Eritrea (State of Eritrea)

https://www.humantruth.info/eritrea.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2025

Eritrea State of Eritrea
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	197th best
Capital	Asmara
Land Area	101 000km²₁
Location	Africa
Population	3.5m₂
Life Expectancy	66.54yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$1 729 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	ER, ERI, 232₅
Internet Domain	.er₆
Currency	Nakfa (ERN)₇
Telephone	+291₈

1. Overview

#eritrea #ethiopia

"Eritrea remains a one-man dictatorship under President Isaias Afewerki, now in his 26th year in power. It has no legislature, no independent civil society organizations or media outlets, and no independent judiciary"₉.

“The UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afworki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been highly autocratic and repressive. His government has created a highly militarized society by pursuing an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service, sometimes of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) created in April 2003 was tasked "to delimit and demarcate the colonial treaty border based on pertinent colonial treaties (1900, 1902, and 1908) and applicable international law." Eritrea for several years hosted a UN peacekeeping operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone. The EEBC on 30 November 2007 remotely demarcated the border, assigning the town of Badme to Eritrea, despite Ethiopia's maintaining forces there from the time of the 1998-2000 war. An increasingly hostile Eritrea insisted that the UN terminate its peacekeeping mission on 31 July 2008. Eritrea has accepted the EEBC's "virtual demarcation" decision and repeatedly called on Ethiopia to remove its troops. Ethiopia has not accepted the demarcation decision, and neither party has entered into meaningful dialogue to resolve the impasse. Eritrea is subject to several UN Security Council Resolutions (from 2009, 2011, and 2012) imposing various military and economic sanctions, in view of evidence that it has supported armed opposition groups in the region.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₁₀

“Eritrea, a mere sliver on the Horn of Africa, boasts a wealth of culture, history and natural beauty for travellers to experience. Historically intriguing, culturally compelling and scenically magical, Eritrea is one of the most secretive countries in Africa. For those who have a hankering for off-the-beaten-track places, it offers challenges and excitement aplenty, with a unique blend of natural and cultural highlights. The country wows visitors with its awesome scenery, from the quintessentially Abyssinian landscapes - escarpments, plateaus and soaring peaks - to the deserted beaches of the Red Sea coast.Culturally, Eritrea is a melting pot. It might be a tiddler of a country by Africa´s standards, but it hosts a kaleidoscopic range of ethnic groups who have contributed to a cultural fabric that ranges from rock-cut monasteries and Ottoman-era harbour towns, to the evening passeggiata on Asmara´s main thoroughfare.
Despite its human and natural riches, Eritrea endures the tough political and economic landscape and travellers are severely restricted. Nonetheless, this country remains one of the most inspiring destinations in Africa.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₁

“Largely because of the oppressive nature of the Isaias rule and the prolonged national service, about 12 percent of Eritrea´s population has fled the country. In2016 alone, 52,000 escaped, according to the latest United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₉

2. Eritrea National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₂
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
173	Madagascar	0.501
174	Gambia	0.500
175	Ethiopia	0.498
176	Eritrea	0.492
177	Guinea-Bissau	0.483
178	Liberia	0.481
179	Congo, DR	0.479
180	Afghanistan	0.478
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₂
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
177	Burkina Faso	$2 118
178	Guinea-Bissau	$1 908
179	Afghanistan	$1 824
180	Eritrea	$1 729
181	Sierra Leone	$1 622
182	Madagascar	$1 484
183	Malawi	$1 466
184	Chad	$1 364
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃
1	Denmark	28.1
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.0
	...
193	Sudan	134.5
194	Equatorial Guinea	136.0
195	Angola	141.1
196	Afghanistan	141.4
197	Eritrea	146.1
198	S. Sudan	151.7
199	Western Sahara	151.9
200	Somalia	160.0
	Africa Avg	115.3
	World Avg	89.4
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Eritrea's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Eritrea's population is predicted to rise to 8.394 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 3.79. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₄. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₅

