🇪🇷 Eritrea Population 2026
As of 2026, the population of Eritrea is 3,682,669, ranking #132 in the world (0.04% of the global population), based on UN World Population Prospects 2024. The population is growing at 2.07% per year. The biggest city is Asmara with 563,930 inhabitants.
Live estimate
3,684,479
Growth rate
2.07%
Density
30
people / km² (79 / mi²)
Median age
19.5
Fertility rate
3.55
births per woman
Life expectancy
69.4
years
Eritrea population 1950–2100
By 2050, the population of Eritrea is projected to reach 5,696,062, and 8,444,382 by 2100.
Eritrea population by year
| Year | Population | Growth | Density /km² | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3,682,669 | 2.07% | 30.4 | 19.5 |
| 2025 | 3,607,003 | 2.08% | 29.8 | 19.2 |
| 2024 | 3,535,603 | 1.91% | 29.2 | 18.9 |
| 2023 | 3,470,390 | 1.81% | 28.6 | 18.7 |
| 2022 | 3,409,447 | 1.73% | 28.1 | 18.4 |
| 2021 | 3,350,183 | 1.77% | 27.7 | 18.2 |
| 2020 | 3,291,270 | 1.77% | 27.2 | 18.0 |
| 2019 | 3,240,194 | 1.35% | 26.7 | 17.8 |
| 2018 | 3,192,760 | 1.60% | 26.4 | 17.6 |
| 2017 | 3,150,347 | 1.07% | 26.0 | 17.5 |
| 2016 | 3,124,698 | 0.56% | 25.8 | 17.4 |
| 2015 | 3,105,546 | 0.67% | 25.6 | 17.3 |
| 2014 | 3,095,173 | 0.00% | 25.5 | 17.3 |
| 2013 | 3,074,360 | 1.35% | 25.4 | 17.4 |
| 2012 | 3,036,988 | 1.09% | 25.1 | 17.3 |
| 2011 | 2,998,485 | 1.46% | 24.8 | 17.4 |
| 2010 | 2,945,186 | 2.13% | 24.3 | 17.3 |
| 2009 | 2,887,885 | 1.80% | 23.8 | 17.3 |
| 2008 | 2,816,327 | 3.24% | 23.2 | 17.2 |
| 2007 | 2,743,222 | 2.00% | 22.6 | 17.0 |
| 2006 | 2,703,502 | 0.91% | 22.3 | 17.1 |
| 2005 | 2,661,214 | 2.26% | 22.0 | 17.2 |
| 2004 | 2,598,284 | 2.53% | 21.4 | 17.1 |
| 2003 | 2,493,903 | 5.74% | 20.6 | 16.8 |
| 2002 | 2,392,978 | 2.46% | 19.8 | 16.5 |
| 2001 | 2,312,078 | 4.45% | 19.1 | 16.3 |
| 2000 | 2,247,031 | 1.21% | 18.5 | 16.3 |
| 1999 | 2,212,780 | 1.87% | 18.3 | 16.5 |
| 1998 | 2,180,419 | 1.07% | 18.0 | 16.7 |
| 1997 | 2,152,134 | 1.54% | 17.8 | 17.0 |
| 1996 | 2,128,464 | 0.67% | 17.6 | 17.3 |
| 1995 | 2,025,267 | 9.50% | 16.7 | 17.0 |
| 1994 | 1,913,915 | 1.59% | 15.8 | 16.5 |
| 1993 | 1,856,006 | 4.60% | 15.3 | 16.5 |
| 1992 | 1,798,748 | 1.62% | 14.8 | 16.4 |
| 1991 | 1,919,571 | -14.13% | 15.8 | 16.5 |
| 1990 | 2,032,737 | 2.19% | 16.8 | 16.5 |
| 1989 | 1,987,017 | 2.36% | 16.4 | 16.6 |
| 1988 | 1,938,254 | 2.61% | 16.0 | 16.7 |
| 1987 | 1,888,669 | 2.57% | 15.6 | 16.8 |
| 1986 | 1,845,164 | 2.08% | 15.2 | 16.8 |
| 1985 | 1,807,816 | 2.01% | 14.9 | 16.7 |
| 1984 | 1,771,730 | 2.02% | 14.6 | 16.7 |
| 1983 | 1,736,160 | 2.03% | 14.3 | 16.6 |
| 1982 | 1,695,461 | 2.72% | 14.0 | 16.6 |
| 1981 | 1,649,939 | 2.72% | 13.6 | 16.6 |
| 1980 | 1,605,797 | 2.70% | 13.3 | 16.6 |
| 1979 | 1,563,332 | 2.66% | 12.9 | 16.7 |
| 1978 | 1,522,378 | 2.65% | 12.6 | 16.7 |
