Qibla direction in Eritrea
The Qibla in Eritrea lies towards the north. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 3.2° in Massawa to 342.1° in Assab, and the Kaaba is between 594 km and 985 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 8 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in Eritrea can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 338.9°. Af’abet is the closest to the Kaaba (594 km) and Assab the farthest (985 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 7.8°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in Eritrea: questions
What is the Qibla direction in Asmara?
7.8° from true north, towards the north, 683 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in Eritrea is closest to Makkah?
Af’abet, 594 km from the Kaaba, among the 8 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Af’abet | 11.5° | north | 594 km |
| Asmara | 7.8° | north | 683 km |
| Assab | 342.1° | north | 985 km |
| Barentu | 18.2° | north | 741 km |
| Himora | 22.8° | north-east | 862 km |
| Keren | 12.8° | north | 644 km |
| Massawa | 3.2° | north | 648 km |
| Mendefera | 8.2° | north | 734 km |