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
129	Kuwait	4.1m
130	Moldova	4.1m
131	Georgia	4.0m
132	Eritrea	3.5m
133	Uruguay	3.4m
134	Bosnia & Herzegovina	3.3m
135	Mongolia	3.2m
136	Armenia	3.0m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
140	Eritrea	66.5
141	Tanzania	66.2
142	Pakistan	66.1
143	Rwanda	66.1
144	Palau	66.0
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₆
Pos.		2022₁₆
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
169	Yemen	3.72
170	Rwanda	3.75
171	Sao Tome & Principe	3.75
172	Eritrea	3.79
173	Madagascar	3.79
174	Malawi	3.85
175	Samoa	3.88
176	Sierra Leone	3.88
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₇
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₇
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
3=	Burkina Faso	04.7
5=	Sierra Leone	04.8
5=	Zambia	04.8
7=	Eritrea	04.9
7=	Gambia	04.9
9=	Angola	05.0
9=	Afghanistan	05.0
9=	Zimbabwe	05.0
12=	Nigeria	05.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants₁₈
Pos.		2017 %₁₈
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
178	Afghanistan	0.4%
179	Haiti	0.4%
180	Brazil	0.4%
181	Eritrea	0.3%
182	Somalia	0.3%
183	Lesotho	0.3%
184	Peru	0.3%
185	Colombia	0.3%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₉
Pos.		2010 %₁₉
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
30	El Salvador	20.5%
31	Micronesia	19.7%
32	Belarus	18.4%
33	Eritrea	18.0%
34	Croatia	17.1%
35	Liechtenstein	17.1%
36	Cyprus	17.0%
37	Marshall Islands	16.6%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #eritrea #eritrea_human_rights #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₂₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₀
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
194	Brunei	153.6
195	N. Korea	154.9
196	Afghanistan	155.9
197	Saudi Arabia	159.4
198	Eritrea	161.7
199	Somalia	162.1
	Africa Avg	116.66
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Eritrea is amongst the very worst places in the world at ensuring any human rights and freedoms, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Eritrea does worse than average when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₁ (one of the worst in Africa) and in freethought₂₂ (one of the worst in Africa). It sits amongst the bottom 20 in commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₃, its average Freedom in the World rating (amongst the worst in Africa) and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₄. It is second-from-the-bottom for combatting modern slavery₂₅. And finally, it is the worst in supporting press freedom₂₆. In 2001, "the government closed all independent newspapers and arrested their editors and leading journalists. None were brought to trial. They remain in solitary detention. There are reliable reports that about half of them had died"₉. "Eritreans are subject to arbitrary imprisonment. Arrest and harsh punishment including torture, are at the whim of security force commanders without trial or appeal"₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Eritrea

5. Eritrea's Health

#health

Compared to Africa (2025)₂₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₇
1	Mauritius	72.2
2	Tunisia	73.9
3	Seychelles	78.0
	...
11	Ghana	117.4
12	Rwanda	117.5
13	Kenya	119.7
14	Eritrea	120.8
15	Gambia	120.8
16	S. Africa	123.0
17	Namibia	125.2
18	Senegal	125.2
19	Zimbabwe	125.4
	Africa Avg	127.77
q=54.

Health (2025)₂₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₇
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
146	Tuvalu	118.6
147	Kenya	119.7
148	Syria	120.7
149	Eritrea	120.8
150	Gambia	120.8
151	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	122.1
152	Guam	122.6
153	S. Africa	123.0
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₂₈. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₂₈.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₂₈, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₂₈.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #eritrea #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #suicide

