Population of Eritrea
As of June 2026, the population of Eritrea is 4 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 75 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.91%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 17.4 years in 2016 to 19.5 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 69.3 years and population density is 32.7 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of Eritrea peaked in 1995, reaching around 9.08% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.9% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 195.73 thousand in 1995 to nearly 75.39 thousand in 2026.
Life Expectancy
In Eritrea, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 61.6 years in 2006 to 69.3 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 8 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in Eritrea
The cities of Eritrea are small, with the 5 most populated adding up to around 729.2 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Asmara, Maekel, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 563.9 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Keren, Anseba with 74.8 thousand and Himora, Gash-Barka with 46.1 thousand.
These are the 18 most populous cities in Eritrea:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asmara, Maekel | 563,930 |
| 2 | Keren, Anseba | 74,800 |
| 3 | Himora, Gash-Barka | 46,100 |
| 4 | Massawa, Northern Red Sea | 23,100 |
| 5 | Assab, Southern Red Sea | 21,300 |
| 6 | Mendefera, Debub | 17,781 |
| 7 | Barentu, Gash-Barka | 15,891 |
| 8 | Adi Keyh, Debub | 13,061 |
| 9 | Edd, Southern Red Sea | 11,259 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Dek’emhāre, Debub | 10,959 |
| 11 | Ak’ordat, Gash-Barka | 8,857 |
| 12 | Dbarwa, Debub | 4,902 |
| 13 | Āreza, Debub | 4,774 |
| 14 | Teseney, Gash-Barka | 3,753 |
| 15 | Dehalak’ Kebīr, Northern Red Sea | 2,500 |
| 16 | Badme, Gash-Barka | 1,563 |
| 17 | Quandeba, Maekel | 1,000 |
| 18 | Mai-Mne, Debub |