Eritrea

AfricaCapital city: AsmaraCapital metro: AsmaraPresident: Isaias Afwerki
2026 population
3.6M
Rank #134 globally
Area
118k km² (45k sq mi)
Metros tracked
1
29% of population in metros
Composite score
0.6
Rank #200 globally
At a glance
Official languages
English, Arabic, Tigrinya
Currency
Nakfa (ERN)
Legislature
National Assembly
Demonym
Eritrean
Time zone
UTC+03:00
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+291
Internet TLD
.er
ISO 3166
ER
Established
1993
Highest point
Emba Soira (3,018 m (9,902 ft))
National anthem
Ertra, Ertra, Ertra

Facts via Wikidata.

Economy and developmentLow income
Human Dev. Index
#177 / 192
0.503
World Bank · 2023
GDP
#176 / 194
$2.1B
World Bank · 2011
GDP per capita
#186 / 194
$689
World Bank · 2011
GDP/capita (PPP)
#186 / 191
$1.7k
World Bank · 2011
GNI/capita (Atlas)
#186 / 193
$650
World Bank · 2011
Life expectancy
#140 / 195
68.9 yrs
World Bank · 2024
Median age
18.7 yrs
World Bank · 2023
Urban population
#164 / 195
35%
World Bank · 2025
Pop. growth
2.0%
World Bank · 2025
Pop. density
#153 / 194
29/km²
World Bank · 2023
Foreign-born
#179 / 194
0.4%
World Bank · 2024
Rule of law
#166 / 175
0.06
World Bank · 2025
Internet users
#189 / 194
14%
World Bank · 2020

Ranks are among sovereign countries with data; ★ marks a top-5% finish. Sources: World Bank Open Data and Our World in Data (UNDP, UN, V-Dem; CC BY 4.0). Each figure is the most recent year available.

Alliances & Organisations2 full memberships

Political & Economic

Regional

Full memberDashed border = Candidate / ApplicantItalic = Dialogue / Observer

Leadership History1 leaders · click to expand

Isaias Afwerki✦ Current

1993Present

President

Tenure: 33y 6m 2d
Power over timeThe Power Atlas →
Today
Minor#193 · 0.0%
3%5%8%10%2000
Power (headline share)Latent (material mass)Recognised (standing)
Eritrea · share of world power, 1991–2026

The powerline is the headline share of world power, running from the state’s first ranked year (benchmark estimates with wide error bars before 1816). Latent power is material mass a state could mobilise (population, manpower, heavy industry). Recognised power is what the system actually treats it as (military spending, productive economy, reach, and status such as a Security Council seat or nuclear arsenal). When latent runs above recognised, a power is rising or under-rated; when recognised runs higher, it is punching above its weight or coasting on prestige. Material sub-indices run 1816 through 2016.

Conflicts since 19452 interstate wars · click to expand
Combat deaths: 53,000–300,000
Zaire,Sudan,Chad,FAR,ALiR,Interahamwe,CNDD-FDD,UNITA,ADF,FLNC
Combat deaths: 235,000–250,000

Bold = principal belligerent. Source: Wikipedia, “List of interstate wars since 1945.”

National Teams

Eritrea on the international stage. Click a card for the full record.

Regions

6 entries listed under Eritrea. Click any to see its metros and footprint.

1 tracked metro
#1708Asmara★ Capital▲ Largest
0.6