Eritrea has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Eritrea does better than average in terms of the prevalence of overweight adults₂₉, its alcohol consumption rate₃₀, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₁ and in delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₂. Eritrea still has work to do. Eritrea does worse than average for its average life expectancy₁₂ (still good for Africa), childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₃, its suicide rate₃₄, its adolescent birth rate₃₅ (still good for Africa) and in its fertility rate₁₆ (still low for Africa). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Eritrea in 1990 was 49.8yrs, lower than the global average of 64.6, and in 1999 it had the 3rd worst in the world. But it improved greatly, by +17.5yrs, in the 30 years from then, well over double the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Eritrea's peak fertility rate was 6.65 in 1983.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
137	India	67.2
138	Fiji	67.1
139	Senegal	67.1
140	Eritrea	66.5
141	Tanzania	66.2
142	Pakistan	66.1
143	Rwanda	66.1
144	Palau	66.0
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₀
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₀
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
28=	Iran	1.0
28=	Vanuatu	1.0
30	Papua New Guinea	1.2
31=	Eritrea	1.3
31=	Guinea	1.3
31=	Mali	1.3
34	Solomon Islands	1.4
35=	Tonga	1.5
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₆
Pos.		2022₁₆
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
169	Yemen	3.72
170	Rwanda	3.75
171	Sao Tome & Principe	3.75
172	Eritrea	3.79
173	Madagascar	3.79
174	Malawi	3.85
175	Samoa	3.88
176	Sierra Leone	3.88
	Africa Avg	3.97
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k₃₄
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
142	Portugal	12.74
143	Australia	12.83
144	Germany	13.03
145	Eritrea	13.17
146	Montenegro	13.48
147	Cuba	13.95
148	USA	14.28
149	Czechia	14.46
	Africa Avg	7.70
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₂₉
Pos.		1976 %₂₉
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
18	Rwanda	7.9
19	Uganda	8.0
20=	Madagascar	8.1
20=	Eritrea	8.1
22	Chad	8.2
23	Mozambique	8.3
24	Malawi	8.4
25=	Angola	8.5
	Africa Avg	13.4
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2022 %₃₆
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
4	Madagascar	3.8%
5	Eritrea	4.2%
6	Cambodia	4.4%
7	Burundi	4.5%
8	Rwanda	4.6%
9	Japan	4.9%
10	Bangladesh	5.3%
11	Niger	5.3%
12	Chad	5.7%
	Africa Avg	13.7%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#afghanistan #children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₅
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₅
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
147	Dominican Rep.	63.2
148	Nepal	63.4
149	Ghana	63.4
150	Eritrea	63.6
151	Senegal	64.6
152	Guyana	64.6
153	Ethiopia	66.5
154	Swaziland	68.4
	Africa Avg	84.6
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better₃₁
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %₃₁
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
66=	Tuvalu	96.3
67	Qatar	96.1
68	Aruba	96.0
69	Eritrea	96.0
70	Hong Kong	96.0
71=	El Salvador	95.7
71=	USA	95.7
73	Cayman Islands	95.6
	Africa Avg	82.9
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better₃₂
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₂
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
70	Belize	95.1
71	Algeria	95.0
72	Tuvalu	94.9
73	Eritrea	94.7
74	Singapore	94.6
75	UK	94.6
76	Solomon Islands	94.5
77	Norway	94.3
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better₃₃
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 1000₃₃
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
141	Turkmenistan	43.08
142	Gabon	45.25
143	India	45.47
144	Eritrea	47.24
145	Kenya	48.20
146	Yemen	49.34
147	Comoros	49.44
148	Mauritania	49.55
	Africa Avg	71.63
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

From the 1990s to the 2000s, despite turmoil, Afghanistan reduced its infant mortality rate by more than any other country on average (except Afghanistan)₃₃.

6. Eritrea's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #internationalism #over-exploitation #the_environment

Compared to Africa (2025)₃₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₇
1	Morocco	46.5
2	Burundi	47.8
3	Mali	51.0
	...
45	Sudan	97.8
46	Comoros	99.1
47	Mauritania	101.2
48	Seychelles	103.4
49	Angola	109.5
50	Libya	121.4
51	Zimbabwe	121.5
52	Somalia	131.0
53	Eritrea	146.2
	Africa Avg	78.58
q=53.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₃₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₇
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
192	N. Korea	132.3
193	Turkmenistan	134.1
194	Nauru	134.4
195	San Marino	134.9
196	Andorra	136.3
197	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	137.5
198	Vatican City	138.3
199	Eritrea	146.2
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₃₈. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

In terms of its responsibility towards the environment, Eritrea comes worst in the world. This is derived from 21 data sets. Eritrea does worse than average in terms of its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₉. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its environmental performance₄₀.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₃₉
Pos.		Total₃₉
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
174	Zimbabwe	-5.1%
175	Panama	-5.2%
176	Samoa	-5.7%
177	Eritrea	-5.7%
178	Colombia	-5.8%
179	Cameroon	-5.9%
180	Venezuela	-6.0%
181	Honduras	-6.3%
	Africa Avg	-8.7%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₄₀
Pos.		2018₄₀
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
162	Swaziland	40.3
163	Djibouti	40.0
164	Papua New Guinea	39.4
165	Eritrea	39.3
166	Mauritania	39.2
167	Benin	38.2
168	Afghanistan	37.7
169	Pakistan	37.5
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		International Accords on the Environment Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
169	Myanmar	44%
170	N. Korea	44%
171	Sierra Leone	43%
172	Eritrea	43%
173	Somalia	43%
174	Tonga	43%
175	Kiribati	42%
176	Cook Islands	42%
	Africa Avg	56.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

7. Eritrea's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2025)₄₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₁
1	S. Africa	63.3
2	Seychelles	63.4
3	Tunisia	68.7
	...
46	Mozambique	147.4
47	Mauritania	147.7
48	Burundi	152.1
49	Chad	157.5
50	Sierra Leone	159.4
51	Liberia	165.1
52	Somalia	174.5
53	Eritrea	177.0
54	S. Sudan	180.1
	Africa Avg	124.71
q=54.

