Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Area:
total:117,600 sq km
land:101,000 sq km
water:16,600 sq km
country comparison to the world:102
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total:1,840 km
border countries (3):Djibouti 125 km, Ethiopia 1033 km, Sudan 682 km
Coastline:
2,234 km(mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)
Maritime claims:
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
elevation extremes:-75 mlowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression
3018 highest point: Soira
Natural resources:
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Land use:
agricultural land:75.1%(2011 est.)
arable land:6.8%(2011 est.)/permanent crops:0%(2011 est.)/permanent pasture:68.3%(2011 est.)
forest:15.1%(2011 est.)
other:9.8%(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
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
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
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing
Environment - international agreements:
party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements
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
Population:
5,970,646(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:113
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:
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:39.53%(male 1,186,749 /female 1,173,530)
15-24 years:19.94%(male 592,365 /female 598,305)
25-54 years:32.88%(male 965,405 /female 997,771)
55-64 years:3.7%(male 96,967 /female 123,895)
65 years and over:3.95%(male 97,816 /female 137,843)(2018 est.)
population pyramid: This is the population pyramid for Eritrea. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:85(2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio:78.3(2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio:6.8(2015 est.)
potential support ratio:14.8(2015 est.)
Median age:
Population growth rate:
0.89%(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:123
Birth rate:
29.1 births/1,000 population(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:40
Death rate:
7.1 deaths/1,000 population(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:126
Net migration rate:
-13.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:215
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
Urbanization:
urban population:40.1% of total population(2018)
rate of urbanization:3.86% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
896,000 ASMARA (capital)(2018)
Sex ratio:
at birth:1.02 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
0-14 years:1.01 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
15-24 years:0.99 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
25-54 years:0.97 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
55-64 years:0.74 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
65 years and over:0.75 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
total population:0.97 male(s)/female(2017 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
21.3 years(2010 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate:
501 deaths/100,000 live births(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:20
Infant mortality rate:
total:44.4 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)
male:51.4 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)
female:37.3 deaths/1,000 live births(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:38
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:65.6 years(2018 est.)
male:63 years(2018 est.)
female:68.2 years(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:180
Total fertility rate:
3.9 children born/woman(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:37
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
Health expenditures:
3.3% of GDP(2014)
country comparison to the world:178
Hospital bed density:
0.7 beds/1,000 population(2011)
Drinking water source:
improved:urban:73.2% of population
rural:53.3% of population
total:57.8% of population
unimproved:urban:26.8% of population
rural:46.7% of population
total:42.2% of population(2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:urban:44.5% of population(2015 est.)
rural:7.3% of population(2015 est.)
total:15.7% of population(2015 est.)
unimproved:urban:55.5% of population(2015 est.)
rural:92.7% of population(2015 est.)
total:84.3% of population(2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6%(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:59
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
14,000(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:90
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:high(2016)
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever(2016)
vectorborne diseases:malaria and dengue fever(2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
5%(2016)
country comparison to the world:183
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
38.8%(2010)
country comparison to the world:1
Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write(2015 est.)
total population:73.8%(2015 est.)
male:82.4%(2015 est.)
female:65.5%(2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:5 years(2014)
male:6 years(2014)
female:5 years(2014)
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:
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)
Administrative divisions:
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)
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); note - drafting of a new constitution, which began in 2014, but interrupted by the war, is expected to resume in 2019(2018)
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(2018)
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
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
Executive branch:
chief of state:President ISAIAS Afworki (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 Afworki (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); the only election was held on 8 June 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next election postponed indefinitely)
election results:ISAIAS Afworki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki (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 country's 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
election results:NA
Political parties and leaders:
People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afworki] (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 d'Affaires BERHANE Gebrehiwet Solomon (since 15 March 2011)
chancery:1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:[1] (202) 319-1991
FAX:[1] (202) 319-1304
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natalie E. BROWN (since September 2016)
embassy:179 Ala Street, Asmara
mailing address:P.O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone:[291] (1) 120004
FAX:[291] (1) 127584
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 symbol(s):
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
Economy - overview:
Since formal independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced many economic problems, including lack of financial resources and chronic drought. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice. Like the economies of many African nations, a large share of the population - nearly 80% in Eritrea - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but the sector only produces a small share of the country's total output. Mining accounts for the lion's share of output.
