Capital:
Asmara Total Area: 117,600 km² (45,406 mi²) (
100th)
Approximate population: 3,535,603 (
132th) - (2024 est.)
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Languages:
Tigrinya (official),
Arabic (official),
English (official),
Tigre,
Kunama,
Afar, other Cushitic languages
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 37%-52%,
Eritrean Orthodox 47%-63%.
Ethnic groups:
Tigrinya 50%,
Tigre 30%,
Saho 4%,
Afar 4%,
Kunama 4%,
Bilen 3%,
Beja 2%,
Nara 2%,
Rashaida 1% (2021 est.)
Currency:
Nakfa (
ERN)
Calling code: (
+291)
Organizations: United Nations
Border countries (3):
Djibouti 125 km (78 mi),
Ethiopia 1,033 km (642 mi),
Sudan 682 km (424 mi)
Coastline: 2,234 km (1,388 mi; 1,206 nmi) total
- mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km (715 mi, 621 nmi)
- islands in Red Sea 1,083 km (673 mi, 585 nmi)
Administrative divisions (6) regions (zobatat, singular - zoba):
Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash-Barka, Ma'ikel (Central), Semienawi K'eyyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)
Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly petroleum and natural gas, fish.
note1: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993.
note2: that the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia is disputed.