Welcome to Eritrea 🇪🇷 — a remarkable destination in Eastern Africa. Its official name is State of Eritrea, and today around 3.5 million people call this Africa nation home, spread across roughly 117,600 km² of territory.
Below is your complete country profile for Eritrea: key statistics, an introduction to Asmara, an interactive map, cultural notes and answers to the questions people most often ask about this corner of Africa.
Geography of Eritrea
Eritrea lies in Eastern Africa, in the Africa region of the world. Measuring roughly 117,600 square kilometres, it ranks 102nd in the world by total area.
Eritrea has a coastline as well as land borders with Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sudan — a crossroads position that has influenced its culture and economy for centuries.
Asmara serves as the capital — the centre of government and, for most travellers, the gateway to everything else Eritrea has to offer.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, language and culture
Eritrea is home to approximately 3.5 million residents — the 132nd largest population on the planet. Its people are known as Eritreans.
Eritrea is multilingual: the languages spoken include Arabic, English and Tigrinya. This linguistic variety reflects the country's layered history and the many communities that shaped it.
Like every country featured on Spin a Country, Eritrea rewards curiosity — its festivals, food and everyday customs tell a story that statistics alone never can.
Currency, travel and practical facts
The official currency is the Eritrean nakfa (ERN, symbol Nfk). Exchange rates fluctuate, so check current rates before travelling.
The international dialling code for Eritrea is +291. Websites from the country typically use the .er internet domain.
If Eritrea came up on your random spin, take five minutes to memorise its flag, capital (Asmara) and population — these are the three facts most often asked in geography quizzes.
Neighbouring countries
Eritrea shares borders with 3 countries:
Fun facts about Eritrea
- Eritrea's flag emoji is 🇪🇷 — its two-letter country code is ER and its three-letter code is ERI.
- Eritrea covers 117,600 km², ranking 102nd in the world by area.
- With about 3.5 million people, Eritrea holds the 132nd spot in the world population ranking.
- Eritrea is a member state of the United Nations.
- Eritrea shares borders with 3 countries.
Eritrea — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Eritrea?
- The capital of Eritrea is Asmara.
- What is the population of Eritrea?
- Eritrea has a population of approximately 3,535,603 people, ranking 132nd in the world.
- Where is Eritrea located?
- Eritrea is located in Eastern Africa, part of the Africa region.
- What language is spoken in Eritrea?
- The languages spoken in Eritrea include Arabic, English and Tigrinya.
- What currency is used in Eritrea?
- Eritrea uses the Eritrean nakfa (ERN).
