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{{Short description|Country in the Horn of Africa}} | {{Short description|Country in the Horn of Africa}} | ||
{{Redirect|Erythrea|other uses|Erythrean (disambiguation)|and|Eritrea (disambiguation)|and|Eritrean (disambiguation)}} | {{Redirect|Erythrea|other uses|Erythrean (disambiguation)|and|Eritrea (disambiguation)|and|Eritrean (disambiguation)}} | ||
{{protection padlock|small=yes}} | |||
Current related||2022 Eritrea coup|date=February 2022}} | |||
{{Multiple issues| | |||
{{for|the Greek town|Eretria}} | |||
{{Copy edit|date=October 2024}} | |||
{{More citations needed|date=October 2024}} | |||
}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} | ||
{{Coord|15|N|39|E|display=title}} | |||
{{Infobox country | {{Infobox country | ||
| conventional_long_name = State of Eritrea | | conventional_long_name = State of Eritrea | ||
| common_name = Eritrea | | common_name = Eritrea | ||
| native_name = |
| native_name = {{native name|ti|ሃገረ ኤርትራ|}} | ||
| image_flag = Flag of Eritrea.svg | | image_flag = Flag of Eritrea.svg | ||
| image_coat = Emblem of Eritrea (or argent azur).svg | | image_coat = Emblem of Eritrea (or argent azur).svg | ||
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| map_caption = | | map_caption = | ||
| image_map2 = | | image_map2 = | ||
| national_anthem = |
| national_anthem = {{native name|ti|ኤርትራ ኤርትራ ኤርትራ}}<br />"]"{{parabr}}{{center|]}} | ||
| official_languages = None<ref name="auto3">{{ |
| official_languages = None<ref name="auto3">{{cite web |url=http://www.shaebia.org/constitution.html#CHAP1_ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503234856/http://www.shaebia.org/constitution.html#CHAP1_ |archive-date=3 May 2011 |title=Constitution of the State of Eritrea |publisher=Shaebia.org |access-date=2 May 2010}}</ref> | ||
| national_languages = {{unbulleted list | | national_languages = {{unbulleted list | ||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |] | ||
|] | |||
}} | }} | ||
| languages_type = ]s | | languages_type = ]s | ||
| languages = {{unbulleted list|]|]|]<ref name="MOI Eritrea">{{ |
| languages = {{unbulleted list|]|]|]<ref name="MOI Eritrea">{{cite web |url=https://shabait.com/2009/10/01/eritrea-at-a-glance/ |title=Eritrea at a Glance |date=1 October 2009 |publisher=Eritrea Ministry of Information |access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref>}} | ||
| demonym = {{Plainlist| | | demonym = {{Plainlist| | ||
* ]}} | * ]}} | ||
| ethnic_groups = {{unbulleted list | | ethnic_groups = {{unbulleted list | ||
| |
| 50% ] | ||
| 30% ] | | 30% ] | ||
| 4% ] | | 4% ] | ||
| |
| 4% ] | ||
| |
| 4% ] | ||
| |
| 3% ] | ||
| 2% ] | |||
| 5% Others ], ], ] | |||
| 2% ] | |||
| 1% ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
| |
| ethnic_groups_ref = <ref>{{Citation |title=Eritrea |date=2022-09-23 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/#people-and-society |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en |access-date=2024-04-01}}{{PD-notice}}</ref> | ||
| ethnic_groups_year = 2021 | |||
| capital = ] | | capital = ] | ||
| coordinates = {{Coord|15|20|N|38|55|E|type:city}} | | coordinates = {{Coord|15|20|N|38|55|E|type:city}} | ||
| largest_city = ] | | largest_city = ] | ||
| government_type = |
| government_type = Unitary one-party ] under a ]<ref name="UNHRC">{{cite web|url= http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/CoIEritrea/Pages/ReportCoIEritrea.aspx| title = Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea | website= UNHRC website | date=8 June 2015 |access-date=9 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/eritrea |title=Eritrea: Events of 2016 |date=12 January 2017 |website=Human Rights Watch}}</ref><ref name="Eritrea's Silent Totalitarianism - McGill Journal of Political Studies">{{cite web |url=https://mjps.ssmu.ca/2018/02/21/eritreas-silent-totalitarianism/|title=Eritrea's Silent Totalitarianism |first=Asma |last=Saad |date=21 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44771292 |title=Making peace with 'Africa's North Korea'|first=Fergal|last=Keane|work=BBC News|date=10 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Adam |title=The brutal dictatorship the world keeps ignoring |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/06/12/the-brutal-dictatorship-the-world-keeps-ignoring/ |access-date=20 May 2019 |newspaper=] |date=12 June 2015 |language=en}}</ref> | ||
| leader_title1 = ] | | leader_title1 = ] | ||
| leader_name1 = ] | | leader_name1 = ] | ||
Line 50: | Line 56: | ||
| sovereignty_type = ] | | sovereignty_type = ] | ||
| sovereignty_note = from ] | | sovereignty_note = from ] | ||
| established_event1 = |
| established_event1 = ] | ||
| established_date1 = |
| established_date1 = 1 September 1961 | ||
| established_event2 = '']'' | | established_event2 = '']'' | ||
| established_date2 = 24 May |
| established_date2 = 24 May 1991 | ||
| established_event3 = '']'' | |||
| area_rank = 99th <!-- Should match ] --> | |||
| |
| established_date3 = 24 May 1993 | ||
| |
| area_rank = 97th <!-- Should match ] --> | ||
| |
| area_km2 = 120,000 | ||
| area_sq_mi = 45406 <!--Do not remove per ]--> | |||
| population_estimate = ''3.6-6.7 million<ref name="UNDESA_WPP_2019_total_population">{{cite web | title= World Population Prospects 2019 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227235642/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx |archive-date= 2021-02-27 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="COMESA_ERpop_2019">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Indicators – Population (million people), 2018 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228195303/https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 |archive-date= 2021-02-28 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=Population | Eritrea has never conducted an official government census.<ref name="PHS2010_full">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Population and Health Survey 2010 | website= ], ] |year = 2010 | url =https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf | access-date = 2021-03-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190606121847/https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf |archive-date= 2019-06-06 |url-status=live }}</ref>''}} | |||
| area_footnote = <ref name="Eritrea">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritra/#geography|title=Eritrea|date=27 February 2023|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|via=CIA.gov|access-date=24 February 2023|archive-date=10 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110072816/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea#geography|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Eritrea country profile">{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349078 |title=Eritrea country profile |work=BBC News |date=10 May 2011 |access-date=20 November 2023 |archive-date=20 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120212749/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349078 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="UNHDR">{{cite book|title=Human Development Report 2020 The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene|date=15 December 2020|publisher=United Nations Development Programme|isbn=978-92-1-126442-5|pages=343–346|url=http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/hdr2020.pdf|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref> | |||
