Country profile
Eritrea
State of Eritrea · Eastern Africa
👥 Population
3,607,003
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Asmara
🗺 Area
117,600 km²
💹 GDP (nominal)
$2.07B
World Bank · 2011
📈 HDI
0.503
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
31 /km²
💱 Currency
ERN
Eritrean nakfa
🗣 Languages
Arabic, English, Tigrinya
About Eritrea
Eritrea (officially State of Eritrea) is a country in Eastern Africa, with Asmara as its capital. It is home to roughly 3.61 million people, giving a population density of about 31 people per square kilometre. The country covers 117,600 km² of land and shares land borders with 3 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $2.07B in nominal GDP (2011), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.503. The official currency is the Eritrean nakfa (ERN), and the main languages are Arabic, English, Tigrinya.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$5.22B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$1,742
GDP growth
8.7%
Unemployment
6.0%
👥 People
Life expectancy
68.9 yrs
Fertility rate
3.68
Pop. growth
2.0%
Urban population
34.5%
Infant mortality /1k
24.7
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
14.3%
Literacy rate
64.7%
Physicians /1k
0.09
Renewable energy
80.7%
Travel & practical
Capital
Asmara
Currency
ERN
Dialing code
+291
Internet TLD
.er
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Fun facts about Eritrea
- Eritrea is the 129th most populous country in the world, with about 3.61 million people.
- By land area it is the 99th-largest country in the world, covering 117,600 km².
- It has the world's 174th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($2.07B).
- Eritrea shares land borders with 3 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of low human development, with an HDI of 0.503.
- Eritrea has a population density of about 31 people per square kilometre.
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Sudan
Tanzania
Kenya
Uganda
Mozambique
Madagascar
Malawi
Zambia
Somalia