Eritrea Population 2023 (Live)

Eritrea is a rapidly growing country with a population growth rate of 2.35% and an extremely high fertility rate of 4.13 births per woman as of 2019. Since 1960, the life expectancy has increased from 39 to 60 while child mortality rates have dropped significantly. This is helping Eritrea grow, although the country does face serious health problems and low living standards for many of its population.

Eritrea Population Projections

The significant growth rate of Eritrea is expected to slow down towards the worldwide average in 2050 at 1.57%, however, the population will still likely see significant increases over this period. Net migration is expected to remain consistent with more people leaving the country than coming into it each year, but the high birth rate will be the biggest contributor to this. Current projections believe that the population of Eritrea will be roughly 5,432,216 in 2020, 6,717,687 in 2030, 8,152,540 in 2040 and 9,606,664 by 2050.

Eritrea Area and Population Density

Located slightly above the horn of Africa, the country of Eritrea has a population of roughly 5.32 million as of 2019. The eastern coast of the country sits along the Red Sea, and the rest of Eritrea is bordered by Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. Eritrea covers 45,406 square miles (117,600 square kilometers) of land, making it the 105th largest country in the world. Its population density is just 117 people per square mile (45 people per square kilometer), which ranks 154th in the world in terms of population density.

Largest Cities in Eritrea

The relatively sparsely populated nation of Eritrea only has 22% of the population living in urban areas, meaning there are not many large cities. The only two cities with any significance are Asmara and Keren, with populations of 896,000 and 82,198 respectively. Asmara is the capital of Eritrea and sits 7,628 feet (2,325 meters) above sea level. It has been occupied since 800 BC and remains the country's center for the government as well as culture, economy, and education. Keren is much smaller, but it is known for the Tigu Egyptian fort, St Maryam Deari chapel, and cave dwellings from the sixth century Debre Sina monastery.

Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is located in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea is bordered by Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan with a long coastline along the Red Sea. The country includes many of the Hanish Islands and the Dahlak Archipelago.

Eritrea Demographics

Eritrea is an ethnically heterogeneous country with nine recognized ethnic groups. The Tigrinya people make up 55% of the population, followed by the Tigre people at 30%. Most of the remaining population belongs to Afroasiatic-speaking peoples, such as the Saho, Hedareb, Afar, Bilen, and Rashaida, who represent 2% of the population and live in the northern coastal region. Hadrami migrants have also settled in Eritrea in recent years. The Kunama and Nara are small ethnic minorities in the country.

There is also a small population of Italian Eritrean and Ethiopian Tigrayan people in the country, although neither is granted citizenship except through marriage.

Eritrea Religion, Economy and Politics

The religious communities within Eritrea are unique in that they are extremely evenly split. Roughly 2% of the population claim no religion, but the remaining 98% is split down the middle: 49% Christian and 49% Muslim, although the precise numbers are somewhat debated. Although there is no one official religion and Eritrea is officially a secular state, the state recognizes the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Eritrean Catholic Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Eritrea, and Sunni Islam. In practice, no other religions are officially allowed to register. Regardless of their faith, Eritreans peacefully coexist and no religion is known for being extreme.

The Eritrean economy has been flourishing in recent years and was the fastest growing economy in the world in 2011, but a lot of their success has been from worker remittances abroad. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the population, but only accounts for 12% of the national GDP. Some of the main agricultural exports include barley, beans, and dairy products. There are significant mineral deposits in Eritrea, most of which are unexplored. The country has huge potential for mining gold, marble and granite and mining companies have been gaining licenses in the area in recent years. Industry and manufacturing of goods like tobacco, leather, and metal products make up an additional 34% of the GDP.

Eritrea Population History

The land that is now Eritrea was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 1500s until 1890 when Italy claimed it as a colony. British forces occupied the area in 1941, and the UN voted for Eritrea to be made a federal component of Ethiopia in 1952, which Ethiopia annexed 10 years later, beginning Eritrea's struggle for independence. Decades of guerrilla finally led to a vote for Eritrean liberation in 1993. Between the years of 1998-2000, Eritrea fought with Ethiopia over borders which left 70,000 people dead combined from both countries. War with Ethiopia finally ended in 2018.