| GDP_PPP = $6.88 billion<ref name="IMFWEOER">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/ERI#countrydata |title=The State of Eritrea |publisher=] |website=IMF.org |access-date=1 December 2021}}</ref> | |||
| |
| percent_water = negligible | ||
| population_estimate = 3.6–6.7 million<ref name="UNDESA_WPP_2019_total_population">{{cite web | title= World Population Prospects 2019 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227235642/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx |archive-date= 2021-02-27 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="COMESA_ERpop_2019">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Indicators – Population (million people), 2018 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228195303/https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 |archive-date= 2021-02-28 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=Population | Eritrea has never conducted an official government census.<ref name="PHS2010_full">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Population and Health Survey 2010 | website= ], ] |year = 2010 | url =https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf | access-date = 2021-03-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190606121847/https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf |archive-date= 2019-06-06 |url-status=live }}</ref>}} | |||
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,910<ref name="IMFWEOER"/> | |||
| population_estimate_year = 2020 | |||
| GDP_nominal = $2.25 billion<ref name="IMFWEOER"/> | |||
| GDP_PPP = $6.42 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.ER">{{cite web |url=https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October/weo-report?c=643,&s=NGDPD,PPPGDP,NGDPDPC,PPPPC,&sy=2017&ey=2028&ssm=0&scsm=1&scc=0&ssd=1&ssc=0&sic=0&sort=country&ds=.&br=1 |title=World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Eritrea) |publisher=] |website=IMF.org |date=10 October 2023 |access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref> | |||
| GDP_nominal_year = 2021 | |||
| GDP_PPP_year = 2019 | |||
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = $626<ref name="IMFWEOER"/> | |||
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,835<ref name="IMFWEO.ER"/> | |||
| GDP_nominal = $1.98 billion<ref name="IMFWEO.ER"/> | |||
| GDP_nominal_year = 2019 | |||
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = $566<ref name="IMFWEO.ER"/> | |||
| Gini_year = | | Gini_year = | ||
| Gini_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady--> | | Gini_change = <!--increase/decrease/steady--> | ||
Line 70: | Line 80: | ||
| Gini_ref = | | Gini_ref = | ||
| Gini_rank = | | Gini_rank = | ||
| HDI_year = |
| HDI_year = 2022<!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year--> | ||
| HDI_change = |
| HDI_change = decrease<!--increase/decrease/steady--> | ||
| HDI = 0. |
| HDI = 0.493 <!--number only--> | ||
| HDI_ref = <ref name=" |
| HDI_ref = <ref name="HDI">{{cite web|url=https://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/2023-24_HDR/HDR23-24_Statistical_Annex_HDI_Table.xlsx|title=Human Development Report 2023/2024|language=en|publisher=]|date=19 March 2024|access-date=19 March 2024}}</ref> | ||
| HDI_rank = |
| HDI_rank = 175th | ||
| currency = ] | | currency = ] | ||
| currency_code = ERN | | currency_code = ERN | ||
Line 84: | Line 94: | ||
| calling_code = ] | | calling_code = ] | ||
| cctld = ] | | cctld = ] | ||
| footnotes = {{notelist}} | |||
| religion = ] (50%), ] (48%), Other (<2%)<ref>{{cite web | title = Religions in Eritrea | url = http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/countries/eritrea#/?affiliations_religion_id=0&affiliations_year=2010®ion_name=All%20Countries&restrictions_year=2016 | work =Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project | publisher = ] | accessdate = 13 September 2020}}</ref> | |||
| religion = See ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Contains special characters|Ethiopic|compact=yes}} | {{Contains special characters|Ethiopic|compact=yes}} | ||
'''Eritrea''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɛr|ᵻ|ˈ|t|r| |
'''Eritrea''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Eritrea.wav|ˌ|ɛr|ᵻ|ˈ|t|r|iː|ə}} {{respell|ERR|ih|TREE|ə}} or {{IPAc-en|-|ˈ|t|r|eɪ|-}} {{respell|-|TRAY|-}};,<ref>{{cite Dictionary.com|Eritrea}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite Merriam-Webster|Eritrea|access-date=2010-05-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 August 2012 |title=Name change for Eritrea and other minor corrections |url=https://www.iso.org/files/live/sites/isoorg/files/archive/pdf/en/nl_vi-13_name_change_for_eritrea.pdf |access-date=5 May 2024 |website=International Organization for Standardization}}</ref> {{IPA-ti|ʔer(ɨ)trä|pron|Ertra.ogg}}), officially the '''State of Eritrea''', is a country in the ] region of ], with its capital and largest city being ]. It is bordered by ] in the ], ] in the west, and ] in the southeast. The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the ]. The nation has a total area of approximately {{Convert|117600|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}},<ref name="Eritrea" /><ref name="Eritrea country profile" /> and includes the ] and several of the ]. | ||
Human remains found in Eritrea have been dated to 1 million years old and anthropological research indicates that the area may contain significant records related to the evolution of humans. The ], covering much of modern-day Eritrea and ], was established during the first or second century AD.<ref name="Munro-Hay57">{{cite book |last=Munro-Hay |first=Stuart |date=1991 |url=http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf |title=Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity |location=Edinburgh |publisher=University Press |page=57 |isbn=0-7486-0106-6 |access-date=24 June 2012 |archive-date=23 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123223427/http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf }}</ref><ref name="Paul B. Henze 2005">Henze, Paul B. (2005) ''Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia'', {{ISBN|1-85065-522-7}}.</ref> It adopted ] around the middle of the fourth century.<ref>. Workmall.com (24 March 2007). Retrieved 3 March 2012.