Population:
4,362,254 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 977,447; female 972,068)
15-64 years: 52% (male 1,121,077; female 1,147,109)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 71,620; female 72,933) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.6 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.28% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
39.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
13.23 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
-13.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
between the two countries in 2000 (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 76.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 83.78 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.18 years
male: 51.48 years
female: 54.92 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
55,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
350 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups:
ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Religions:
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages:
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 58.6%
male: 69.9%
female: 47.6% (2003 est.)