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

• density is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren;
• smaller settlements exist in the north and south, as shown in this population distribution map

noun:

Eritrean(s)

adjective:

Eritrean

total:

21.7 years (2025 est.)

male:

20.8 years

female:

21.8 years

• density is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren;
• smaller settlements exist in the north and south, as shown in this population distribution map

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.66 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

39 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

46.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

32.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

67.5 years (2024 est.)

male:

64.9 years

female:

70.2 years

total:

0.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

7.5% (2020 est.)

male:

14.7% (2020 est.)

female:

0.2% (2020 est.)

• deforestation;
• desertification;
• soil erosion;
• overgrazing

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Climate Change-Paris Agreement

• 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

urban population:

43.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

energy:

15.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

117.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

20.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

2.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

727,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

6.8% (2022 est.)

municipal:

31 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

550 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

State of Eritrea

conventional short form:

Eritrea

local long form:

Hagere Ertra

local short form:

Ertra

former:

Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

etymology:

the country name derives from the ancient Greek name Erythra Thalassa , meaning "Red Sea," the body of water that borders the country

name:

Asmara

geographic coordinates:

15 20 N, 38 56 E

time difference:

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

• the name's origin is unclear;
• according to Tigrinya oral tradition, the name is part of a phrase meaning "the women made them unite," referring to a group of women who made four clans unite to defeat a common enemy;
• asmara also means "flowery wood" in the Tigrinya language

history:

ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (never implemented)

amendment process:

• proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one half of the National Assembly membership;
• passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

20 years

highest court(s):

High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections)

judge selection and term of office:

High Court judges appointed by the president

subordinate courts:

• regional/zonal courts;
• community courts;
• special courts;
• sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family);
• military courts

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Berhane Gebrehiwet SOLOMON (since 15 March 2011)

chancery:

1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 319-1991

FAX:

[1] (202) 319-1304

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://us.embassyeritrea.org/

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Christine E. MEYER (since July 2025)

embassy:

179 Alaa Street, Asmara

mailing address:

7170 Asmara Place, Washington DC 20521-7170

telephone:

[291] (1) 12-00-04

FAX:

[291] (1) 12-75-84

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://er.usembassy.gov/

description:

• a red isosceles triangle (based on the left side) divides the flag into two right triangles;
• the upper triangle is green, the lower is blue;
• a gold wreath around a gold olive branch is on the left side of the red triangle

meaning:

• green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red for the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue for the sea's bounty;
• the shape of the red triangle mimics the country's shape

note: one of four national flags that reflect the country's shape in the flag design; the others are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu

• Eritrea adopted its coat of arms on May 24, 1993, when it won independence from Ethiopia;
• the camel was used to transport supplies and goods during the war, and it became a symbol of the country’s success;
• the olive wreath represents peace, reconciliation, and harmony;
• under the camel is name of the country in its three official languages:
  • Tigrinya,
  • English,
  • and Arabic

title:

"Ertra, Ertra, Ertra" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea)

lyrics/music:

SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion

history:

adopted 1993, after gaining independence from Ethiopia

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Asmara: A Modernist African City

• largely agrarian economy with a significant mining sector;
• substantial fiscal surplus due to tight controls;
• high and vulnerable debts;
• increased Ethiopian trade and shared port usage decreasing prices;
• financial and economic data integrity challenges

total:

9.4% (2024 est.)

male:

8.5% (2024 est.)

female:

10.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

• government controls broadcast media, with private ownership prohibited;
• 1 state-owned TV station;
• 2 state-owned radio networks;
• purchases of satellite dishes and subscriptions to international broadcast media are permitted (2023)

total:

6,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total:

306 km (2018)

narrow gauge:

306 km (2018) 0.950-m gauge

total ports:

2 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

2

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Assab, Mitsiwa Harbor

• Eritrea mandates military service for all citizens age 18-40;
• 18-month conscript service obligation, which reportedly includes 4-6 months of military training and 12 months of military or other national service (military service is most common);
• in practice, military and national service is often extended indefinitely;
• citizens up to the age of 59 eligible for recall during mobilization (2025)

tier rating:

• Tier 3 — Eritrea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore Eritrea remained on Tier 3;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/eritrea/