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Eritrea in figures

A profile of Eritrea from official statistics: 12 figures in 3 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Eritrea was 3.61 million in 2025, up 2% from 2024, and the 85th lowest of 215 countries.

Population3.61 million2025Up 2% from 2024The 85th lowest of 215 countries
Population growth rate1.77%2023Up 0.02 percentage points from 2022The 67th highest of 215 countries
Median age, July 1 estimate18.65 years2023, estimatedUp 0.25 years from 2022The 30th lowest of 236 countries
Population aged 65 and over4.2%2023Up less than 0.1 percentage points from 2022
Population density29.3 inhabitants per km²2024Up 1.9% from 2023
Net migration-15,2842023Compared with -17,134 in 2022
2M2.5M3M3.5M4M20012005200920132017202120252001: 2,312,079 persons2002: 2,392,978 persons2003: 2,493,903 persons2004: 2,598,284 persons2005: 2,661,215 persons2006: 2,703,502 persons2007: 2,743,222 persons2008: 2,816,327 persons2009: 2,887,885 persons2010: 2,945,186 persons2011: 2,998,485 persons2012: 3,036,988 persons2013: 3,074,360 persons2014: 3,095,173 persons2015: 3,105,546 persons2016: 3,124,698 persons2017: 3,150,347 persons2018: 3,192,760 persons2019: 3,240,194 persons2020: 3,291,271 persons2021: 3,350,183 persons2022: 3,409,447 persons2023: 3,470,390 persons2024: 3,535,603 persons2025: 3,607,003 persons
Population, 2001 to 2025. persons. Source: World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL).

Sources: World Bank, Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL); World Bank, Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW); United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded; World Bank, Population ages 65 and above, % of total population (SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS); World Bank, Population density, people per km² of land area (EN.POP.DNST); World Bank, Net migration (SM.POP.NETM). Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Eritrea was 5.98% in 2025, up 0.03 percentage points from 2024, and the 72nd highest of 181 countries.

Unemployment rate5.98%2025Up 0.03 percentage points from 2024The 72nd highest of 181 countries
Employment-population ratio, ages 15 and over73.7%2025Down less than 0.1 percentage points from 2024The 15th highest of 181 countries
Labor force participation rate, ages 15 and over78.3%2025Up less than 0.1 percentage points from 2024The 13th highest of 181 countries
5.65.866.26.46.620012005200920132017202120252001: 5.74 %2002: 5.79 %2003: 5.79 %2004: 5.7 %2005: 5.72 %2006: 5.71 %2007: 5.72 %2008: 5.68 %2009: 5.76 %2010: 5.85 %2011: 5.8 %2012: 5.69 %2013: 5.62 %2014: 5.64 %2015: 5.75 %2016: 5.77 %2017: 5.8 %2018: 5.76 %2019: 5.81 %2020: 6.38 %2021: 6.49 %2022: 6.03 %2023: 5.91 %2024: 5.95 %2025: 5.98 %
Unemployment rate, 2001 to 2025. %. Source: World Bank, Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS).

Sources: World Bank, Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS); World Bank, Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS); World Bank, Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). Labor market statistics and rankings

Health

Life expectancy in Eritrea was 68.62 years in 2023, up 0.83 years from 2022, and the 57th lowest of 215 countries.

Life expectancy at birth68.62 years2023Up 0.83 years from 2022The 57th lowest of 215 countries
Infant mortality rate24.7 per 1,000 live births2024Down 0.7 per 1,000 live births from 2023The 56th highest of 195 countries
Adult obesity rate, age-standardized4.3%2024Up 0.2 percentage points from 2023The 4th lowest of 199 countries
4045505560657019992003200720112015201920231999: 44.51 years2000: 56.29 years2001: 58.36 years2002: 58.94 years2003: 59.46 years2004: 60.06 years2005: 60.63 years2006: 61.46 years2007: 62 years2008: 62.42 years2009: 63.2 years2010: 63.67 years2011: 64.23 years2012: 64.7 years2013: 65.01 years2014: 65.52 years2015: 65.91 years2016: 66.24 years2017: 66.61 years2018: 66.98 years2019: 67.31 years2020: 66.98 years2021: 66.94 years2022: 67.79 years2023: 68.62 years
Life expectancy at birth, 1999 to 2023. years. Source: World Bank, Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN).

Sources: World Bank, Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN); World Bank, Mortality rate, infant, per 1,000 live births (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN); World Health Organization, Age-standardized prevalence of obesity among adults (18+ years), both sexes (NCD_BMI_30A). Health statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population, total (SP.POP.TOTL). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  2. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population growth, annual % (SP.POP.GROW). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.GROW. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  3. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Median age on 1 July, modelled estimates 1950 to 2023; projections excluded. Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-10. CC BY 3.0 IGO.
  4. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population ages 65 and above, % of total population (SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  5. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Population density, people per km² of land area (EN.POP.DNST). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  6. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Net migration (SM.POP.NETM). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SM.POP.NETM. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  7. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Unemployment, total, % of total labor force, modeled ILO estimate (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  8. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Employment to population ratio, 15+, total, %, modeled ILO estimate (SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  9. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Labor force participation rate, total, % of total population ages 15+, modeled ILO estimate (SL.TLF.CACT.ZS). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  10. World Bank, World Development Indicators. Life expectancy at birth, total, years (SP.DYN.LE00.IN). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Retrieved 2026-10-09. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  11. World Bank, World Development Indicators, modelled estimate. Mortality rate, infant, per 1,000 live births (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.IMRT.IN. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  12. World Health Organization, data.who.int. Age-standardized prevalence of obesity among adults (18+ years), both sexes (NCD_BMI_30A) [Indicator]. https://data.who.int/indicators/i/C6262EC/BEFA58B (Accessed on 2026-10-12). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. No changes made to source values. WHO does not endorse Invokely or this use of the data.

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