| 1977 | 1,482,565 | 2.65% | 12.2 | 16.8 |
| 1976 | 1,443,807 | 2.65% | 11.9 | 16.8 |
| 1975 | 1,408,210 | 2.34% | 11.6 | 16.9 |
| 1974 | 1,375,688 | 2.33% | 11.4 | 17.0 |
| 1973 | 1,342,669 | 2.53% | 11.1 | 17.1 |
| 1972 | 1,309,235 | 2.52% | 10.8 | 17.3 |
| 1971 | 1,276,154 | 2.60% | 10.5 | 17.4 |
| 1970 | 1,243,453 | 2.59% | 10.3 | 17.5 |
| 1969 | 1,212,005 | 2.54% | 10.0 | 17.7 |
| 1968 | 1,181,737 | 2.52% | 9.8 | 17.9 |
| 1967 | 1,152,339 | 2.52% | 9.5 | 17.9 |
| 1966 | 1,124,956 | 2.29% | 9.3 | 18.0 |
| 1965 | 1,098,335 | 2.50% | 9.1 | 18.0 |
| 1964 | 1,071,287 | 2.49% | 8.8 | 18.0 |
| 1963 | 1,045,092 | 2.46% | 8.6 | 17.9 |
| 1962 | 1,019,788 | 2.44% | 8.4 | 17.9 |
| 1961 | 995,573 | 2.37% | 8.2 | 17.8 |
| 1960 | 972,546 | 2.31% | 8.0 | 17.8 |
| 1959 | 950,564 | 2.26% | 7.8 | 17.7 |
| 1958 | 932,583 | 1.55% | 7.7 | 17.6 |
| 1957 | 918,798 | 1.43% | 7.6 | 17.4 |
| 1956 | 903,407 | 1.96% | 7.5 | 17.3 |
| 1955 | 886,237 | 1.88% | 7.3 | 17.2 |
| 1954 | 870,021 | 1.81% | 7.2 | 17.1 |
| 1953 | 854,702 | 1.74% | 7.1 | 17.0 |
| 1952 | 840,340 | 1.65% | 6.9 | 16.8 |
| 1951 | 827,026 | 1.54% | 6.8 | 16.7 |
| 1950 | 814,866 | 1.42% | 6.7 | 16.5 |
| Year | Population | Growth | Density /km² | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 3,760,374 | 2.11% | 31.0 | 19.8 |
| 2028 | 3,840,143 | 2.09% | 31.7 | 20.1 |
| 2029 | 3,920,472 | 2.05% | 32.4 | 20.3 |
| 2030 | 4,002,672 | 2.10% | 33.0 | 20.6 |
| 2031 | 4,085,046 | 1.98% | 33.7 | 20.8 |
| 2032 | 4,166,514 | 1.97% | 34.4 | 21.1 |
| 2033 | 4,249,506 | 1.97% | 35.1 | 21.3 |
| 2034 | 4,334,730 | 2.00% | 35.8 | 21.6 |
| 2035 | 4,420,922 | 1.94% | 36.5 | 21.8 |
| 2036 | 4,509,757 | 2.04% | 37.2 | 22.0 |
| 2037 | 4,601,934 | 2.01% | 38.0 | 22.3 |
| 2038 | 4,692,344 | 1.89% | 38.7 | 22.5 |
| 2039 | 4,780,475 | 1.84% | 39.5 | 22.7 |
| 2040 | 4,868,676 | 1.82% | 40.2 | 22.9 |
| 2041 | 4,954,488 | 1.68% | 40.9 | 23.1 |
| 2042 | 5,039,301 | 1.72% | 41.6 | 23.3 |
| 2043 | 5,124,265 | 1.63% | 42.3 | 23.5 |
| 2044 | 5,207,870 | 1.61% | 43.0 | 23.7 |
| 2045 | 5,292,768 | 1.62% | 43.7 | 23.9 |
| 2046 | 5,375,968 | 1.50% | 44.4 | 24.1 |
| 2047 | 5,456,501 | 1.48% | 45.0 | 24.3 |
| 2048 | 5,537,542 | 1.47% | 45.7 | 24.6 |
| 2049 | 5,617,356 | 1.39% | 46.4 | 24.8 |
| 2050 | 5,696,062 | 1.39% | 47.0 | 25.0 |
| 2051 | 5,775,739 | 1.39% | 47.7 | 25.3 |
| 2052 | 5,858,065 | 1.44% | 48.4 | 25.6 |
| 2053 | 5,941,185 | 1.38% | 49.0 | 25.8 |
| 2054 | 6,018,816 | 1.22% | 49.7 | 26.1 |
| 2055 | 6,095,239 | 1.30% | 50.3 | 26.4 |
| 2056 | 6,170,190 | 1.15% | 50.9 | 26.7 |
| 2057 | 6,243,952 | 1.23% | 51.5 | 26.9 |
| 2058 | 6,321,628 | 1.24% | 52.2 | 27.2 |
| 2059 | 6,399,810 | 1.22% | 52.8 | 27.5 |
| 2060 | 6,478,361 | 1.22% | 53.5 | 27.8 |
| 2061 | 6,556,896 | 1.19% | 54.1 | 28.1 |
| 2062 | 6,632,337 | 1.10% | 54.7 | 28.4 |
