Editing Demographics of Eritrea (section)

==Ethno-linguistic groups==
{{further|Languages of Eritrea}}
[[File:Ethno-Demography of Eritrea.png|thumb|400px|Ethno-Demography of Eritrea]]

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Ethnicity in Eritrea (2021) <ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/#people-and-society| title = The World Factbook| date = 2023-02-09}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Tigrinya people|Tigrinya]]
|value1 = 50
|color1 = Red
|label2 = [[Tigre people|Tigre]]
|value2 = 30
|color2 = Green
|label3 = [[Saho people|Saho]]
|value3 = 4
|color3 = Cyan
|label4 = [[Afar people|Afar]]
|value4 = 4
|color4 = Yellow
|label5 = [[Kunama people|Kunama]]
|value5 = 4
|color5 = Violet
|label6 = [[Bilen people|Bilen]]
|value6 = 3
|color6 = Maroon
|label7 = Other
|value7 = 5
|color7 = Grey}}

Eritrea's population comprises nine recognized [[ethnic group]]s, most of whom speak languages from the [[Ethiopian Semitic languages|Ethiopian Semitic]] branch of the [[Afroasiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] family.<ref name="Minahan" /> The East African Semitic languages spoken in Eritrea are [[Tigre language|Tigre]], [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], and the newly recognized [[Dahlik language|Dahlik]]. Other Afro-Asiatic languages belonging to the [[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]] branch are also widely spoken in the country.<ref name="Minahan" /> The latter include [[Afar language|Afar]], [[Beja language|Beja]], [[Blin language|Blin]], and [[Saho language|Saho]].

In addition, languages belonging to the [[Nilo-Saharan languages|Nilo-Saharan]] language family ([[Kunama language|Kunama]] and [[Nara language|Nara]]) are spoken as a [[mother tongue]] by the Kunama and Nara Nilotic ethnic minorities that live in the north and northwestern part of the country.<ref name="Minahan" /> The [[Rashaida people|Rashaida]] speak [[Arabic language|Arabic]], while there are also a number of [[Italian people|Italians]] who speak their native [[Italian language]].

===Afro-Asiatic communities===

====Semitic speakers====
=====Tigrinya=====
{{main|Tigrinya people}}
[[File:Traditional Eritrean dance.jpg|thumb|A [[Tigrinyas|Tigrigna]] traditional dance.]]
The majority of the Tigrinya inhabit the highlands of Eritrea; however, migration to other parts of the country has occurred. Their language is called [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]]. They are the largest ethnic group in the country, constituting about 50% of the population.<ref name=":2" /> The predominantly Tigrinya populated urban centers in Eritrea are the capital [[Asmara]], [[Mendefera]], [[Dekemhare]], [[Adi Keyh]], [[Adi Quala]] and [[Senafe]], while there is a significant population of Tigrinya in other cities including [[Keren, Eritrea|Keren]], and [[Massawa]].
They are 92% Christians, (of which 90% are of the [[Eritrean Orthodox]] faith, 5% [[Roman Catholic]] and [[Eastern Catholic]] (whose mass is held in [[Ge'ez]] as opposed to Latin), and 5% belonging to various [[Protestant]] and other Christian denominations, the majority of which belong to the (Lutheran) Evangelical Church of Eritrea).
=====Tigre=====
{{main|Tigre people}}
[[File:Traditional Eritrean dancing.jpg|thumb|Traditional [[Tigre people|Tigre]] dance]]
The Tigre reside in the western lowlands in Eritrea. Many also migrated to Sudan at the time of the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict and lived there since. They are a nomadic and pastoralist people, related to the [[Tigrinya people|Tigrinya]] and to the [[Beja people]]. They are a predominantly Muslim nomadic people who inhabit the northern, western, and coastal lowlands of Eritrea, and constitute 30% of the country's population.<ref name=":2" /> Some also inhabit areas in eastern Sudan. 95% of the Tigre people adhere to the Islamic religion [[Sunni Islam]], but there are a small number of Christians among them as well (often referred to as the Mensaï in Eritrea). Their language is called [[Tigre language|Tigre]].
=====Rashaida=====
{{main|Rashaida people}}
The Rashaida are one of Eritrea's nine recognized ethnic groups. They represent around 1% of the population of Eritrea. The Rashaida reside in the northern coastal lowlands of Eritrea and the northern eastern coasts of Sudan. They are predominantly Muslim and are the only ethnic group in Eritrea to have [[Arabic language|Arabic]] as their communal language, specifically the [[Hejazi Arabic|Hejazi dialect]]. The Rashaida first came to Eritrea in the 19th century from the Arabian Coast.<ref>{{cite web|last=Alders|first=Anne|url=http://www.eritreanbeauty.com/r.html|title=the Rashaida|access-date=2006-06-07|archive-date=2006-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709094430/http://www.eritreanbeauty.com/r.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref>
====Jeberti====
The [[Jeberti people]] in Eritrea trace descent from early Muslim adherents. The term ''Jeberti'' is also locally sometimes used to generically refer to all Islamic inhabitants of the [[Ethiopian Highlands|highlands]].<ref name="Lhrfda">{{cite journal|first=Abbebe|last=Kifleyesus|journal=L'Homme: Revue française d'anthropologie|url=http://www.cairn.info/revue-l-homme-2009-1-page-49.htm|title=Jeberti Women Traders' Innumeracy: Its Impact on Commercial Activity in Eritrea|date=January 2009|volume=189 |issue=189|page=59|doi=10.4000/lhomme.21986 |access-date=27 February 2015}}</ref> The Jeberti in Eritrea speak [[Arabic language|Arabic]] and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]].<ref name="Eotpoaatme">{{cite book|last=Facts On File, Incorporated|title=Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and the Middle East|year=2009|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-1438126760|page=336|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=stl97FdyRswC}}</ref> They account for about 8% of the Tigrinya speakers in the nation.