</ref> Beginning in the 12th century, the Ethiopian ] and ] dynasties held sway to a fluctuating extent over the entire plateau and the Red Sea coast. Eritrea's central highlands, known as ] ("''Beyond the ]''"), were the northern frontier region of the Ethiopian kingdoms and were ruled by a governor titled the '']'' ("King of the Sea"). In the 16th century, the ] conquered the Eritrean coastline, then in May 1865 much of the coastal lowlands came under the rule of the ], until it was transferred to ] in February 1885. Beginning in 1885–1890, Italian troops systematically spread out from ] toward the highlands, eventually resulting in the formation of the colony of ] in 1889, establishing the present-day boundaries of the country. Italian rule continued until 1942 when Eritrea was placed under ] during World War II; following a UN General Assembly decision in 1952, ] with a local Eritrean parliament, but for foreign affairs and defense, it would enter into a federal status with Ethiopia for ten years. However, in 1962, the government of Ethiopia annulled the Eritrean parliament and ]. The Eritrean secessionist movement organised the ] in 1961 and fought the ] until Eritrea gained ''de facto'' independence in 1991. Eritrea gained ''de jure'' independence in 1993 after ].<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica">{{cite web |title=Encyclopedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Eritrea |website=www.britannica.com|date=18 March 2024 }}</ref> | |||
Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country with nine recognised ethnic groups. Nine different languages are spoken by the nine recognised ethnic groups, the most widely spoken language being ], the others being ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.easo.europa.eu/sites/default/files/public/Eritrea-Report-Final.pdf |title=EASO Country of Origin Information Report: Eritrea Country Focus |publisher=European Asylum Support Office |date=May 2015 |access-date=19 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> ], ], and English serve as the three working languages.<ref name="MOI Eritrea" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shabait.com/amp/2021/05/01/national-unity-eritreas-core-value-for-peace-and-stability/|title = National Unity: Eritrea's core value for peace and stability}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shabait.com/amp/2009/10/01/eritrea-at-a-glance/|title = Eritrea at a Glance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/education/edurights/media/docs/fd48fdd5dc073aa0a88273489a13921296394304.pdf |title=Eritrea Constitution |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=19 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Most residents speak languages from the ] family, either of the ] or ] branches. Among these communities, the ] make up about 55% of the population, with the ] constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are several ]-speaking ] ethnic groups. Most people in the territory adhere to ] or ], with a small minority adhering to ].<ref name="CIA">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/ |title=Eritrea |work=] |date=22 September 2021 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
Contemporary Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country with nine recognised ethnic groups, each of which has a distinct language. The most widely spoken languages are ] and ]. The others are ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.easo.europa.eu/sites/default/files/public/Eritrea-Report-Final.pdf |title=EASO Country of Origin Information Report: Eritrea Country Focus |publisher=European Asylum Support Office |date=May 2015 |access-date=19 August 2021 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609122146/https://www.easo.europa.eu/sites/default/files/public/Eritrea-Report-Final.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> ], ] and ] serve as the three working languages.<ref name="MOI Eritrea" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://shabait.com/amp/2021/05/01/national-unity-eritreas-core-value-for-peace-and-stability/|title = National Unity: Eritrea's core value for peace and stability}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://shabait.com/amp/2009/10/01/eritrea-at-a-glance/|title = Eritrea at a Glance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/education/edurights/media/docs/fd48fdd5dc073aa0a88273489a13921296394304.pdf |title=Eritrea Constitution |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=19 August 2021 }}</ref> Most residents speak languages from the ] family, either of the ] or ] branches. Among these communities, the ] make up about 50% of the population, with the ] constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are several ]-speaking ] ethnic groups. Most people in the country adhere to ] or ], with a small minority adhering to ].<ref name="CIA">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/ |title=Eritrea |work=] |date=22 September 2021 |publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
The ], covering much of modern-day Eritrea and ], was established during the first or second century AD.<ref name="Munro-Hay57">{{cite book |last=Munro-Hay |first=Stuart |date=1991 |url=http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf |title=Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity |location=Edinburgh |publisher=University Press |pages=57 |isbn=0-7486-0106-6}}</ref><ref name="Paul B. Henze 2005">Henze, Paul B. (2005) ''Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia'', {{ISBN|1-85065-522-7}}.</ref> It adopted ] around the middle of the fourth century.<ref>. Workmall.com (24 March 2007). Retrieved 3 March 2012.</ref> In medieval times much of Eritrea fell under the ] kingdom, with a smaller region being part of ]. The creation of modern-day Eritrea is a result of the incorporation of independent, distinct kingdoms (for example, ] and the ]) eventually resulting in the formation of ]. After the defeat of the Italian colonial army in 1942, Eritrea was administered by the ] until 1952. Following the UN General Assembly decision in 1952, Eritrea would govern itself with a local Eritrean parliament, but for foreign affairs and defense, it would enter into a federal status with Ethiopia for ten years. However, in 1962, the government of Ethiopia annulled the Eritrean parliament and formally annexed Eritrea. The Eritrean secessionist movement organised the ] in 1961 and fought the ] until Eritrea gained ''de facto'' independence in 1991. Eritrea gained ''de jure'' independence in 1993 after ]. | |||
Eritrea is a unitary ] presidential republic in which ] have never been held.<ref name="gi"/><ref name=" |
