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Eritrea is the sole country in the world with a lack of internet for the general population. Only about 1% of the population is known to have used the internet at some time.
Published: August 8, 2025 7:23 AM IST
This country still has no Instagram, no YouTube, no access to Internet, no ATM; not South Sudan, Liberia, Malawi, place is…
The internet plays an important part in our lives. When we need to go somewhere or search for something, we immediately turn to Google. Most of the applications we use on our smartphones are internet-based. Almost every country in the world, not just India, uses the internet. There has been a steady increase in internet usage all over the world. However, there is one peculiar country in the world that still has no internet access.
Why is this country often compared to North Korea?
Eritrea is the only country in the world where citizens have no ability to access internet data on their mobile phones. Mobile data and similar technologies are hardly present in the country at all. Eritrea is the one of the most secretive countries in the world. Eritrea is located in East Africa on the Red Sea, bordered by Djibouti, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Eritrea’s authoritarian rule has led to it being described as the “North Korea of Africa.”
What makes this country’s internet situation different from other low-income nations?
Eritrea covers 117,000 square kilometers and has around 3.5 million inhabitants. According to the Good News Today report, it has no official languages. The people of Eritrea usually speak Tigrinya, Arabic, and English. Some people even speak Cushitic or Afro-Asiatic languages. The capital of Eritrea is Asmara. Asmara is called “Little Rome” because it has many classic Italian buildings. Eritrea is an authoritarian regime.
Since reaching independence, the country has never held an election. Isaias Afwerki has been the president since 1993. Eritrea was under the long-term rule of Ethiopia and Italy. Eritrea was annexed by Ethiopia in 1962. It became its own independent state in 1993. Isaias Afwerki has been the president since 1993. Eritrea was under the long-term rule of Ethiopia and Italy. Eritrea was annexed by Ethiopia in 1962. It became its own independent state in 1993.
Which country completely lacks access to the internet and social media platforms?
Eritrea is the sole country in the world with a lack of internet for the general population. Only about 1% of the population is known to have used the internet at some time.
Eritrea has no mobile data service, and there is no way to use the internet in people’s homes. Internet use is limited to just a handful of cafes scattered across the country. People use these cafes to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi using their mobile devices. However, the internet connection speed in these cafes is extremely slow—often less than 2G.
Most people in Eritrea cannot use the internet regularly because of the expense of these cafes, which charge about 100 Eritrean nakfa (a little over Rs 100) an hour to use the Wi-Fi. Because of the dire economic state of the country, this leaves a very small portion of the population able to afford internet access.
Shubham Nomad, an Indian traveler, released a video on Instagram after his visit to Eritrea. In the video, Shubham mentions that phones in Eritrea are not that smart. It can take about 5 to 10 minutes to even send one WhatsApp message. Photos or videos will not upload or download properly. This is the hard truth about the country.
Why is Eritrea known as the North Korea of Africa?
Eritrea is known as the North Korea of Africa, mainly because it is still under a very strict authoritarian regime, and its citizens have to do mandatory military service. There is nothing in Eritrea that is truly private – hospitals, airlines, transportation, and television are all run by the government.
There are no ATM services in Eritrea, so you have to carry cash everywhere you go. Without cash, you will be unable to buy anything. Eritrea is last in the World Press Freedom Index. There is no independent news and no independent journalists. The only broadcast service is one state-run TV channel, and no foreign channels are permitted.
People cannot leave the country without government permission. Anyone caught trying to leave is reportedly shot on sight. Tourist access to Eritrea is heavily restricted, which is why it is considered one of the least visited places in the world.