Capital

Eritrea

name: Asmara

geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name means "they [women] made them unite," which according to Tigrinya oral tradition refers to the women of the four clans in the Asmara area who persuaded their menfolk to unite and defeat their common enemy; the name has also been translated as "live in peace"

Tunesien

name: Tunis

geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: three possibilities exist for the derivation of the name; originally a Berber settlement (earliest reference 4th century B.C.), the strategic site fell to the Carthaginians (Phoenicians) and the city could be named after the Punic goddess Tanit, since many ancient cities were named after patron deities; alternatively, the Berber root word "ens," which means "to lie down" or "to pass the night," may indicate that the site was originally a camp or rest stop; finally, the name may be the same as the city of Tynes, mentioned in the writings of some ancient authors

Citizenship

Eritrea

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years

Tunesien

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Tunisia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Eritrea

mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law

Tunesien

mixed legal system of civil law, based on the French civil code and Islamic (sharia) law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage

Eritrea

18 years of age; universal

Tunesien

18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months

Area

Eritrea

total: 117,600 sq km

land: 101,000 sq km

water: 16,600 sq km

Tunesien

total: 163,610 sq km

land: 155,360 sq km

water: 8,250 sq km

Land use

Eritrea

agricultural land: 75.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 6.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 68.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 15.1% (2018 est.)

other: 9.8% (2018 est.)

Tunesien

agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 18.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 15.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 31.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 6.6% (2018 est.)

other: 28.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Eritrea

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Tunesien

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya

Age structure

Eritrea

0-14 years: 36.27% (male 1,145,134/female 1,130,829)

15-64 years: 59.73% (male 1,842,953/female 1,904,677)

65 years and over: 4% (2023 est.) (male 100,158/female 151,045)

Tunesien

0-14 years: 24.77% (male 1,529,179/female 1,436,771)

15-64 years: 65.26% (male 3,843,642/female 3,971,509)

65 years and over: 9.98% (2023 est.) (male 566,265/female 628,816)

Birth rate

Eritrea

26.7 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Tunesien

14.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Eritrea

6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Tunesien

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Eritrea

Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages

Tunesien

Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Eritrea

total population: 67.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 64.6 years

female: 69.9 years

Tunesien

total population: 77.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 75.4 years

female: 78.8 years

Major urban areas - population

Eritrea

1.073 million ASMARA (capital) (2023)

Tunesien

2.475 million TUNIS (capital) (2023)

Median age

Eritrea

total: 21 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.5 years

female: 21.5 years

Tunesien

total: 34 years (2023 est.)

male: 33.2 years

female: 34.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Eritrea

21.3 years (2010 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Net migration rate

Eritrea

-9.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Tunesien

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Eritrea

density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south as shown in this population distribution map

Tunesien

the overwhelming majority of the population is located in the northern half of the country; the south remains largely underpopulated as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Eritrea

1.08% (2023 est.)

Tunesien

0.63% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Eritrea

3.5 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Tunesien

1.96 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Eritrea

urban population: 43.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.67% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Tunesien

urban population: 70.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Eritrea

NA

Tunesien

7.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Eritrea

total: 8 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2015)

Tunesien

total: 15 years

male: 14 years

female: 16 years (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Eritrea

-9.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Tunesien

-5.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Eritrea

5.4% (2017 est.)

Tunesien

8.6% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Eritrea

1.675 million (2021 est.)

Tunesien

4.226 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Eritrea

50% (2004 est.)

Tunesien

15.2% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate

Eritrea

8.05% (2021 est.)

7.86% (2020 est.)

5.99% (2019 est.)

Tunesien

16.82% (2021 est.)

16.59% (2020 est.)

15.13% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Eritrea

131.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

132.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Tunesien

70.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

62.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Eritrea

9% (2017 est.)

9% (2016 est.)

Tunesien

5.71% (2021 est.)

5.63% (2020 est.)

6.72% (2019 est.)

Exports

Eritrea

$624.3 million (2017 est.)

$485.4 million (2016 est.)

Tunesien

$19.743 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$16.017 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$19.175 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Eritrea

China 62%, South Korea 28.3% (2017)

Tunesien

France 29%, Italy 17%, Germany 13% (2019)

Imports

Eritrea

$1.127 billion (2017 est.)

$1.048 billion (2016 est.)

Tunesien

$24.269 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$19.603 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$23.546 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Eritrea

UAE 14.5%, China 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 13.2%, Italy 12.9%, Turkey 5.6%, South Africa 4.6% (2017)

Tunesien

France 17%, Italy 16%, Germany 8%, China 8%, Algeria 7% (2019)

Airports

Eritrea

13 (2021)

Tunesien

29 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Eritrea

total: 5,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.1 (2020 est.)

Tunesien

total: 1,334,059 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Eritrea

total: 792,000 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 22% (2021 est.)

Tunesien

total: 9.48 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 79% (2021 est.)

Railways

Eritrea

total: 306 km (2018)

narrow gauge: 306 km (2018) 0.950-m gauge

Tunesien

total: 2,173 km (2014) (1,991 in use)

standard gauge: 471 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 1,694 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)

dual gauge: 8 km (2014) 1.435-1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Eritrea

total: 16,000 km (2018)

paved: 1,600 km (2000)

unpaved: 14,400 km (2000)

Tunesien

paved: 20,000 km (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

Eritrea

total subscriptions: 66,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

Tunesien

total subscriptions: 1.7 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Eritrea

total subscriptions: 1.8 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2021 est.)

Tunesien

total subscriptions: 16 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 130 (2021 est.)

Disputes - international

Eritrea

Eritrea-Ethiopia: both agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement

Eritrea-Sudan: Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups

Eritrea-Djibouti: in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Tunesien

none identified