The government has strictly controlled the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability; new regulations in 2013 aimed at relaxing currency controls have had little economic effect. Few large private enterprises exist in Eritrea and most operate in conjunction with government partners, including a number of large international mining ventures, which began production in 2013. In late 2015, the Government of Eritrea introduced a new currency, retaining the name nakfa, and restricted the amount of hard currency individuals could withdraw from banks per month. The changeover has resulted in exchange fluctuations and the scarcity of hard currency available in the market.
While reliable statistics on Eritrea are difficult to obtain, erratic rainfall and the large percentage of the labor force tied up in military service continue to interfere with agricultural production and economic development. Eritrea's harvests generally cannot meet the food needs of the country without supplemental grain purchases. Copper, potash, and gold production are likely to continue to drive limited economic growth and government revenue over the next few years, but military spending will continue to compete with development and investment plans.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$9.402 billion(2017 est.)
$8.953 billion(2016 est.)
$8.791 billion(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world:161
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.813 billion(2017 est.)(2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5%(2017 est.)
1.9%(2016 est.)
2.6%(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:49
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600(2017 est.)
$1,500(2016 est.)
$1,500(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world:217
Gross national saving:
5.5% of GDP(2017 est.)
6% of GDP(2016 est.)
6.8% of GDP(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: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.)
country comparison to the world:52
Labor force:
2.71 million(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:111
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:80%
industry:20%(2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.8%(2017 est.)
10%(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:87
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:NA
highest 10%:NA
Budget:
revenues:2.029 billion(2017 est.)
expenditures:2.601 billion(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
34.9% (of GDP)(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:64
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-9.8% (of GDP)(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:209
Public debt:
131.2% of GDP(2017 est.)
132.8% of GDP(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:6
Fiscal year:
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9%(2017 est.)
9%(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:201
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Stock of narrow money:
$3.084 billion(31 December 2017 est.)
$2.734 billion(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:121
Stock of broad money:
$3.084 billion(31 December 2017 est.)
$2.734 billion(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:127
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.787 billion(31 December 2017 est.)
$5.223 billion(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:127
Current account balance:
-$137 million(2017 est.)
-$105 million(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:90
Exports:
$624.3 million(2017 est.)
$485.4 million(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:172
Exports - partners:
China 62%, South Korea 28.3%(2017)
Exports - commodities:
gold and other minerals, livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small industry manufactures
Imports:
$1.127 billion(2017 est.)
$1.048 billion(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:180
Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - 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:
$236.7 million(31 December 2017 est.)
$218.4 million(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:171
Debt - external:
$792.7 million(31 December 2017 est.)
$875.6 million(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:170
Exchange rates:
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar -
15.38(2017 est.)
15.375(2016 est.)
15.375(2015 est.)
15.375(2014 est.)
15.375(2013 est.)
Electricity access:
population without electricity:4.3 million(2013)
electrification - total population:32%(2013)
electrification - urban areas:86%(2013)
electrification - rural areas:17%(2013)
Electricity - production:
415.9 million kWh(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:168
Electricity - consumption:
353.9 million kWh(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:180
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:131
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:145
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
160,700 kW(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:172
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
99% of total installed capacity(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:23
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:85
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:169
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
1% of total installed capacity(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:152
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:130
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:118
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:122
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world:127
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:140
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:183
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:151
Refined petroleum products - imports:
3,897 bbl/day(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:179
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:127
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:142
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:99
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:121
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m(1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:131
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
597,100 Mt(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:182
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:66,086(July 2016 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:1(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:152
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:506,000(July 2016 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:9(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:171
Telephone system:
general assessment:woefully inadequate service provided by state-owned telecom monopoly; most fixed-line telephones are in Asmara; cell phone use only slowly increasing throughout the country; no data service; only about 3% of households having computers with 2% internet; untapped market ripe for competition; government telco working on roll-out of 3G network(2016)
domestic:fixed-line subscribership is less than 1 per 100 person and mobile-cellular 9 per 100(2016)
international:country code - 291(2016)
Broadcast media:
Internet country code:
Internet users:
total:69,095(July 2016 est.)
percent of population:1.2%(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world:182
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:600(2017 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:less than 1(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world:195