| 2063 | 6,709,275 | 1.21% | 55.4 | 28.7 |
| 2064 | 6,784,082 | 1.01% | 56.0 | 29.0 |
| 2065 | 6,852,234 | 0.99% | 56.6 | 29.3 |
| 2066 | 6,922,395 | 1.05% | 57.1 | 29.6 |
| 2067 | 6,992,724 | 0.97% | 57.7 | 29.9 |
| 2068 | 7,061,501 | 0.99% | 58.3 | 30.2 |
| 2069 | 7,129,182 | 0.92% | 58.8 | 30.5 |
| 2070 | 7,194,167 | 0.89% | 59.4 | 30.8 |
| 2071 | 7,257,209 | 0.85% | 59.9 | 31.1 |
| 2072 | 7,318,844 | 0.84% | 60.4 | 31.4 |
| 2073 | 7,381,154 | 0.85% | 60.9 | 31.6 |
| 2074 | 7,439,758 | 0.73% | 61.4 | 31.9 |
| 2075 | 7,497,515 | 0.82% | 61.9 | 32.2 |
| 2076 | 7,555,651 | 0.73% | 62.4 | 32.5 |
| 2077 | 7,610,587 | 0.72% | 62.8 | 32.7 |
| 2078 | 7,664,750 | 0.69% | 63.3 | 33.0 |
| 2079 | 7,716,193 | 0.64% | 63.7 | 33.3 |
| 2080 | 7,768,724 | 0.71% | 64.1 | 33.5 |
| 2081 | 7,816,263 | 0.51% | 64.5 | 33.8 |
| 2082 | 7,858,174 | 0.56% | 64.9 | 34.0 |
| 2083 | 7,901,725 | 0.54% | 65.2 | 34.3 |
| 2084 | 7,946,507 | 0.59% | 65.6 | 34.5 |
| 2085 | 7,992,740 | 0.57% | 66.0 | 34.7 |
| 2086 | 8,036,914 | 0.53% | 66.3 | 35.0 |
| 2087 | 8,076,333 | 0.45% | 66.7 | 35.2 |
| 2088 | 8,112,913 | 0.45% | 67.0 | 35.4 |
| 2089 | 8,148,192 | 0.41% | 67.3 | 35.7 |
| 2090 | 8,182,352 | 0.42% | 67.5 | 35.9 |
| 2091 | 8,214,604 | 0.36% | 67.8 | 36.1 |
| 2092 | 8,247,064 | 0.42% | 68.1 | 36.3 |
| 2093 | 8,277,312 | 0.31% | 68.3 | 36.6 |
| 2094 | 8,302,904 | 0.31% | 68.5 | 36.8 |
| 2095 | 8,328,759 | 0.31% | 68.8 | 37.0 |
| 2096 | 8,352,719 | 0.26% | 68.9 | 37.2 |
| 2097 | 8,374,835 | 0.27% | 69.1 | 37.5 |
| 2098 | 8,397,346 | 0.27% | 69.3 | 37.7 |
| 2099 | 8,420,966 | 0.29% | 69.5 | 37.9 |
| 2100 | 8,444,382 | 0.26% | 69.7 | 38.1 |
States & provinces of Eritrea by population
| # | State / province | Population | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maekel | 1,476,765 | 40.1% |
| 2 | Gash Barka | 786,964 | 21.4% |
| 3 | Anseba | 766,534 | 20.8% |
| 4 | Semenawi Keyih Bahri | 611,627 | 16.6% |
| 5 | Debub | 599,304 | 16.3% |
| 6 | Debubawi Keyih Bahri | 289,382 | 7.9% |
State populations: GeoNames (latest official figures, reference dates vary by country).
Biggest cities in Eritrea
FAQ
What is the population of Eritrea in 2026?
The population of Eritrea is 3,682,669 in 2026, according to UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant).
What is the biggest city in Eritrea?
Asmara is the biggest city in Eritrea with 563,930 inhabitants and it is also the capital.
Is the population of Eritrea growing or shrinking?
The population of Eritrea is growing at 2.07% per year.
Neighboring countries
Sources
- Country data: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Retrieved 2026-07-07.
- City and state data: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-07-07.
Explore more: countries by population · by density · by median age · world population