Safest cities in Eritrea
4 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- Within 25km of Eritrea’s land borders
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in EritreaAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Eritrea, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Military activity in the Red Sea area
- Military activity is currently underway in response to attempts by Houthi militants to prevent movement of international shipping in the Red Sea. While the area of activity is limited to the Red Sea and Yemen, there is a possibility that Travel Advice for nearby countries could change at short notice. You should continue to monitor Travel Advice…
Political situation
- Local security measuresThere are periodically reports of conscription surges and mobilisation of reservists in Eritrea, connected to regional instability of the Horn of Africa. Security measures may be in place around Asmara and other regions of Eritrea. Get advice from your host, accommodation or travel operator.
- Armed civiliansA large proportion of the population has access to arms under the government of Eritrea’s civilian militia programme. The British Embassy has no evidence these weapons increase the threat of violent crime.
Travel permits
- Foreign nationals must apply in advance for a permit to travel outside Asmara’s surrounding province, Zoba Maekel, as well as to certain sites within the capital like the ‘tank graveyard’. There are checkpoints outside Asmara where officials will check your travel permit. Applications for permits are handled by the relevant ministry:
Crime
- Protecting yourself and your belongingsThough Asmara is a relatively safe city, there is a risk of street crime, especially at night. Women travellers can experience verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men. To reduce your personal risk:
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDYou must always carry ID. A copy of the photo page of your passport is enough. Keep the original and a second copy in a safe place.
- Internet and phone accessInternet access is highly restricted in Eritrea, mainly limited to hotels and a small number of internet cafes. There is no 3G in the country. The national telephone networks are often unreliable and may only work for limited periods each day outside Asmara and larger towns.
- PhotographyPhotographing government buildings and military installations is illegal. Always ask if you want to take a photo in any area where security personnel are present. You need a permit to take photographs of the ‘tank graveyard’ in Asmara. You can apply for a permit at the Ministry of Tourism.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is illegal. If convicted, you can get a prison sentence.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Eritrea, you will need a 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence. You cannot get an IDP outside the UK so get one before you travel.
- Road conditionsRoad signage and safety barriers are scarce and road surfaces are uneven. Tight blind bends and steep drops are common. Street lighting is limited and may be affected by power cuts. Other drivers may drive without lights and some drive erratically or at speed. In many parts of the country, roads are difficult or impassable during the rainy season.
- Air travelThe runway at Asmara International Airport is occasionally damaged by weather conditions, particularly during the rainy season. If this happens, flights may be delayed or cancelled until the runway has been repaired, and travellers may experience significant disruption.
- Sea travelMariners should get permissions and entry visas before attempting to enter Eritrean waters. Vessels have been impounded and crew detained for entering Eritrean waters or landing in Eritrea, including islands belonging to Eritrea without permission.
- Piracy riskThe Southern Red Sea area is a hotspot for maritime crime and security incidents.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Eritrea, updated 2026-07-27 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 15.61 /100k2012
- Income inequality
- no data
- Human development
- HDI 0.5032023
- Income
- $1,720/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 37.9 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 54/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 26/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 13/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 4.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- no dataGIWPS · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 33.7 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- no dataof population · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 0.1 doctors /1k1.0 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 102 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Drought
- 5.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Earthquake
- 3.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 1.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Eritrea (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How Eritrea compares
| Measure | Eritrea | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 16 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +13 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 35.2 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.503 | 0.763 | −0.260 — better for World median |
| Road deaths | 37.9 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +22.5 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 26/100 | 52/100 | −26/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 13/100 | 39/100 | −26/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 33.7 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +14.0 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.5/10 | 3.8/10 | +0.7/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Eritrea | Africa median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 16 /100k | 4.4 /100k | +11 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | no data | 38.5 | — |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.503 | 0.563 | −0.060 — better for Africa median |
| Road deaths | 37.9 /100k | 27.9 /100k | +10.0 /100k — better for Africa median |
| Rule of law | 26/100 | 42/100 | −16/100 — better for Africa median |
| Corruption perceptions | 13/100 | 31/100 | −18/100 — better for Africa median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 33.7 µg/m³ | 27.3 µg/m³ | +6.4 µg/m³ — better for Africa median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.5/10 | 5.3/10 | −0.8/10 — better for Eritrea |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.