+291 explained
The Eritrea country code, 291, is what you dial before a Eritrea number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Eritrea dialing code, Eritrea calling code, or Eritrea phone code. In the Eritrea phone number format, +291 comes first, then the area code and the local number.
- Country code
- +291
- The 00291 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- ER, ERI
- Use the ER country code or the ERI country code on forms and passports. To call Eritrea, dial +291
- Used in
- Eritrea
- No other country or territory dials +291
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- 0
- Drop it after +291
- Number length
- 7 digits
- After +291
- Time now in Eritrea
- Eritrea mobile number format
- 07 123 456
- From abroad: +291 7 123 456
- Eritrea landline number format
- 08 370 362
- From abroad: +291 8 370 362
Eritrea phone number types
The first digits of a Eritrea number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Eritrea phone number, as dialed inside Eritrea and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Eritrea
“ሰላም”
sälam
This is the everyday Tigrinya word for hello. No source describes a separate way Eritreans answer the phone, so callers use this greeting either way
EriTel runs every landline and mobile number in Eritrea. It is the country's only phone company.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in EritreaEritrea had 241,900 mobile phone lines in 2011, the 175th most of any country.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in EritreaEritrea had 58,500 landlines in 2011, the 159th most of any country.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in Eritrea
What it costs to call Eritrea (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.50/minMobile from $0.51/min
Only 93 of 221 countries cost more to call than Eritrea.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Eritrea?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Eritrea fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The 0 is still in the number
The 0 at the start of an Eritrean number is for calls inside Eritrea. From abroad, leave it out: +291 takes its place.
- Connects
- 011 291 8 370 362
- Does not connect
- 011 291 08 370 362
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from most countries. From the US and Canada, dial 011 first instead.
- Connects
- 011 291 8 370 362
- Does not connect
- 00 291 8 370 362
Questions about +291
Which country is +291?
+291, or country code 291, belongs to Eritrea, in the Horn of Africa.
What is +291?
+291 is the part you dial before an Eritrean number when you call from another country. It replaces the trunk 0, and every Eritrean number is 7 digits after it.
What is the difference between +291 and 00291?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code from most countries, so 00291 and +291 reach the same number there. From the US and Canada, dial 011 291 instead.
Do I drop the 0 after +291?
Yes. The 0 is Eritrea's trunk prefix and works only inside the country. Dial +291 7 123 456, not +291 07 123 456.
Can I text a +291 number?
Yes. Write the number as +291 7 followed by the 6-digit mobile number, and your carrier sends the text abroad at its international rate.
How much does it cost to call Eritrea?
A call to Eritrea costs more to a mobile number than to a landline. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Is there more than one phone network in Eritrea?
No. EriTel is Eritrea's only network, and it runs every mobile and landline number in the country.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
ITU, Eritrea national numbering plan (Telecommunication Service of Eritrea / EriTel communications)