Total population (thousands) in Eritrea
Eritrea: Total population (thousands) was 3,569 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3,569 thousands
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
131st
of 233 countries
All-time high
3,569 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
1,227 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Eritrea, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Eritrea recorded 3,569 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Eritrea peaked at 3,569 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1,227 thousands, in 1970.
Eritrea ranks 131st of 233 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1,227 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 1,260 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 1,293 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 1,326 thousands | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 1,360 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 1,392 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 1,425 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 1,463 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 1,502 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 1,543 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 1,584 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 1,627 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 1,672 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 1,719 thousands | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 1,754 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 1,790 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 1,826 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 1,864 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 1,913 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 1,964 thousands | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 2,010 thousands | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 2,055 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 1,784 thousands | -13.2% |
| 1993 | 1,813 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 1,899 thousands | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 1,929 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 2,121 thousands | +10.0% |
| 1997 | 2,136 thousands | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 2,169 thousands | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 2,192 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 2,233 thousands | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 2,261 thousands | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 2,364 thousands | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 2,422 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 2,565 thousands | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 2,631 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 2,691 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 2,716 thousands | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 2,771 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 2,862 thousands | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 2,914 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 2,977 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 3,020 thousands | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 3,054 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 3,095 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 3,095 thousands | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3,116 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 3,133 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 3,167 thousands | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 3,218 thousands | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 3,262 thousands | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 3,320 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 3,380 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 3,439 thousands | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 3,502 thousands | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 3,569 thousands | +1.9% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 3,569 thousands is below the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 15% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 3,569 thousands is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 24% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,379 thousands | 1,227 thousands | 1,543 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,771 thousands | 1,584 thousands | 1,964 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,011 thousands | 1,784 thousands | 2,192 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,552 thousands | 2,233 thousands | 2,862 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,079 thousands | 2,914 thousands | 3,218 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,412 thousands | 3,262 thousands | 3,569 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
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)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population density 69.76 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 525,382 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Eritrea?
- Total population in Eritrea was 3,569 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 3,569 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,227 thousands in 1970.
- How does Eritrea rank for total population?
- Eritrea ranks 131st out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eritrea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release