Real size
How big is Eritrea really?
124,000 km²
47,800 sq mi · 70th smallest of the 167 here · about the size of North Korea
Normal web maps show it about the right size
Eritrea covers 124,000 km² (47,800 sq mi), about the size of North Korea. It sits close to the equator, where normal web maps barely stretch land, so they show it at about its real size, and make countries farther from the equator look bigger than it.
Measured from our map outlines, so official figures can differ by a few percent. Ranks count the 167 countries and territories on these pages: those over 5,000 km², not counting disputed territories.
- Real area
- 124,000 km²
- Size rank
- 98th of 167
- On a normal web map
- About right
- Latitude
- 15°N
Countries about the same size
- North KoreaAbout the same size
- MalawiAbout the same size
- NicaraguaAbout the same size
- GreeceGreece is 1.1 times the size of Eritrea
- BeninEritrea is 1.1 times the size of Benin
Eritrea through history
Borders here have moved many times. Step through our maps, from 2000 BCE to today, to see who ruled this land before, and how big their realms really were.
Open the history map →Browse the eras →
Common questions
- How big is Eritrea?
- Eritrea covers about 124,000 km² (47,800 sq mi). It is the 70th smallest of the 167 countries and territories on these pages (those over 5,000 km²).
- Do maps show Eritrea at the right size?
- Mostly. Eritrea lies close enough to the equator that a normal web map draws it only about 1.1 times too big, while countries far to the north or south are drawn several times too big.
- Is Eritrea bigger than Iceland?
- Yes. Eritrea is about 1.2 times the size of Iceland.
- Is Eritrea bigger than North Korea?
- They are about the same size: within 5% of each other.
- Is Eritrea bigger than Nicaragua?
- They are about the same size: within 5% of each other.