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Eritrea: key facts and figures
Eritrea has 3.5 million people, 3 official languages, the Eritrean Nakfa and 17 public holidays a year. It ranks 190th of 193 countries for e-government index.
3.5 millionpeople
ERNcurrency
Tigrinyaofficial language
+291calling code
Rightdriving side
Every figure shows how Eritrea differs
Population and Demographics
how many people live there, and how that is changing
3.5 millionPopulation
- Annual change+1.88%
- Fertility rate3.7 per woman#35
- Aged 65 and over4.2%#140
Human Development
health, schooling and income combined into one index
0.503Human Development Index
- Life expectancy68.6 years#137
- Mean schooling5.1 years#167
Currency
what money is used and its official code
Eritrean NakfaCurrency
- ISO 4217 codeERN
- SymbolERN
- CapitalAsmara
Languages
which languages hold official status
Tigrinya, Arabic, EnglishOfficial languages
- Text directionMixed
Practical Country Info
plugs, voltage, driving side and dialling
Type C, Type E, Type LPlug types
- Mains voltage230 V
- Driving sideRight
- Calling code+291
- Time zoneAfrica/Asmara
Public Holidays
official days off through the year
17Public holidays in 2026
- Jan 1New Year's Day
- Jan 7Orthodox Christmas
- Jan 19Timket
Digital Adoption
how many people are online and how digital the state is
14.3%Internet use
- E-government index0.158#190
- Global rank#190
- E-government groupLow
Geography and Environment
terrain, climate and physical setting
Coastal countryPhysical setting
- Highest pointCentral Highlands and eastern escarpment
- ClimateVaries from arid coastal and western lowland conditions to cooler, more moderate highland climates.
Education
how the school system is structured
6Primary entry age
- Primary cycle5 years
- Lower secondary3 years
- Upper secondary4 years
Economy
the size of the economy and how it is changing
ExploreFull economy profile
- Detailed informationAvailable on the full page
Nearby in the index
Other country profiles alongside Eritrea
About this profile
Every figure on this page is a summary of a fuller page, and each links to it. Sources, data years and methodology notes sit on those pages rather than here. Where a subject carries no published figure for Eritrea, it is left off this profile rather than shown as empty.