Country Details
Eritrea
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
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People and Society
Detailed information and insights
Population
Total
6,416,435 (2025 est.)
Male
3,158,281
Female
3,258,154
Nationality
Noun
Eritrean(s)
Adjective
Eritrean
Ethnic groups
Tigrinya 50%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Afar 4%, Kunama 4%, Bilen 3%, Hedareb/Beja 2%, Nara 2%, Rashaida 1% (2021 est.)
Note
note: data represent Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups
Languages
Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages
Religions
Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim
Age structure
0-14 years
35.7% (male 1,138,382/female 1,123,925)
15-64 years
60.3% (male 1,882,547/female 1,944,266)
65 years and over
4% (2024 est.) (male 101,504/female 153,332)
Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio
64.2 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio
57.6 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio
6.6 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio
15.1 (2025 est.)
Median age
Total
21.7 years (2025 est.)
Male
20.8 years
Female
21.8 years
Population growth rate
1.16% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
25.92 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-7.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
Urban population
43.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization
3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.073 million ASMARA (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
At birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.66 male(s)/female
Total population
0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.3 years (2010 est.)
Note
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio
291 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
Total
39 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Male
46.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female
32.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
Total population
67.5 years (2024 est.)
Male
64.9 years
Female
70.2 years
Total fertility rate
3.35 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.65 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
4.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
2.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
Total
0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer
0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols
0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
Total
7.5% (2020 est.)
Male
14.7% (2020 est.)
Female
0.2% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
Total
8 years (2015 est.)
Male
9 years (2015 est.)
Female
7 years (2015 est.)