Eritrea’s population rose to 3.6 m people in 2025.

Neither way is good in itself. A rising population is neither good nor bad by itself for this measure, because what matters is whether jobs, food, housing and public services grow at the same pace. The latest figure is 3.6 million, up from 3.5 million a year earlier, a rise of 2%. That is the highest level since 2016, when the series stood at 3.1 million and at its lowest point in the window. The series has climbed over the whole span since 2016.

Why it matters. At 3.6 million people, Eritrea has a small domestic market, so growth adds relatively few new workers and consumers each year. Growth of 2% a year means more young people reaching working age, and the state and families need to provide schooling, health care and work for them. A larger population also raises the amount of food, water and housing the country must supply from its own resources.