Eritrea is one of the ]. It is a unitary ] in which ] have never been held.<ref name="gi"/><ref name="Eritrea's Silent Totalitarianism - McGill Journal of Political Studies" /> ] has served as president since its official independence in 1993. According to ], the ] is among the worst in the world.<ref name="hrw"/> The Eritrean government has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated.<ref name="Tesf">{{cite web|title=Human Rights and Eritrea's Reality|url=http://www.tesfanews.net/wp-content/uploads/Human-Rights-and-Eritreas-Reality.pdf|website=E Smart|publisher=E Smart Campaign|access-date=12 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084731/http://www.tesfanews.net/wp-content/uploads/Human-Rights-and-Eritreas-Reality.pdf|archive-date=19 August 2014}}</ref> ] in Eritrea is extremely limited; the ] consistently ranks it as one of the least free countries. As of 2022 ] considers the country to be among those with the least press freedom.<ref name="RSF">{{cite web |title=Eritrea: A dictatorship in which the media have no rights |url=https://rsf.org/en/eritrea |access-date=13 March 2023 |website=Reporters Without Borders}}</ref> Eritrea is a member of the ], the ], and the ], and is an ] in the ] alongside Brazil and ].<ref name="edition.cnn.com">{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/30/world/meast/arab-league-fast-facts/ |title=Arab League Fast Facts |work=CNN |date=18 March 2016 |access-date=5 June 2016}}</ref> | ||
== Etymology == | |||
Eritrea is a member of the ], the ], and the ], and is an ] in the ] alongside Brazil and ].<ref name="edition.cnn.com">{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/30/world/meast/arab-league-fast-facts/ |title=Arab League Fast Facts |work=CNN |date=18 March 2016 |access-date=5 June 2016}}</ref> | |||
The name ''Eritrea'' is derived from the ancient (originally Greek) name for the ], the Erythraean Sea ({{lang|grc|]}} {{lang|grc-Latn|Erythra Thalassa}}, based on the adjective {{lang|grc|ἐρυθρός}} {{lang|grc-Latn|erythros}} "red"). It was first formally adopted in 1890, with the formation of ] (''Colonia Eritrea'').<ref name="ConnellKillion2010">{{cite book|author1=Dan Connell|author2=Tom Killion|title=Historical Dictionary of Eritrea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYsgpIc3mrsC&pg=PA7|date=14 October 2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7505-0|pages=7–}}</ref> The name persisted throughout subsequent ] and ] occupation, and was reaffirmed by the ] and ].<ref>"Today, 23 May 1997, on this historic date, after active popular participation, approve and solemnly ratify, through the Constituent Assembly, this Constitution as the fundamental law of our Sovereign and Independent State of Eritrea." | |||
{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104131633/http://www.eritrean-embassy.se/government-agencies/eritrea-constitution/ |date=4 November 2016 }}</ref> | |||
== |
== History == | ||
The name ''Eritrea'' is derived from the ancient Greek name for the ] ({{lang|grc|]}} {{lang|grc-Latn|Erythra Thalassa}}, based on the adjective {{lang|grc| ἐρυθρός }} {{lang|grc-Latn|erythros}} "red"). It was first formally adopted in 1890, with the formation of ] (''Colonia Eritrea'').<ref name="ConnellKillion2010">{{cite book|author1=Dan Connell|author2=Tom Killion|title=Historical Dictionary of Eritrea|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYsgpIc3mrsC&pg=PA7|date=14 October 2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7505-0|pages=7–}}</ref> The name persisted over the course of subsequent ] and ] occupation, and was reaffirmed by the ] and ].<ref>"Today, 23 May 1997, on this historic date, after active popular participation, approve and solemnly ratify, through the Constituent Assembly, this Constitution as the fundamental law of our Sovereign and Independent State of Eritrea." | |||
</ref> | |||
==History== | |||
{{main|History of Eritrea}} | {{main|History of Eritrea}} | ||
===Prehistory=== | === Prehistory === | ||
] region of Eritrea dated to |
] region of Eritrea, dated to 5,000–10,000 years ago]] | ||
Buya in Eritrea |
] is the name of a fossil found at an archaeological site in Eritrea by Italian anthropologists. She has been identified as among the oldest ] fossils found to date that reveal significant stages in the evolution of humans and to represent a possible link between the earlier '']'' and an archaic '']''. Her remains have been dated to 1 million years old. She is the oldest skeletal find of her kind and provides a link between earlier hominids and the earliest ].<ref>{{Cite book|isbn=978-0-07-913665-7|title=McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology|edition=9th|publisher=The McGraw Hill Companies Inc.|year=2002|title-link=McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology}}</ref> It is believed that the section of the ] in Eritrea was a major site in terms of human evolution and may contain other traces of evolution from ''Homo erectus'' hominids to anatomically modern humans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://exn.ca/hominids/pleistocenepark.cfm|title=Pleistocene Park|access-date=2 October 2006|date=8 September 1999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991013050335/http://exn.ca/hominids/pleistocenepark.cfm|archive-date=13 October 1999|last1=Chang|first1=Gloria|website=Hunting Hominids|publisher=Discovery Channel Canada}}</ref> | ||
During the last interglacial period, the ] coast of Eritrea was occupied by early anatomically modern humans.<ref name="pmid10811218">{{Cite journal | last1 = Walter | first1 = R. C. | last2 = Buffler | first2 = R. T. | last3 = Bruggemann | first3 = J. H. | last4 = Guillaume | first4 = M. M. M. | last5 = Berhe | first5 = S. M. | last6 = Negassi | first6 = B. | last7 = Libsekal | first7 = Y. | last8 = Cheng | first8 = H. | last9 = Edwards | first9 = R. L. | last10 = Von Cosel | doi = 10.1038/35011048 | first10 = R. | last11 = Néraudeau | first11 = D. | last12 = Gagnon | first12 = M. | title = Early human occupation of the Red Sea coast of Eritrea during the last interglacial | journal = Nature | volume = 405 | issue = 6782 | pages = 65–69 | year = 2000 | pmid =10811218| bibcode = 2000Natur.405...65W | s2cid = 4417823 }}</ref> It is believed that the area was on the route out of Africa that some scholars suggest was used by early humans to colonize the rest of the Old World.<ref name="pmid10811218"/> In 1999, the Eritrean Research Project Team composed of Eritrean, Canadian, American, Dutch and French scientists discovered a ] site with stone and obsidian tools dated to |
During the last interglacial period, the ] coast of Eritrea was occupied by early anatomically modern humans.<ref name="pmid10811218">{{Cite journal | last1 = Walter | first1 = R. C. | last2 = Buffler | first2 = R. T. | last3 = Bruggemann | first3 = J. H. | last4 = Guillaume | first4 = M. M. M. | last5 = Berhe | first5 = S. M. | last6 = Negassi | first6 = B. | last7 = Libsekal | first7 = Y. | last8 = Cheng | first8 = H. | last9 = Edwards | first9 = R. L. | last10 = Von Cosel | doi = 10.1038/35011048 | first10 = R. | last11 = Néraudeau | first11 = D. | last12 = Gagnon | first12 = M. | title = Early human occupation of the Red Sea coast of Eritrea during the last interglacial | journal = Nature | volume = 405 | issue = 6782 | pages = 65–69 | year = 2000 | pmid =10811218| bibcode = 2000Natur.405...65W | s2cid = 4417823 }}</ref> It is believed that the area was on the route out of Africa that some scholars suggest was used by early humans to colonize the rest of the Old World.