Modernity & Learning (2025)₄₁
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₁
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
190	Yemen	158.0
191	Sierra Leone	159.4
192	Afghanistan	162.4
193	Myanmar	164.3
194	Liberia	165.1
195	Somalia	174.5
196	Eritrea	177.0
197	S. Sudan	180.1
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₄₂. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₄₂. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₃.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₄₄

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₂, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₂.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#ethiopia #metric

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better₄₅
Pos.		2025 %₄₅
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
171=	Zambia	90
171=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	90
171=	Cameroon	90
174=	Eritrea	85
174=	Bhutan	85
174=	Belize	85
174=	Somalia	85
174=	Bahamas	85
	Africa Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Officially adopted metric in 1962 (as part of Ethiopia). Progression:

1960 (50%): Colonial metric present; traditional units widely used.
1970 (60%): Limited standardization; conflict era.
1980 (70%): Metric in official sectors; everyday legacy persists.
2000 (80%): Metric dominant in formal domains.
2025 (85%): High metric usage; informal legacy remains.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Length of Schooling Higher is better₄₆
Pos.		2021 Years₄₆
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
183	Yemen	9.1
184	Senegal	9.0
185	Pakistan	8.7
186	Eritrea	8.1
187	Central African Rep.	8.0
188	Chad	8.0
189	Sudan	7.9
190	Djibouti	7.4
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
174	Somalia	21%
175	Niger	20%
176	Sierra Leone	19%
177	Eritrea	18%
178	Mozambique	17%
179	Afghanistan	17%
180	Malawi	17%
181	Ethiopia	16%
	Africa Avg	41.0%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

8. Eritrea's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Africa (2025)₄₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₇
1	Mauritius	51.4
2	Seychelles	66.9
3	Tunisia	76.2
	...
46	Equatorial Guinea	131.4
47	Burundi	131.5
48	Comoros	133.0
49	Chad	135.4
50	Central African Rep.	138.4
51	Congo, DR	140.3
52	S. Sudan	148.3
53	Eritrea	153.2
54	Somalia	163.7
	Africa Avg	110.07
q=54.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)₄₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₇
1	Denmark	11.6
2	Finland	13.4
3	Netherlands	13.6
	...
180	Chad	135.4
181	Central African Rep.	138.4
182	Congo, DR	140.3
183	S. Sudan	148.3
184	Afghanistan	149.0
185	Eritrea	153.2
186	N. Korea	159.5
187	Somalia	163.7
	World Avg	81.27
q=187.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 32 datasets, including multiple decades of data on World Giving Index, resisting corruption, overall happiness, Creativity and Culture, passport utility (so far), Open Trading, Aid and Development, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

"Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#corruption #eritrea #internationalism #politics

, with only a few signs of improvement.

Corruption Higher is better₄₈
Pos.		2022 Points₄₈
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
160=	Honduras	23.0
160=	Iraq	23.0
162=	Sudan	22.0
162=	Eritrea	22.0
164=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	21.0
164=	Guinea-Bissau	21.0
166	Congo, DR	20.0
167=	Nicaragua	19.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Eritrea has a poor long-term record on corruption and in 2014 it fell into the 10th-worst position on the Corruption Perception Index.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better₄₉
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q₄₉
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
177=	Ethiopia	45.3
177=	Nigeria	45.3
179	Congo, DR	43.2
180	Eritrea	42.5
181	Iran	42.3
182	Lebanon	42.2
183	Sri Lanka	42.0
184	S. Sudan	41.8
	Africa Avg	62.9
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#human_development #peace #politics

Global Peace Index Lower is better₅₀
Pos.		2023 Score₅₀
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
130	S. Africa	2.41
131	USA	2.45
132	Brazil	2.46
133	Eritrea	2.51
134	Palestine	2.54
135	Lebanon	2.58
136	Mexico	2.60
137	Libya	2.61
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#health #inequality #life_expectancy

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₅₁
Pos.		2019₅₁
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
131	India	19.70
132	Madagascar	21.10
133	Senegal	21.20
134	Eritrea	21.40
135	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	21.70
136	Namibia	22.10
137=	Kenya	22.50
137=	Bolivia	22.50
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #eritrea #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion_in_eritrea

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₅₂:

	2010	2020
Muslim	51.3%	51.7%
Christian	47.1%	46.7%
Unaffiliated	1.04%	1.06%
Other	0.583%	0.567%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%
Buddhist	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant₅₃.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: The government does not respect its peoples' right to freedom of religion and belief. In recent years there has been an "increase in serious government violations of religious freedom, including mass arrests, torture and death for members of minority belief groups"₅₄. Since 2002, only four official religious groups have been allowed to exist (Sunni Islam, Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Evangelical (Lutheran)₉_,₅₅ and the government controls them closely. Failure to be a member of one of them is enough to be denied government services, and sometimes even arrested on the spot₅₄.

Links: