Quick Data on Eritrea
Short Name | Eritrea |
Capital | Asmara |
Long Name | State of Eritrea |
Country Code | ER |
Continent | Africa |
Total Area | 117,600 sq km |
Population | 6,081,196 |
Language | Tigrinya, Arabic, English |
Nationality | Eritrean(s) |
Geography of Eritrea
As a country in Africa, with coordinates at 15 00 N, 39 00 E, Eritrea neighbors Djibouti 125 km, Ethiopia 1033 km, Sudan 682 km. The terrain in Eritrea is described as 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, with an average elevation point of 853 m. The climate of Eritrea: 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.
Surface Total | 117,600 sq km |
Land Surface | 101,000 sq km |
Water Surface | 16,600 sq km |
Land Boundaries | 1,840 km |
Neighbor Countries | Djibouti 125 km, Ethiopia 1033 km, Sudan 682 km |
Coastline | 2,234 km |
Lowest Elevation Point | near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m |
Highest Elevation Point | Soira 3,018 m |
Resources of Eritrea
The country enjoys many types of natural resources, with the main ones being gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish. The agricultural land occupies 75.10% of Eritrea, while the land covered with forests is estimated at 15.10%.
Percent of Total Land | Surface Sq km | Data | |
Agricultural Land | 75.10% | 75,851 sq km | 2011 est. |
Irrigated Land | 210 sq km | 2012 | |
Forest Land | 15.10% | 15,251 sq km | 2011 est. |
Other Land | 9.80% | 9,898 sq km | 2011 est. |
Population of Eritrea
The population of the country is estimated at 6,081,196 people, with the biggest urban area having 963,000 ASMARA (capital) (2020). Known as Eritrean(s), the people from Eritrea come from diversified ethnic groups such as Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.). The official language is Tigrinya, Arabic, English. Religions: Sunni Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant.
Population | 6,081,196 |
Nationality | Eritrean(s) |
Official Language | Tigrinya, Arabic, English |
Other Languages | Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages |
Birth Rate | 27.9 births / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Death Rate | 6.9 deaths / 1000 population (2020 est.) |
Urban Population | 41.30% of total population (2020) |
Physicians Density | 0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2016) |
Hospital Beds Density | 0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011) |
Governing Type of Eritrea
Eritrea is a presidential republic. The legal system makes use of mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law.
Governing Type | presidential republic |
Citizenship by Birth | no |
Citizenship by Descent | at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea |
Dual Citizenship | no |
Residency Requirement for Naturalization | 20 years |
Suffrage Vote | 18 years of age; universal |
Economy of Eritrea
From a population total of 6,081,196, the labor force is 2.71 million (2017 est.). The main products in agriculture are: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish. Among the main industries considerable for the economy are: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement. Its exports cover gold and other minerals, livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small industry manufactures. The main import products are: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods.
Exports | $624.3 million (2017 est.) |
Imports | $1.127 billion (2017 est.) |
Export Partners | China 62%, South Korea 28.3% (2017) |
Import Partners | UAE 14.5%, China 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 13.2%, Italy 12.9%, Turkey 5.6%, South Africa 4.6% (2017) |
GDP / Capita | $1,600 (2017 est.) |
Electricity Production | 415.9 million kWh (2016 est.) |
Electrification Rate | population without electricity: 3 million (2017) |
Internet Users | 69,095 |
Internet Penetration Rate | 1.20% (July 2016 est.) |
For latest imports and exports data we recommend checking the website for the National Bank of Eritrea, statistics sectio