<ref name="pmid10811218"/> In 1999, the Eritrean Research Project Team composed of Eritrean, Canadian, American, Dutch, and French scientists discovered a ] site with stone and obsidian tools dated to more than 125,000 years old near the ] south of ], along the Red Sea littoral. The tools are believed to have been used by early humans to harvest marine resources such as clams and oysters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://exn.ca/hominids/outofafrica.cfm|access-date=2 October 2006|title=Out of Africa|date=10 September 1999|archive-date=28 September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928035536/http://www.exn.ca/hominids/outofafrica.cfm}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Zarins, Juris |year=1990|title=Early Pastoral Nomadism and the Settlement of Lower Mesopotamia|journal=Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research|volume=280 |issue=280|pages=31–65|jstor=1357309|doi=10.2307/1357309|s2cid=163491760}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1126/science.1078208 | last1 = Diamond | first1 = J. | last2 = Bellwood | first2 = P. | title = Farmers and Their Languages: The First Expansions | journal = Science | volume = 300 | issue = 5619 | pages = 597–603 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12714734|bibcode = 2003Sci...300..597D | citeseerx = 10.1.1.1013.4523 | s2cid = 13350469 }}</ref><ref name="Blench143144">{{cite book|last1=Blench|first1=R.|title=Archaeology, Language, and the African Past|date=2006|publisher=Rowman Altamira|isbn=978-0-7591-0466-2|pages=143–144|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=esFy3Po57A8C}}</ref> | ||
<ref>{{cite journal|author=Zarins, Juris |year=1990|title=Early Pastoral Nomadism and the Settlement of Lower Mesopotamia|journal=Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research|volume=280 |issue=280|pages=31–65|jstor=1357309|doi=10.2307/1357309|s2cid=163491760}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1126/science.1078208 | last1 = Diamond | first1 = J. | last2 = Bellwood | first2 = P. | title = Farmers and Their Languages: The First Expansions | journal = Science | volume = 300 | issue = 5619 | pages = 597–603 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12714734|bibcode = 2003Sci...300..597D | citeseerx = 10.1.1.1013.4523 | s2cid = 13350469 }}</ref><ref name="Blench143144">{{cite book|last1=Blench|first1=R.|title=Archaeology, Language, and the African Past|date=2006|publisher=Rowman Altamira|isbn=978-0759104662|pages=143–144|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=esFy3Po57A8C}}</ref> | |||
===Antiquity=== | === Antiquity === | ||
{{main|Gash Group|Land of Punt|Dʿmt}} | {{main|Gash Group|Land of Punt|Dʿmt}} | ||
Research shows tools found in the ] dating from 8,000 BC appear to offer the first concrete evidence of human settlement in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iJ9yAAAAMAAJ&q=Tools+found+in+the+Barka+Valley+from+8000BC|title=Eritrea: A Country Handbook|first=Dan|last=Connell|date=24 May 2002|publisher=Ministry of Information|via=Google Books}}</ref> Research also shows that many of the ethnic groups of Eritrea were the first to inhabit these areas.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7pReFaFC3fQC|title=Eritrea|first=Mussie Tesfagiorgis|last=G|date=24 May 2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-231-9|via=Google Books}}</ref> | |||
]]] | |||
Research shows tools found in the Barka Valley dating from 8000 BC appear to offer the first concrete evidence of human settlement in the area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iJ9yAAAAMAAJ&q=Tools+found+in+the+Barka+Valley+from+8000BC|title=Eritrea: A Country Handbook|first=Dan|last=Connell|date=24 May 2002|publisher=Ministry of Information|via=Google Books}}</ref> Research also shows that many of the ethnic groups of Eritrea were the first to inhabit these areas.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7pReFaFC3fQC|title=Eritrea|first=Mussie Tesfagiorgis|last=G|date=24 May 2010|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781598842319|via=Google Books}}</ref> | |||
Excavations in and near ] in central Eritrea yielded the remains of an ancient pre-Aksumite civilization known as the ].<ref name="Leclant402">{{cite book|last1=Leclant|first1=Jean|title=Sesto Congresso internazionale di egittologia: atti, Volume 2|date=1993|publisher=International Association of Egyptologists|page=402|url=https:// |
Excavations in and near ] in central Eritrea yielded the remains of an ancient pre-Aksumite civilization known as the ].<ref name="Leclant402">{{cite book|last1=Leclant|first1=Jean|title=Sesto Congresso internazionale di egittologia: atti, Volume 2|date=1993|publisher=International Association of Egyptologists|page=402|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0B1yAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> Ceramics were discovered that were dated back to between 2,500 and 1,500 BC.<ref name="Cole">{{cite book|last1=Cole|first1=Sonia Mary|title=The Prehistory of East|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|date=1964|page=273}}</ref> | ||
Around |
Around 2,000 BC, parts of Eritrea were most likely part of the ], first mentioned in the twenty-fifth century BC.<ref>Najovits, Simson (2004) ''Egypt, trunk of the tree, Volume 2'', Algora Publishing, p. 258, {{ISBN|0-87586-256-X}}.</ref><ref name="independent.co.uk">{{cite news|title= Baboon mummy analysis reveals Eritrea and Ethiopia as location of land of Punt |access-date= 26 April 2010 |work= The Independent|date= 26 April 2010 |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/baboon-mummy-analysis-reveals-eritrea-and-ethiopia-as-location-of-land-of-punt-1954547.html|author=Jarus, Owen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=NATHANIEL J. DOMINY1 |author2=SALIMA IKRAM |author3=GILLIAN L. MORITZ |author4=JOHN N. CHRISTENSEN |author5=PATRICK V. WHEATLEY |author6=JONATHAN W. CHIPMAN |title=Mummified baboons clarify ancient Red Sea trade routes |url=http://meeting.physanth.org/program/2015/session45/dominy-2015-mummified-baboons-clarify-ancient-red-sea-trade-routes.html |publisher=American Association of Physical Anthropologists |access-date=25 June 2016 |archive-date=30 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730055118/http://meeting.physanth.org/program/2015/session45/dominy-2015-mummified-baboons-clarify-ancient-red-sea-trade-routes.html }}</ref> It was known for producing and exporting ], aromatic ]s, ], ], ], and wild animals. The region is known from ancient Egyptian records of trade expeditions to it, especially a well-documented expedition to Punt in approximately 1,469 BC during the reestablishment of disrupted trade routes by ] shortly after the beginning of her rule as the king of ancient Egypt.<ref name="Shaw & Nicholson, p.231">Shaw & Nicholson, p.231.</ref><ref name=":210">{{Cite news|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/punt/|title=Punt|newspaper=World History Encyclopedia|access-date=2017-11-27}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Pharmacographia|first1=Friedrich August|last1=Flückiger|first2=Daniel|last2=Hanbury|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-06930-4|date=2014-03-20|page=136|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iTTeAgAAQBAJ&q=opone+punt&pg=PA136}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=In Search of Myths & Heroes: Exploring Four Epic Legends of the World|first=Michael|last=Wood|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-24724-6|date=2005|page=|url=https://archive.org/details/insearchofmythsh00mich|url-access=registration|quote=opone punt.}}</ref> | ||
