ships, sorghum, wheat, construction vehicles, other foods (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $191.694 million (2019 est.); $163.034 million (2018 est.); $143.412 million (2017 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $471.009 million (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 55.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 75.5%
Access electrification rural areas: 36%
Installed generating capacity: 219,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 337.42 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 50.261 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 4,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 671,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 2.53 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 66,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1.801 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 10% of GDP (2019 est.); 10.2% of GDP (2018 est.); 10.3% of GDP (2017 est.); 10.4% of GDP (2016 est.); 10.6% of GDP (2015 est.)

Military and security forces: Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF): Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force); People's Militia (aka People's Army or Hizbawi Serawit) (2023)
Note: police are responsible for maintaining internal security, but the government sometimes used the armed forces, reserves, demobilized soldiers, or civilian militia to meet domestic as well as external security requirements; the armed forces have authority to arrest and detain civilians

Military service age and obligation: Eritrea mandates military service for all citizens age 18-40; 18-month conscript service obligation, which includes 4-6 months of military training and 12 months of military or other national service (military service is most common); in practice, military and national service is often extended indefinitely; citizens up to the age of 55 eligible for recall during mobilization (2023)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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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

Airports: 10 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 16,000 km (2018)
Paved: 1,600 km (2000)
Unpaved: 14,400 km (2000)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs