Religious Affiliation By Geography and By Ethnic Group
The highland region is predominantly Christian while Muslims predominate in the east and west lowlands.
Among the ethnic groups of Eritrea the Tigrinya are mainly Orthodox Christian and Catholic (about 95%) and an exception to this is the Jeberti people (Djiberti Tigrinya) who are Muslim (about 5%). More than 50% of the Kunama people are Catholic, with a sizable minority of Muslims and some who practice traditional religions. Approximately 40% of the Bilen people are Christian, the majority being Catholic, but most are Muslim. Along with the Bilen, most members of the Tigre, Saho, Nara, Afar, Rashaida and Beja ethnic groups are Muslim.
The Christian Tigrinyas along with some Muslim Djiberti Tigrinya and Saho live in the central and southern highlands. The eastern lowlands are inhabited by the Afar, the Rashaida along with some of the Saho and Tigre. The border formed between the western lowlands and the central highlands are the home to the Bilen who are concentrated in the Keren area. The area is also home to a large minority of Tigre and Tigrinya. The western lowlands are home to the Beja, Kunama, Nara and the majority of Tigre.
| Ethnic Group | Main Regions | Population | Percentage of total population | Christians | Muslims | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigrigna | Maekel Region, Debub Region | 3,319,680 | 57% | 95% | 4% | 1% |
| Tigre | Gash-Barka Region, Anseba Region, Maekel Region | 1,630,720 | 28% | 6% | 90% | 4% |
| Saho | Northern Red Sea Region, Debub Region | 232,960 | 4% | 7% | 93% | N/A |
| Kunama | Gash-Barka Region | 174,720 | 3% | 41% | 23% | 36% |
| Afar | Southern Red Sea Region | 174,720 | 3% | 2% | 98% | N/A |
| Bilen | Anseba Region | 116,480 | 2% | 48% | 47% | 5% |
| Nara | Gash-Barka Region | 58,240 | 1% | 14% | 85% | 1% |
| Beja | Gash-Barka Region, Anseba Region | 58,240 | 1% | 1% | 98% | 1% |
| Rashaida | Northern Red Sea Region | 58.240 | 1% | N/A | 99% | N.A |
Read more about this topic: Religion In Eritrea
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