Eritrea — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Eritrea, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Eritrea was 2.00% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.66% in 1995. The lowest was -6.50% in 1992 (about -3.3× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.25% per year.
Eritrea ranks 50 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 23%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Eritrea sits below it. It peaked in 1995 and has fallen 65% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 498%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 36 of 48 economies; Sao Tome and Principe (1.98%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 352% in 1991. That is 44% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1995.
World ranking. Climbed: 104th of 216 in 1961 → 78th of 216 in 1970 → 68th of 216 in 1980 → 88th of 216 in 1990 → 97th of 217 in 2000 → 68th of 217 in 2010 → 76th of 217 in 2020 → 50th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 1.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 1.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.77% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 1.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 1.47% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 1.34% | +0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 0.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 0.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 0.33% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 0.67% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 1.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 1.28% | -0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 1.79% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 1.96% | -0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 2.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.63% | +1.2 pp |
| 2007 | 1.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 1.58% | -0.8 pp |
| 2005 | 2.39% | -1.7 pp |
| 2004 | 4.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 4.13% | +0.7 pp |
| 2002 | 3.44% | +0.6 pp |
| 2001 | 2.85% | +1.3 pp |
| 2000 | 1.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 1.47% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 1.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 1.11% | -3.9 pp |
| 1996 | 4.97% | -0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 5.66% | +2.6 pp |
| 1994 | 3.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 3.13% | +9.6 pp |
| 1992 | -6.5% | -0.8 pp |
| 1991 | -5.73% | -8.0 pp |
| 1990 | 2.27% | -0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 2.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 2.59% | +0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 2.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 1986 | 2.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 2.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 2.03% | -0.3 pp |
| 1983 | 2.37% | -0.3 pp |
| 1982 | 2.72% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 2.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.65% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 2.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 2.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 2.43% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 2.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 2.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.49% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.45% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 2.34% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Eritrea’s Population growth in 1962?
2.4% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Eritrea’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -14.6% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 2%; 2024: 1.86%; 2023: 1.77%; 2022: 1.75%; 2021: 1.77%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.