Excavations at ] found evidence of an ancient pre-] civilization in greater Asmara. This Ona urban culture is believed to have been among the oldest pastoral and agricultural communities in ]. Artifacts at the site have been dated to between 800 BC and 400 BC, contemporaneous with other pre-Aksumite settlements in the Eritrean and Ethiopian highlands during the mid-first millennium BC.<ref name="Schmidt">{{cite journal|last1=Schmidt|first1=Peter R.|title=The 'Ona' culture of greater Asmara: archaeology's liberation of Eritrea's ancient history from colonial paradigms|journal=Journal of Eritrean Studies|year=2002|volume=1|issue=1|pages=29–58|url=http://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=270036407&DB=p|access-date=8 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="Avanzini">{{cite book|last1=Avanzini|first1=Alessandra|title=Profumi d'Arabia: atti del convegno|date=1997|publisher=L'ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER|isbn=978- |
Excavations at ] found evidence of an ancient pre-] civilization in greater Asmara. This Ona urban culture is believed to have been among the oldest pastoral and agricultural communities in ]. Artifacts at the site have been dated to between 800 BC and 400 BC, contemporaneous with other pre-Aksumite settlements in the Eritrean and Ethiopian highlands during the mid-first millennium BC.<ref name="Schmidt">{{cite journal|last1=Schmidt|first1=Peter R.|title=The 'Ona' culture of greater Asmara: archaeology's liberation of Eritrea's ancient history from colonial paradigms|journal=Journal of Eritrean Studies|year=2002|volume=1|issue=1|pages=29–58|url=http://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=270036407&DB=p|access-date=8 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="Avanzini">{{cite book|last1=Avanzini|first1=Alessandra|title=Profumi d'Arabia: atti del convegno|date=1997|publisher=L'ERMA di BRETSCHNEIDER|isbn=978-88-7062-975-0|page=280|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3zOlYZmJiiAC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=270036407&DB=p|title=The 'Ona' culture of greater Asmara: archaeology's liberation of Eritrea's ancient history from colonial paradigms|first=Peter R.|last=Schmidt|date=24 May 2002|journal=Journal of Eritrean Studies (Asmara)|volume=1|issue=1|pages=29–58|via=www.africabib.org}}</ref> | ||
==== |
==== D'mt ==== | ||
{{main|Dʿmt}} | {{main|Dʿmt}} | ||
], dating from the ] ( |
], dating from the ] (first century BC or earlier)]] | ||
] was a kingdom that existed from the |
] was a kingdom that existed from the tenth to fifth centuries BC in what is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. Given the presence of a massive temple complex at ], this area was most likely the kingdom's capital. ], often identified as the town of Koloe in the '']'',<ref>Huntingford, G.W.B. (1989) ''Historical Geography of Ethiopia from the first century AD to 1704''. London: British Academy. pp. 38 ff</ref> as well as ] were important ancient Dʿmt kingdom cities in southern Eritrea. | ||
The realm developed ] schemes, used ]s, grew ], and made ] tools and weapons. After the fall of Dʿmt in the |
The realm developed ] schemes, used ]s, grew ], and made ] tools and weapons. After the fall of Dʿmt in the fifth century BC, the plateau came to be dominated by smaller successor kingdoms. This lasted until the rise of one of these polities during the first century, the ], which was able to reunite the area.<ref>Pankhurst, Richard K.P. (17 January 2003) {{cite web |url=http://www.addistribune.com/Archives/2003/01/17-01-03/Let.htm |title=Let's Look Across the Red Sea I |access-date=2006-01-09 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109162335/http://www.addistribune.com/Archives/2003/01/17-01-03/Let.htm |archive-date=9 January 2006}}, ''Addis Tribune''</ref> | ||
====Kingdom of Aksum==== | ==== Kingdom of Aksum ==== | ||
{{main|Kingdom of Aksum}} | {{main|Kingdom of Aksum}} | ||
]]] | |||
The ] (or Axum) was a trading empire centered in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia.<ref>{{cite book|date= 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=48|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xeJMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA48|title=The Oxford Companion to Archaeology|author=Phillipson, David |isbn=978-0-19-973578-5|editor=Neil Asher Silberman}}</ref> It existed from approximately 100–940 AD, growing from the proto-Aksumite ] period around the fourth century BC to achieve prominence by the first century AD. | |||
According to the medieval ''Liber Axumae'' (]), Aksum's first capital, Mazaber, was built by Itiyopis, son of Cush.<ref name="Agrvt">{{cite book|title=Africa Geoscience Review, Volume 10|date=2003|publisher=Rock View International|page=366|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> The capital was later moved to ] in northern Ethiopia. The kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the fourth century.<ref name="Munro-Hay57"/><ref name="Paul B. Henze 2005"/> | |||
The ] (or Axum) was a trading empire centered in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia.<ref>{{cite book|date= 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|page=48|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=xeJMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA48|title=The Oxford Companion to Archaeology|author=Phillipson, David |isbn=978-0-19-973578-5|editor=Neil Asher Silberman}}</ref> It existed from approximately 100–940 AD, growing from the proto-Aksumite ] period around the 4th century BC to achieve prominence by the 1st century AD. | |||
The Aksumites erected a number of large ], which served a religious purpose in pre-] times. One of these granite columns, the ], is the largest such structure in the world, standing at {{convert|90|ft|m|abbr=off}}.<ref name="Eospvo">{{cite book|last=Brockman|first=Norbert|title=Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, Volume 1|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-654-6 |page=30 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkSk4euA-TEC}}</ref> Under ] (] 320–360), Aksum later adopted Christianity.<ref name="Munro-Hay">{{cite book|last1=Munro-Hay|first1=Stuart C. |title=Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity|date=1991|publisher=]|isbn=978-0-7486-0106-6|page=77|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RlRzAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> | |||
