Eritrea Geography

Eritrea's Information

Land Area	101,000 km²
Water Area	16,600 km²
Total Area	117,600km² (#99)
Population	5,869,869 (#112)
Population Density	58.12/km²
Government Type	Presidential Republic
GDP (PPP)	$9.17 Billion
GDP Per Capita	$1,300
Currency	Nakfa (ERN)
Largest Cities	Asmara (563,930) Keren (74,800) View all cities in Eritrea

Located in the Horn of Africa, Eritrea is positioned on the southern end of the Red Sea.

In the western part of the country, fertile lands descend into desert as you advance eastward.

To the south, highlands dot the landscape, moving towards a high central plateau, ranging from 5,906 to 9,843 ft (1,800 to 3,000 m) above sea level.

The highest point of Eritrea is Soira at 9,901 ft (3,018 m); the lowest point of the country is located near Kulul within the Danakil Depression at -246 ft (-75 m).

Eritrea is bisected by a portion of the East African Rift - an active continental zone whose tectonic plates are moving away from each other.

There are no significant lakes or rivers.

Landforms of Africa

This page was last updated on April 7, 2017.

Eritrea Trivia

What is the Largest Ethnic Group in Eritrea?

The Biher-Tigrinya people are the largest ethnic group in Eritrea today, followed by the related Tigre people.

Major Ethnic Groups Of Eritrea

What is the highest mountain in Eritrea?

Dega Mountain has the highest peak in Eritrea. It reaches 9,997 feet above sea level.

The Highest Mountains in Eritrea

About the Author

John Moen
Founder / Cartographer

John Moen is a cartographer who along with his wife are the orignal founders of worldatlas.com. He and his wife, Chris Woolwine-Moen, produced thousands of award-winning maps that are used all over the world and content that aids students, teachers, travelers and parents with their geography and map questions. Today, it's one of the most popular educational sites on the web.