# Eritreans in Italy

Eritreans in Italy are residents of Italy who were born in Eritrea or are of Eritrean descent. According to the United Nations, there were 13,592 Eritrean migrants in Italy in 2015.

## History

Italy has had a connection with Eritrea since the acquisition of Assab in 1869 by Raffaele Rubattino. Eritrea officially became an Italian colony in 1889. Prior to the racial laws of Fascist Italy, mixed race children of Italian fathers and Eritrean mothers were entitled to Italian citizenship, as long as they were legally recognized by their fathers. Since Eritrea's independence, Italy has become a destination for Eritrean migrants and asylum seekers.

## Demographics

As of 2021, most Eritrean nationals residing in Italy live in Rome, Milan, and Bologna. The following table lists Italian provinces by Eritrean population.
| Rank | Province | Population (2021) |
| 1 | Rome | 1790 |
| 2 | Milan | 1373 |
| 3 | Bologna | 462 |
| 4 | Parma | 167 |
| 5 | Bari | 163 |
| 6 | Turin | 152 |
| 7 | Florence | 127 |
| 8 | Catania | 118 |
| 9 | Bergamo | 108 |
| 10 | Ragusa | 87 |
| 11 | Naples | 79 |
| 11 | Syracuse | 79 |
| 13 | Venice | 75 |
| 14 | Trapani | 69 |
| 15 | Verona | 65 |
| 16 | Lodi | 64 |
| 17 | Brescia | 58 |
| 18 | Vicenza | 57 |
| 19 | Reggio Calabria | 55 |
| 20 | Agrigento | 53 |
| 21 | Genoa | 52 |
| 22 | Pescara | 51 |
| 23 | Lecco | 50 |
| 24 | Varese | 48 |
| 25 | Latina | 44 |
| 26 | Pordenone | 43 |
| 27 | Udine | 42 |
| 28 | Piacenza | 40 |
| 29 | Cosenza | 39 |
| 30 | Cremona | 37 |
| 30 | Reggio Emilia | 37 |
| 32 | Palermo | 36 |
| 33 | Ancona | 35 |
| 34 | Brindisi | 34 |
| 34 | Como | 34 |
| 34 | Rieti | 34 |
| 34 | Terni | 34 |
| 38 | Perugia | 33 |
| 39 | Campobasso | 32 |
| 39 | Lecce | 32 |
| 39 | Pistoia | 32 |
| 42 | Trentino | 31 |
| 43 | Ravenna | 30 |
| 44 | Monza and Brianza | 29 |
| 44 | Sassari | 29 |
| 46 | Crotone | 28 |
| 46 | Fermo | 28 |
| 46 | Forli-Cesena | 28 |
| 46 | Vercelli | 28 |
| 50 | Matera | 27 |
| 51 | Padova | 24 |
| 51 | Prato | 24 |
| 51 | Teramo | 24 |
| 54 | Modena | 23 |
| 55 | Pisa | 22 |
| 56 | Caserta | 20 |
| 56 | Mantua | 20 |
| 58 | Asti | 19 |
| 58 | Messina | 19 |
| 58 | Rimini | 19 |
| 58 | Treviso | 19 |
| 62 | Chieti | 18 |
| 62 | L'Aquila | 18 |
| 62 | Pavia | 18 |
| 65 | Salerno | 17 |
| 65 | Taranto | 17 |
| 67 | Arezzo | 16 |
| 67 | Cuneo | 16 |
| 69 | Benevento | 15 |
| 69 | Cagliari | 15 |
| 69 | Lucca | 15 |
| 69 | Massa-Carrara | 15 |
| 73 | Biella | 14 |
| 74 | Frosinone | 13 |
| 75 | Savona | 12 |
| 75 | South Tyrol | 12 |
| 75 | Viterbo | 12 |
| 78 | Potenza | 10 |
| 78 | Siena | 10 |
| 78 | Sondrio | 10 |
| 81 | Alessandria | 9 |
| 81 | Livorno | 9 |
| 83 | Avellino | 8 |
| 83 | Caltanissetta | 8 |
| 83 | Macerata | 8 |
| 83 | Trieste | 8 |
| 87 | Ferrara | 7 |
| 88 | Aosta Valley | 6 |
| 88 | Ascoli Piceno | 6 |
| 88 | Catanzaro | 6 |
| 88 | Imperia | 6 |
| 92 | Enna | 5 |
| 92 | Foggia | 5 |
| 92 | Grosseto | 5 |
| 92 | La Spezia | 5 |
| 92 | Rovigo | 5 |
| 97 | Belluno | 4 |
| 97 | Novara | 4 |
| 97 | Nuoro | 4 |
| 97 | Vibo Valentia | 4 |
| 101 | Pesaro and Urbino | 2 |
| 102 | Barletta-Andria-Trani | 1 |
| 102 | Isernia | 1 |
| 102 | Verbano-Cusio-Ossola | 1 |
| 105 | Gorizia | 0 |
| 105 | Oristano | 0 |
| N/A | South Sardinia | Information unavailable |

## Notable people

* Melissa Chimenti
* Elvira Banotti
* Alessandro Ghebreigziabiher
* Gabriella Ghermandi
* Ines Pellegrini
* Senhit (singer)