There are 8 countries that officially start with the letter E: Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and Ethiopia.
Full List With Key Facts
| Country | Continent | Capital | Approx. Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecuador | South America | Quito | 18 million |
| Egypt | Africa | Cairo | 112 million |
| El Salvador | Central America | San Salvador | 6.3 million |
| Equatorial Guinea | Africa | Malabo | 1.7 million |
| Eritrea | Africa | Asmara | 3.7 million |
| Estonia | Europe | Tallinn | 1.3 million |
| Eswatini | Africa | Mbabane | 1.2 million |
| Ethiopia | Africa | Addis Ababa | 126 million |
Countries in Focus
Ecuador sits on the equator (its name literally means "equator" in Spanish) and is home to the Galápagos Islands, famous for inspiring Darwin's theory of evolution during his 1835 visit.
Egypt is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, straddling both Africa and, via the Sinai Peninsula, a small part of Asia — one of only a handful of transcontinental countries.
Eswatini changed its name from Swaziland in 2018 by royal decree, one of the more recently renamed countries in the world, similar to other geographic trivia you might find when exploring countries starting with H.
Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic states (which also include Latvia and Lithuania, found on our list of countries starting with L) and is one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world, having pioneered widespread e-residency and digital government services.
Ethiopia is the only African country never formally colonized by a European power (aside from a brief Italian occupation), and it uses its own unique calendar system, running roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.
A Note on Name Confusion
Two of the trickiest E-countries for spelling and recognition are Eritrea and Estonia — both start similarly and are often confused despite being on entirely different continents. If you enjoy letter-based geography challenges, you can also explore our guide to countries starting with V. Additionally, Eswatini is frequently searched under its former name "Swaziland."
Frequently Asked Questions
How many countries start with the letter E?
Eight, if you count Eswatini (formerly Swaziland); some older references list only seven if they still categorize it under "S."
Is "England" a country starting with E?
England is a country within the United Kingdom, but it's not typically listed as an independent sovereign nation in most "countries of the world" lists.
Which E country is the largest by population?
Ethiopia, with a population exceeding 126 million, is the most populous country on this list, narrowly ahead of Egypt.
Which E country is the smallest?
Eswatini, with a land area of about 17,000 square kilometers, is the smallest sovereign nation on this list by both area and population.
Are any E countries landlocked?
No — every country on this list has direct coastal access, which is somewhat unusual compared to other letter groupings.
💡 The Takeaway
Watch out for Eritrea/Estonia mix-ups and Eswatini's former name (Swaziland) — those are the two most common trip-ups on this list.
Curious about more country trivia by letter? Browse our full library of guides, or check out our directory of the best AI tools.