====Cushitic speakers====
=====Afar=====
{{main|Afar people}}
According to the CIA, the Afar constitute 4% of the nation's population.<ref name=":2" /> They live in the [[Debubawi Keyih Bahri Region]] of Eritrea, as well as the [[Afar Region]] in Ethiopia, and [[Djibouti]]. They speak the [[Afar language]] as a mother tongue, and are predominantly Muslim. Afars in Eritrea number about 600,000 individuals, the smallest population out of the countries they reside in. In Djibouti, there are about 780,000 group members, and in Ethiopia, they number approximately 2,100,000.
=====Saho=====
{{main|Saho people}}
The Saho represent 4% of Eritrea's population.<ref name=":2" /> They principally reside in the [[Debubawi Keyih Bahri Region]] and the [[Northern Red Sea Region]] of Eritrea. Their language is called [[Saho language|Saho]]. They are predominantly Muslim, although a few Christians known as the [[Irob people|Irob]] live in the [[Debub Region]] of Eritrea and the [[Tigray region]] of Ethiopia.
=====Bilen=====
{{main|Bilen people}}
The Bilen in Eritrea represent around 3% of the country's population.<ref name=":2" /> They are primarily concentrated in the north-central areas, in and around the city of [[Keren, Eritrea|Keren]], and south towards [[Asmara]], the nation's capital. Many of them entered Eritrea from Kush (central Sudan) in the 8th century and settled at Merara, after which they went to Wag and Lasta. The Bilen then returned to Axum in Ethiopia's [[Tigray Province]], and battled with the natives; in the resulting aftermath, the Bilen returned to their main base at Merara. The Bilen include adherents of both [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]]. They speak the [[Bilen language|Bilen]] language as a mother tongue. Christian adherents are mainly urban and have interbred with the Tigrinya who live in the area. Muslim adherents are mainly rural and have intermingled with the adjacent Tigre.
=====Beja=====
{{main|Beja people}}
The Beja in Eritrea, or [[Hedareb]], constitute 2% of local residents.<ref name=":2" /> They mainly live along the north-western border with Sudan. Group members are predominantly Muslim and communicate in [[Beja language|Beja]] as a first or second language. The Beja also include the [[Beni-Amer people]], who have retained their native [[Beja language]] alongside Hedareb.

===Nilo-Saharan communities===
====Kunama====
{{main|Kunama people}}
According to the CIA, the Kunama constitute around 4% of Eritrea's population.<ref name=":2" /> They mainly live in the country's [[Gash Barka Region]], as well as in adjacent parts of Ethiopia's [[Tigray Region]]. Many of them reside in the contested border village of [[Badme]]. Their language is called [[Kunama language|Kunama]]. Although some Kunama still practice traditional beliefs, most are converts to either Christianity (Roman Catholic and Protestant) or Islam.

====Nara====
{{main|Nara people}}
The Nara represent 2% of the nation's population.<ref name=":2" /> They principally reside along the south-western border with Sudan and Ethiopia. They are generally Muslim, with a few Christians and some practising their indigenous beliefs. Their language is called [[Nara language|Nara]].

===Other communities===
====Italians====
{{main|Italian Eritreans}}
A few monolingual [[Italian Eritreans]] remain. As of 2008, they were estimated at 900 people, down from around 38,000 residents at the end of World War II.