Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Eritrea: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Ethiopia sets up Tigray caretaker government as ex-fighters seek return to civilian life • Oct. 16, 2026, 2:06 PM ET (AP)
Rubio urges restraint over Ethiopia-Eritrea tensions as rights group reports civilians killed • Oct. 15, 2026, 5:29 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As Ertra • Tigrinya • State of Eritrea
Head Of State And Government President: Isaias Afwerki
Capital Asmara
Population (2026 est.) 3,683,000
Form Of Government transitional regime2 with one interim legislative house ([transitional] National Assembly [1503])
Official Language none4
Official Religion none
Official Name State of Eritrea1
Total Area (Sq Km) 121,100
Total Area (Sq Mi) 46,757
Monetary Unit nakfa (Nfa)
Population Rank (2026) 132
Population Projection 2030 6,718,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi (2026) 78.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km (2026) 30.4
Urban-Rural Population Urban: (2024) 43.9% • Rural: (2024) 56.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth Male: (2021) 60.9 years • Female: (2021) 66.2 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000) (2011) 1,941
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$) (2011) 650
1The name in Tigrinya, the most widely spoken local language, is Hagere Iertra.2New constitution ratified in May 1997 was not yet implemented in May 2016. 3All seats indirectly elected; last elections were held in 1994; the National Assembly last met in 2002.4The de facto “working” languages of government are Tigrinya, English, and Arabic.

Photos

Eritrea
Map of Eritrea and surrounding region showing international boundaries in red, major cities including Asmara, Massawa, Keren, and Assab, and neighboring countries Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and coastal access to the Red Sea. Inset locator map highlights Eritrea's position in northeastern Africa.
Eritrea
Map highlighting Eritrea in northeastern Africa, showing its location along the Red Sea coast. Neighboring countries Ethiopia, Sudan, and Djibouti are labeled, as well as nearby regions including the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf of Aden. The capital city, Asmara, is marked within Eritrea.
Map of Eritrea and surrounding region, showing major physical features such as the Red Sea coastline, the Danakil region, the Kobar Sink, and the Dahlak Archipelago. Neighboring countries Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Saudi Arabia are outlined, with a small locator map in the lower left corner indicating Eritrea's position in Africa.
Asmara, Eritrea
Eritrea
National anthem of Eritrea
See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Related Topics and References

Topics
default image
Oreste Baratieri
Italian governor of Eritrea

Related Places

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.
Africa
continent
Map of East Africa showing political boundaries, major cities, and capitals, overlaid with shaded elevation zones. Higher elevations are concentrated in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, while lower elevations follow the coastal regions along the Indian Ocean and extend into Somalia and Mozambique. Major lakes such as Victoria, Tanganyika, and Rudolf are also marked.
Eastern Africa
region, Africa
Map of the Horn of Africa, highlighting the core countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti in solid light green, with Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda shown in striped light green to indicate broader definitions. Surrounding countries and bodies of water, including the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean, are also labeled. An inset globe marks the region's location in Africa.
Horn of Africa
region, eastern Africa
Asmara, Eritrea
Asmara
national capital, Eritrea
Massawa, Eritrea
Massawa
Eritrea
default image
Asseb
Eritrea
default image
Abyssinia
historical region, Africa
The Simen Mountains rise above the green Ethiopian Plateau, with dramatic peaks under a blue sky with scattered clouds in northwestern Ethiopia.
Ethiopian Plateau
region, eastern Africa
default image
Denakil Plain
region, Ethiopia-Eritrea
Tekezē River, Africa
Tekezē River
river, Africa
default image
Gash River
river, Africa
default image
Italian East Africa

Related Quizzes

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
The Country Quiz
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz
Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries & Their Features
Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant Lobelia in foreground. (Mt. Kenya; Mt. Kenya National Park; mountains; rugged mountain; African geography, African landscape, stratovolcano)
Africa’s Physical Features
Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz
Catedral at night on Plaza de Armas (also known as plaza mayor) Lima, Peru.
Capital Cities of the Countries of the Northern Hemisphere Quiz
7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia
Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz
Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)
Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz
10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres
You Name It!
Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.
Geography Fun Facts
Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery
Countries of the World
Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.
Which Country Is Larger? Quiz