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People group profile · PG050209

The Eritreans of Sweden

The Eritreans of Sweden, numbering about 57,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a culturally rich and historically significant Semitic-speaking group in northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, known for their Tigrinya language, Orthodox Christian traditions, and influential role in the region's history and culture.

They are a diaspora people in the Ethio-Semitic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Tigrinya.

Pray for the EritreansPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Eritreans people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Eritrean

Fast facts

Country
Sweden
Population
57,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Ethio-Semitic
Primary language
Tigrinya (tir)
Primary religion
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Northern Europe, Europe

Where they live

Gospel status

The Eritreans are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Eritreans

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity

60% adherents

Primary language

Tigrinya · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Tigrinya

Gospel resources in Tigrinya

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Eritreans

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

Download a prayer guide

Tigrayan in other countries

The same people (ROP3 110050) is reported in 8 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Tigrai/TigrinyaEthiopia8,170,000Engaged yet Unreached
Tigrai/TigrinyaEritrea1,795,000Engaged yet Unreached
TigraiSudan65,500Unengaged and Unreached
EritreansGermany61,000Unengaged and Unreached
TigrayansUnited States60,500Unengaged and Unreached
EritreansItaly25,000Engaged yet Unreached
TigrinyaCanada11,000Engaged yet Unreached
TigraiDjibouti550Engaged yet Unreached

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