Population and Demographics of Eritrea
Population changed +1.88% in 2024 · median age 19 years
In Eritrea, the 2024 age structure includes 38.14% children and 4.20% older adults, while the working-age share is 57.66% and fertility is 3.7. Looking ahead, 5.7 million is projected for 2050 under the medium scenario, compared with 3.54 million in 2024.
Population Over Time in Eritrea
Since 2000, Eritrea's population has grown from 2.247M to 3.536M, a net shift of about 1.29 million. Looking ahead, the medium projection points to 5.696M in 2050, 61.1% higher than the 2024 level. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
Eritrea's demographic structure is very young when the 2024 population is divided into the three broad age groups. Children under 15 make up 38.14% of the population, compared with 4.20% aged 65 or older, and 57.66% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Eritrea a female share of 50.6% and a male share of 49.4%. Females exceed males by 1.2 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.6% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.4% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
In the latest harmonized estimates, Eritrea shows +1.88% population change and fertility of 3.7, with the youngest broad age group at 38.14% and the oldest at 4.20%.
Eritrea's longer population series shows +57.4% change across 2000 to 2024, and the 2050 medium path differs from 2024 by +61.1%; interpreting the components of that change requires evidence not supplied by the aggregate series.
2024 estimate for Eritrea. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Eritrea vs. World
Against the 2024 world benchmarks, Eritrea's annual population change was higher than the global pace, fertility was above the world level, and its population was younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | Eritrea | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.88% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.7 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 19 | 30.6 | 2024 |
This comparison avoids mixed-year arithmetic by keeping Eritrea and the world on the same 2024 harmonized demographic table.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 3,535,603 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +1.88%.
Broad age shares show 4.20% aged 65+ compared with 38.14% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 57.66%.
Females make up 50.6% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 49.4%.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 5.696M, a +61.1% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Eritrea?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Eritrea is 3,535,603 people.
Is the population of Eritrea growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Eritrea's population is growing, with annual change of +1.88%.
What percentage of the population of Eritrea is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 4.20% of Eritrea's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Eritrea in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Eritrea's 2050 population at 5,696,062.
What is the fertility rate in Eritrea?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Eritrea is 3.7 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.