Population in Eritrea
Eritrea: Population was 3.47 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.47 million people
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
132nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.47 million people
in 2023
All-time low
814,880 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Eritrea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Eritrea is 3.47 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Eritrea peaked at 3.47 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 814,880 people, in 1950.
Eritrea ranks 132nd of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 814,880 people | — |
| 1951 | 827,035 people | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 840,352 people | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 854,708 people | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 870,030 people | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 886,245 people | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 903,421 people | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 918,807 people | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 932,595 people | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 950,562 people | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 972,558 people | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 995,576 people | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 1.02 million people | +2.4% |
| 1963 | 1.05 million people | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 1.07 million people | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 1.10 million people | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 1.12 million people | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 1.15 million people | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 1.18 million people | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 1.21 million people | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 1.24 million people | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 1.28 million people | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 1.31 million people | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1.34 million people | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 1.38 million people | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.41 million people | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 1.44 million people | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 1.48 million people | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 1.52 million people | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 1.56 million people | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 1.61 million people | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 1.65 million people | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 1.70 million people | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 1.74 million people | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.77 million people | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 1.81 million people | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1.85 million people | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 1.89 million people | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 1.94 million people | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 1.99 million people | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 2.03 million people | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 1.92 million people | -5.6% |
| 1992 | 1.80 million people | -6.3% |
| 1993 | 1.86 million people | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.91 million people | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 2.03 million people | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 2.13 million people | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 2.15 million people | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 2.18 million people | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 2.21 million people | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 2.25 million people | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 2.31 million people | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 2.39 million people | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 2.49 million people | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 2.60 million people | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 2.66 million people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 2.70 million people | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 2.74 million people | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 2.82 million people | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 2.89 million people | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 2.95 million people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 3.00 million people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 3.04 million people | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 3.07 million people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 3.10 million people | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 3.11 million people | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 3.12 million people | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 3.15 million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 3.19 million people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 3.24 million people | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 3.29 million people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 3.35 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 3.41 million people | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 3.47 million people | +1.8% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 3.47 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.03 million people, 15% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 3.47 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 24% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 879,864 people | 814,880 people | 950,562 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.09 million people | 972,558 people | 1.21 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.40 million people | 1.24 million people | 1.56 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.79 million people | 1.61 million people | 1.99 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.02 million people | 1.80 million people | 2.21 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.59 million people | 2.25 million people | 2.89 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.10 million people | 2.95 million people | 3.24 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.38 million people | 3.29 million people | 3.47 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
More population data for Eritrea
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2011 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.278 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 525,382 people (2100)
- Population density 69.76 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4564 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.97 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Eritrea?
- Population in Eritrea was 3.47 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.47 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 814,880 people in 1950.
- How does Eritrea rank for population?
- Eritrea ranks 132nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eritrea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.