Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Eritrea
Eritrea: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 1.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Eritrea, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Eritrea recorded 1.9% for population growth in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 175.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Eritrea peaked at 5.7% in 1995 and was at its lowest, -6.5%, in 1992.
That places Eritrea 61st out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.6% | — |
| 1971 | 2.6% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 2.5% | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 2.4% | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 2.5% | +6.8% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | -12.8% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | -14.5% |
| 1985 | 2.0% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | +14.0% |
| 1988 | 2.6% | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | -4.1% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -8.4% |
| 1991 | -5.7% | -351.8% |
| 1992 | -6.5% | +13.5% |
| 1993 | 3.1% | -148.2% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 5.7% | +84.1% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | -12.1% |
| 1997 | 1.1% | -77.7% |
| 1998 | 1.3% | +18.1% |
| 1999 | 1.5% | +12.8% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +85.8% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +20.5% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | +20.1% |
| 2004 | 4.1% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | -41.6% |
| 2006 | 1.6% | -34.1% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | -7.5% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | +80.3% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | -21.7% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -28.9% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | -44.8% |
| 2015 | 0.3% | -50.4% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | +83.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +33.0% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +63.6% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +10.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | +13.4% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 1.8% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | +5.1% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 1.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.6%, 72% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 1.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 81% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Eritrea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -351.8% | 2.3% | -5.7% |
| 1993 | +148.2% | -6.5% | 3.1% |
| 2001 | +85.8% | 1.5% | 2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | -6.5% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.5% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 0.3% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
- 58 Tajikistan 1.9% compare
- 59 Comoros 1.9% compare
- 60 Ghana 1.9% compare
- 62 Papua New Guinea 1.8% compare
- 63 Zimbabwe 1.8% compare
- 64 New Zealand 1.8% compare
More population data for Eritrea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.3999 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2011 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,964 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.97 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.264 (2100)
- Population density 69.76 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 525,382 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Eritrea?
- Population growth in Eritrea was 1.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.7% in 1995.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.5% in 1992.
- How does Eritrea rank for population growth?
- Eritrea ranks 61st out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 175.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eritrea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release