Nations by Numbers

Sub-Saharan Africa

Eritrea in numbers

Eritrea is in Sub-Saharan Africa and is classed by the World Bank as low income. Its capital is Asmara. Its population was 3.61 million in 2025, ranking 131 of 217 countries. GDP per person was US$689 in 2011.

Population3.61 million2025
GDPUS$2.1 billion2011
GDP per personUS$6892011
Life expectancy68.92024
Area121,6302024
Urban share34.5%2025

People

Population

3.61 million
2025 · +61% since 2000 · Rank 131 of 217

Population growth (annual %)

2.00%
2025 · 1.54% in 2000 · Rank 50 of 217

Population density (people per km²)

29.3
2024 · +32% since 2000 · Rank 173 of 216

Urban population (% of total)

34.5%
2025 · 34.1% in 2000 · Rank 185 of 217

Population aged 0 to 14 (% of total)

37.6%
2025 · 45.2% in 2000 · Rank 38 of 217

Population aged 65 and over (% of total)

4.3%
2025 · 3.2% in 2000 · Rank 162 of 217

Fertility rate (births per woman)

3.68
2024 · -32% since 2000 · Rank 36 of 217

Health and living standards

Life expectancy at birth (years)

68.9
2024 · +22% since 2000 · Rank 162 of 217

Under-5 mortality (per 1,000 live births)

34.3
2024 · -60% since 2000 · Rank 54 of 196

Health spending per person (current US$)

US$28
2023 · +102% since 2000 · Rank 185 of 193

Access to electricity (% of population)

55.3%
2024 · 29.3% in 2000 · Rank 193 of 215

Internet users (% of population)

14.3%
2020 · 0.1% in 2000

Primary school enrolment (% gross)

89.7%
2022 · 95.3% in 2000 · Rank 165 of 190

Economy

GDP (current US$)

US$2.1 billion
2011 · +192% since 2000

GDP per person (current US$)

US$689
2011 · +119% since 2000

GDP per person, PPP (current international $)

Int$1,742
2011 · +12% since 2000

GDP growth (annual %)

8.68%
2011 · -3.14% in 2000

Unemployment (% of labour force, ILO estimate)

6.0%
2025 · 5.7% in 2000 · Rank 78 of 187

Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)

18.2%
2011 · 9.7% in 2000

Personal remittances received (% of GDP)

0.5%
2000

Land and environment

Land and water area (km²)

121,630
2024 · +3% since 2000 · Rank 99 of 216

Forest area (% of land area)

12.0%
2024 · 15.8% in 2000 · Rank 157 of 214

CO₂ emissions per person (tonnes)

0.22
2024 · -26% since 2000 · Rank 180 of 203

Elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa

AngolaBurundiBeninBurkina FasoBotswanaCentral African RepublicCote d'IvoireCameroonCongo, Dem. Rep.Congo, Rep.ComorosCabo Verde

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, updated 8 October 2026. Each figure is the latest year available for Eritrea. Rankings compare countries with data from the same or recent years.