> Eritrea had 2.5 million sheep in 2024, the 62nd largest in the world (0.18% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 9.6%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/eritrea/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)›EritreaFAOSTAT · 1993–2024

# Sheep in Eritrea

Eritrea had 2.5 million sheep in 2024, the 62nd largest in the world (0.18% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 9.6%. The record was 2.5 million head in 2023.
The 2024 figure is estimated by FAO.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/lamb/)

Animals, 20242.5 million head
World rank62 of 177
10-year change+9.6%
Record2.5 million head2023

## Sheep in Eritrea, 1993–2024 (head)

## Eritrea compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.18%0.20% in 2014
10-year change+9.6%world +17%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 60 | [Benin](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/benin/) | 2,647,421 | 0.19% |
| 61 | [Côte d'Ivoire](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/cote-divoire/) | 2,636,786 | 0.19% |
| 62 | **Eritrea** | 2,508,985 | 0.18% |
| 63 | [Portugal](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/portugal/) | 2,142,450 | 0.16% |
| 64 | [Norway](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/norway/) | 2,128,600 | 0.16% |

[Full ranking of 177 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

### Map of sheep numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Eritrea is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 2,508,985 | −0.6% |
| 2023 | 2,525,186 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 2,508,626 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2,508,099 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 2,461,270 | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 2,439,570 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 2,412,294 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 2,374,936 | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 2,339,978 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 2,308,548 | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 2,290,000 | −0.4% |
| 2013 | 2,300,000 | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 2,285,000 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 2,281,000 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 2,271,560 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 2,260,253 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 2,249,008 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 2,237,000 | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 2,180,000 | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 2,100,000 | 0.0% |
| 2004 | 2,100,000 | 0.0% |
| 2003 | 2,100,000 | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 2,000,000 | −7.0% |
| 2001 | 2,150,000 | 0.0% |
| 2000 | 2,150,000 | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 2,000,000 | −6.1% |
| 1998 | 2,128,944 | +29% |
| 1997 | 1,650,000 | +7.1% |
| 1996 | 1,540,000 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 1,530,000 | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 1,520,000 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 1,510,000 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many sheep are there in Eritrea?

Eritrea had 2.5 million sheep in 2024, 0.18% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Eritrea rank in the world by number of sheep?

Eritrea ranked 62nd of 177 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 13.4% of the world total.

### How has the number of sheep in Eritrea changed?

It rose by 9.6% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +17% for the world. The record was 2.5 million head in 2023.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Eritrea is estimated by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/china/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/india/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/australia/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iran/)[Nigeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/nigeria/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/chad/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/turkey/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/ethiopia/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sudan/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/pakistan/)[Algeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/algeria/)[United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/united-kingdom/)
[All countries producing sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

## Other products of Eritrea

[Sorghum](https://husfarm.com/production/sorghum/eritrea/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/eritrea/)[Barley](https://husfarm.com/production/barley/eritrea/)[Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-vegetables/eritrea/)[Other starchy roots and tubers](https://husfarm.com/production/other-roots-and-tubers/eritrea/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/eritrea/)[Cereals n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/cereals-n-e-c/eritrea/)[Other pulses n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-pulses-n-e-c/eritrea/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/eritrea/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/eritrea/)[Millet](https://husfarm.com/production/millet/eritrea/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/eritrea/)
[Agricultural production in Eritrea](https://husfarm.com/production/country/eritrea/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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