Eritrea at its true size
Eritrea covers 117,600 km², number 102 of 235 by area. Home to 3,607,003 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 117,600 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 3,607,003 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 31 per km² |
| Capital | Asmara |
| Region | Eastern Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Codes | ER · ERI · 232 |
Countries of a similar size
- Malawi0.99×Eritrea and Malawi are almost exactly the same size.
- Nicaragua0.98×Eritrea and Nicaragua are almost exactly the same size.
- Benin1.02×Eritrea and Benin are almost exactly the same size.
- North Korea0.98×Eritrea and North Korea are almost exactly the same size.
- Honduras1.05×Eritrea is 5% larger than Honduras.
- Liberia1.06×Eritrea is 6% larger than Liberia.
How many times does Eritrea fit into…
- Russia: about 145 times
- Canada: about 85 times
- United States: about 84 times
Neighbours
Questions about Eritrea
- How big is Eritrea?
- Eritrea covers 117,600 km², which makes it number 102 of 235 countries and territories by area. About 3,607,003 people live there (2025), 31 per km².
- Is Eritrea bigger than Malawi?
- Eritrea and Malawi are almost exactly the same size. Eritrea: 117,600 km²; Malawi: 118,484 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Eritrea?
- Eritrea lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Eritrea?
- Eritrea shares a land border with Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti.