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Economy of Eritrea vs North Korea compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Eritrea has a GDP of $2.07B compared to $34.9B for North Korea, ranking 179/197 and 106/197 by economy size, respectively.

Eritrea vs North Korea GDP by year

Eritrea
North Korea
1x
Year GDP, current $
Eritrea North Korea
2024 - $34,943,120,000
2023 - $32,155,360,000
2022 - $28,971,360,000
2021 - $32,301,720,000
2020 - $27,728,240,000
2019 - $28,222,880,000
2018 - $28,536,400,000
2017 - $29,105,440,000
2016 - $28,882,640,000
2015 - $30,723,030,000
2014 - $30,554,460,000
2013 - $30,588,922,000
2012 - $29,890,710,000
2011 $2,065,001,626 $29,005,020,000
2010 $1,589,515,447 $25,995,513,000
2009 $1,856,695,551 $23,356,470,000
2008 $1,380,188,800 -
2007 $1,317,974,491 -
2006 $1,211,161,880 -
2005 $1,098,424,686 -
2004 $1,109,054,005 -
2003 $870,248,268 -
2002 $729,321,680 -
2001 $752,371,689 -
2000 $706,370,816 -
1999 $688,918,537 -
1998 $745,523,117 -
1997 $686,490,090 -
1996 $693,535,954 -
1995 $578,015,625 -
1994 $531,688,312 -
1993 $467,872,715 -
1992 $477,101,652 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1992–2011, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/eritrea/north-korea | CC BY

GDP per capita in Eritrea vs North Korea by year

Eritrea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
North Korea
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Eritrea North Korea
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 - - $1,319 -
2023 - - $1,217 -
2022 - - $1,100 -
2021 - - $1,231 -
2020 - - $1,061 -
2019 - - $1,084 -
2018 - - $1,100 -
2017 - - $1,127 -
2016 - - $1,124 -
2015 - - $1,201 $1,700
2014 - - $1,201 $1,800
2013 - - $1,208 -
2012 - - $1,186 -
2011 $689 $1,742 $1,156 $1,800
2010 $540 $1,599 $1,040 -
2009 $643 $1,577 $939 $1,800
2008 $490 $1,547 - $1,800
2007 $480 $1,727 - $1,700
2006 $448 $1,682 - $1,800
2005 $413 $1,674 - $1,700
2004 $427 $1,621 - $1,700
2003 $349 $1,621 - $1,300
2002 $305 $1,702 - $1,000
2001 $325 $1,684 - -
2000 $314 $1,558 - $1,000
1999 $311 $1,597 - $1,000
1998 $342 $1,598 - -
1997 $319 $1,573 - -
1996 $326 $1,449 - -
1995 $285.4 $1,369 - -
1994 $277.8 $1,379 - -
1993 $252.1 $1,149 - -
1992 $265.2 $1,021 - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1992–2011, retrieved 2026-04-06); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2015, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/economy/eritrea/north-korea | CC BY

Eritrea's GDP per capita is $689, ranking 188/197, compared to $1,319 in North Korea, ranking 168/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Eritrea ranks 191st at $1,742, while North Korea ranks 193rd at $1,700.

Economic indicators

Eritrea North Korea
Gross domestic product
$2.07B
2011
$34.9B
2024
GDP rank
179/197
2011
106/197
2024
GDP growth
8.68%
2010-2011
n/a
GDP per capita
$689
2011
$1,319
2024
GDP per capita rank
188/197
2011
168/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,742
2011
$1,700
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
191/197
2011
193/197
2015
Government debt
$3.54B
2011
n/a
Debt-to-GDP ratio
260.4%
2019
n/a
Government debt per person
$1,182
2011
n/a
Government debt per person rank
136/185
2011
n/a
Average annual personal income after taxes
$1,129
2026
$1,426
2026
Government expenditure, % of GDP
31.3%
2019
n/a
Consumer prices inflation
1.3%
2018-2019
n/a
Unemployment rate
5.8%
2017
25.6%
2013
Population
3700586
26659144

Balance of trade

Eritrea North Korea
Current account balance
-$105M
2000
n/a
Current account balance ranking
89/190
2000
n/a
Current account balance, % of GDP
-14.8%
2000
n/a
Goods imports
$471M
2000
n/a
Goods exports
$36.8M
2000
n/a
Service imports
$28.5M
2000
n/a
Service exports
$60.9M
2000
n/a
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
29.2%
2011
n/a
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
18.2%
2011
n/a

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Eritrea North Korea
Economic freedom 39.6 3.1
Economic freedom ranking 188/197 197/197
Property rights 4.8 16.3
Government integrity 10.9 4.3
Judicial effectiveness 5.5 6.3
Tax burden 80.3 0
Government spending 62.3 0
Fiscal health 69 0
Business freedom 30.7 5
Labor freedom 43.4 5
Monetary freedom 80 0
Trade freedom 68.4 0
Investment freedom 0 0
Financial freedom 20 0

Economic freedom comparison by year

Eritrea
North Korea
1x
Year Economic freedom index
Eritrea North Korea
2026 39.6 3.1
2025 38.6 3
2024 39.5 2.9
2023 39.5 2.9
2022 39.7 3
2021 42.3 5.2
2020 38.5 4.2
2019 38.9 5.9
2018 41.7 5.8
2017 42.2 4.9
2016 42.7 2.3
2015 38.9 1.3
2014 38.5 1
2013 36.3 1.5
2012 36.2 1
2011 36.7 1
2010 35.3 1
2009 38.5 2
2008 - 3
2007 - 3
2006 - 4
2005 - 8
2004 - 8.9
2003 - 8.9
2002 - 8.9
2001 - 8.9
2000 - 8.9
1999 - 8.9
1998 - 8.9
1997 - 8.9
1996 - 8.9
1995 - 8.9

Data sources: The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09).

GeoRank.org/economy/eritrea/north-korea | CC BY

The Economic Freedom Index for Eritrea is 39.6, ranking 188/197, compared to 3.1 for North Korea, ranking 197/197. The chart above displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Other economic metrics

Eritrea North Korea
Industry, % of GDP
21.8%
2009
n/a
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
14.1%
2009
n/a
GNI, Atlas method
$1.94B
2011
n/a
GNI per capita, PPP
$1,720
2011
n/a
Total reserves including gold
$192M
2019
n/a
Total reserves ranking
170/177
2019
n/a
Net foreign direct investment
-$27.9M
2000
n/a
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
-$27.9M
2024
$203K
1989
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$0
2024
$0
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
1.07%
2011
n/a
Poverty at national poverty lines
50%
2020
n/a
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
12.6%
2011
n/a

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08).

GeoRank.org/economy/eritrea/north-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (1995–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1999–2020, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | Fiscal Monitor (2011–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  6. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  7. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.