According to the medieval ''Liber Axumae'' (]), Aksum's first capital, Mazaber, was built by Itiyopis, son of Cush.<ref name="Agrvt">{{cite book|title=Africa Geoscience Review, Volume 10|date=2003|publisher=Rock View International|page=366|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> The capital was later moved to ] in northern Ethiopia. The kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the 4th century.<ref name="Munro-Hay57"/><ref name="Paul B. Henze 2005"/> | |||
Christianity was the first ] to be adopted in modern Eritrea and the oldest monastery in the country, ], was built in the fourth century. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Africa and the world.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi-KQchGks8C&pg=PA187|title=Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide|first1=Edward|last1=Denison|first2=Edward|last2=Paice|date=24 May 2007|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-171-5|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=April 2023}} ], the second oldest monastery, was said to have been founded in the late fifth or early sixth century. Originally located in the village of Ham, it was moved to an inaccessible location on the edge of a cliff below the Ham plateau. Its church contains the Golden Gospel, a metal-covered bible dating to the thirteenth century during which Debre Libanos was an important seat of religious power.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYsgpIc3mrsC&q=debre+libanos+eritrea&pg=PA164|title=Historical Dictionary of Eritrea, 2nd Edition|first1=Dan|last1=Connell|first2=Tom|last2=Killion|date=2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc|isbn=978-0-8108-7505-0|via=Google Books}}</ref> | |||
The Aksumites erected a number of large ], which served a religious purpose in pre-] times. One of these granite columns, the ], is the largest such structure in the world, standing at {{convert|90|ft|m|abbr=off}}.<ref name="Eospvo">{{cite book|last=Brockman|first=Norbert|title=Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, Volume 1|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1598846546 |page=30 |url=https://www.google.com/books?id=JkSk4euA-TEC}}</ref> Under ] (] 320–360), Aksum later adopted Christianity.<ref name="Munro-Hay">{{cite book|last1=Munro-Hay|first1=Stuart C. |title=Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity|date=1991|publisher=]|isbn=978-0748601066|page=77|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=RlRzAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> | |||
In the seventh century AD, early ]s from ], at least ] of the ] ], sought refuge from ]i ] by travelling to the kingdom, a journey known in ] as the ]. They reportedly built the ] African ], that is the ] in Massawa.<ref name="Reid2012Massawa">{{cite book |last=Reid |first=Richard J. |title=A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present |publisher=] |chapter=The Islamic Frontier in Eastern Africa |page=106 |isbn=978-0-470-65898-7 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=US6RQtYwasUC |date=12 January 2012 |access-date=15 March 2015}}</ref> | |||
Christianity was the first ] to be adopted in Eritrea and the oldest monastery in the country ] was built during the 4th century. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Africa and the world.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi-KQchGks8C&pg=PA187|title=Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide|first1=Edward|last1=Denison|first2=Edward|last2=Paice|date=24 May 2007|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=9781841621715|via=Google Books}}</ref> ], the second oldest monastery, was said to have been founded in the late fifth or early sixth century. Originally located in the village of Ham, it was moved to an inaccessible location on the edge of a cliff below the Ham plateau. Its church contains the Golden Gospel, a metal-covered bible dating to the 13th century during which Debre Libanos was an important seat of religious power.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SYsgpIc3mrsC&q=debre+libanos+eritrea&pg=PA164|title=Historical Dictionary of Eritrea, 2nd Edition|first1=Dan|last1=Connell|first2=Tom|last2=Killion|date=2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc|isbn=9780810875050|via=Google Books}}</ref> | |||
The kingdom is mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' as an important market place for ], which was exported throughout the ancient world. At the time, Aksum was ruled by ], who also governed the port of ].<ref name="Periplusme"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814160845/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/periplus.html |date=14 August 2014 }}, chs. 4, 5</ref> The Aksumite rulers facilitated trade by minting their own ].<ref name="Raffaele2007">{{cite journal |first=Paul |last=Raffaele |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/ark-covenant-200712.html?c=y&page=1 |title=Keepers of the Lost Ark?|journal=Smithsonian Magazine |date=December 2007 |access-date= 5 April 2011}}</ref> | |||
In the 7th century, early ]s from ], at least ] of the ] ], sought refuge from ]i ] by travelling to the kingdom, a journey known in ] as the ]. They reportedly built the ] African ], that is the ].<ref name="Reid2012Massawa">{{cite book |last=Reid |first=Richard J. |title=A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present |publisher=] |chapter=The Islamic Frontier in Eastern Africa |page=106 |isbn=978-0470658987 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=US6RQtYwasUC |date=12 January 2012 |access-date=15 March 2015}}</ref> | |||
===Early Modern Period=== | |||
The kingdom is mentioned in the ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' as an important market place for ], which was exported throughout the ancient world. Aksum was at the time ruled by ], who also governed the port of ].<ref name="Periplusme">, chs. 4, 5</ref> The Aksumite rulers facilitated trade by minting their own ].<ref name="Raffaele2007">{{cite journal |first=Paul |last=Raffaele |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/ark-covenant-200712.html?c=y&page=1 |title=Keepers of the Lost Ark?|journal=Smithsonian Magazine |date=December 2007 |access-date= 5 April 2011}}</ref> | |||
{{main|Mereb Melash|Habesh Eyalet}} | |||
], c. 1770.]] | |||
Pre-colonial Eritrea had four distinct regions divided by geography that had limited contact with each other. The ] ]-speaking Christians controlled the highlands, the nomadic ] and ] clans the western lowlands, the Arabic Muslims of ] and Dahlak, and the ] ]s the ] region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=WARNER |first=JASON |date=2015-08-10 |title=The African Garrison State: Human Rights and Political Development in Eritrea by Kjetil Tronvoll and Daniel R. Mekonnen Woodbridge: James Currey, 2014. Pp. 212. £45 (hbk) |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022278x15000531 |journal=The Journal of Modern African Studies |volume=53 |issue=3 |pages=500–501 |doi=10.1017/s0022278x15000531 |issn=0022-278X}}</ref> | |||
===Middle Ages=== | |||
====Medri Bahri==== | |||
{{main|Medri Bahri|Habesh Eyalet|Sultanate of Aussa}} | |||
] was an important leader of the Eritrean resistance to foreign domination specifically against northern Ethiopian and Italian colonialism.]] | |||
After the decline of Aksum, the Eritrean highlands were under the domain of the ] Kingdom of ], ruled by a ] (or Bahri Negash, meaning "sea king"). The area was at first known as ''Ma'ikele Bahri'' ("between the seas/rivers", i.e. the land between the ] and the ]).<ref>Tamrat, Taddesse (1972) ''Church and State in Ethiopia (1270–1527)''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 74.</ref> The entire coastal domain of Ma'ikele Bahri was under the ] during the reign of Sultan ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Owens |first1=Travis |title=BELEAGUERED MUSLIM FORTRESSES AND ETHIOPIAN IMPERIAL EXPANSION FROM THE 13TH TO THE 16TH CENTURY |publisher=NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL |page=23 |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a483490.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pouwels |first1=Randall |title=The History of Islam in Africa |date=31 March 2000 |publisher=Ohio University Press |page=229 |isbn=9780821444610 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1Ipt5A9mLMC&q=Sawakin+adal&pg=PA229}}</ref> The state was later reconquered by the Ethiopian Emperor ] and renamed the Medri Bahri ("Sea land" in Tigrinya, although it included some areas like ] on the other side of the Mereb, today in Ethiopia).<ref>Kendie, Daniel (2005) ''The Five Dimensions of the Eritrean Conflict 1941–2004: Deciphering the Geo-Political Puzzle''. Signature Book Printing, Inc. pp. 17–18.</ref> With its capital at ],<ref>Denison, Edward; Ren, Guang Yu and Gebremedhin, Naigzy (2003) ''Asmara: Africa's secret modernist city''. {{ISBN|1858942098}}. p. 20</ref> the state's main provinces were ], ] and ]. | |||
After the decline of Aksum, the Eritrean highlands fell under the domain of the ] ], and later under the sphere of influence of the ].<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica"/> The area was first known as ''Ma'ikele Bahri'' ("between the seas/rivers", i.e. the land between the ] and the ]), and later renamed the Medri Bahri ("Sea land" in Tigrinya).<ref>Tamrat, Taddesse (1972) ''Church and State in Ethiopia (1270–1527)''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 74.</ref> The region, ruled by a local governor called the '']'', was first documented in an obscure land grant of the 11th-century ] king ]. He considered the unnamed Bahr Negash one of his ''seyyuman'' or "appointed ones".<ref>{{cite book |last=Derat |first=Marie-Laure |year=2020 |chapter=Before the Solomonids: Crisis, Renaissance and the Emergence of the Zagwe Dynasty (Seventh–Thirteenth Centuries) |title=A Companion to Medieval Ethiopia and Eritrea |publisher=Brill |editor=Samantha Kelly|pages=43–44}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Owens |first1=Travis |title=BELEAGUERED MUSLIM FORTRESSES AND ETHIOPIAN IMPERIAL EXPANSION FROM THE 13TH TO THE 16TH CENTURY |publisher=NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL |page=23 |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a483490.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020204/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a483490.pdf|url-status=live|archive-date=12 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Pouwels |first1=Randall |title=The History of Islam in Africa |date=31 March 2000 |publisher=Ohio University Press |page=229 |isbn=978-0-8214-4461-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J1Ipt5A9mLMC&q=Sawakin+adal&pg=PA229}}</ref> Ethiopian Emperor ] strengthened imperial presence in the area by increasing the power of the Bahr Negash and placing him above other local chiefs, establishing a military colony of settlers from ], and forcing the Muslims on the coast to pay tribute.<ref>Kendie, Daniel (2005) ''The Five Dimensions of the Eritrean Conflict 1941–2004: Deciphering the Geo-Political Puzzle''. Signature Book Printing, Inc. pp. 17–18.</ref><ref>Denison, Edward; Ren, Guang Yu, and Gebremedhin, Naigzy (2003) ''Asmara: Africa's secret modernist city''. {{ISBN|1-85894-209-8}}. p. 20</ref> | |||
By 1517, the Ottomans had succeeded in conquering Medri Bahri. They occupied all of northeastern present-day Eritrea for the next two decades, an area which stretched from ] to ] in Sudan.<ref name="MB01"/> The territory became an Ottoman governorate, known as the ]. Massawa served as the new province's first capital. When the city became of secondary economical importance, the administrative capital was soon moved across the Red Sea to ].<ref name=encaet>{{cite book|author=Siegbert Uhlig|title=Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=X38lxaUjm1MC&pg=PA951|year=2005|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-05238-2|page=951}}</ref> | |||
The first Westerner to visit Eritrea was |
The first Westerner to document a visit to Eritrea was Portuguese explorer ] in 1520. He recounted his journey through the principality ruled by the Bahr Negus, highlighting three key cities, with ] as the capital. He then detailed the border demarcation at the ] with the province of Tigray and recounted the difficulties in transporting certain goods across the border. His books have the first description of the local powers of ] and the Bahr Negus (lord of the lands by the sea)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dacb.org/stories/ethiopia/alvares-f/|title=Francisco Álvares|access-date=2020-09-07|website=dacb.org}}</ref> | ||
] illustrating ''Midrabahr'' (Midri Bahri) in the northern part of ].]] | |||
The contemporary coast of Eritrea guaranteed the connection to the region of Tigray, where the Portuguese had a small colony, and to the interior ]n allies of the Portuguese. Massawa was also the stage for the 1541 landing of troops by ] in the military campaign that eventually defeated the ] in the ] in 1543.<ref>{{cite web|last=Pereira|first=Hugo|title=Uma força Expedicionária Portuguesa na Campanha da Etiópia de 1541-1543|url=https://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstream/10400.26/6888/1/Uma%20for%C3%A7a%20Expedicion%C3%A1ria%20Portuguesa%20na%20Campanha%20da%20Eti%C3%B3pia...pdf}}</ref> | |||
By 1557, the ] had succeeded in occupying all of northeastern present-day Eritrea for the following two decades, an area that stretched from Massawa to ] in Sudan.<ref name="MB01"/> The territory became an Ottoman governorate, known as the ], with a capital at Massawa. When the city became of secondary economic importance, the administrative capital moved across the Red Sea to ].<ref name=encaet>{{cite book|author=Siegbert Uhlig|title=Encyclopaedia Aethiopica: D-Ha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X38lxaUjm1MC&pg=PA951|year=2005|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-05238-2|page=951}}</ref> | |||
The coast of present-day Eritrea was the one that guaranteed the connection to the region of Tigray where the Portuguese had a small colony, and therefore the connection to the interior ]n, allies of the Portuguese. Massawa was also the stage for the ] landing of troops by ] in the military campaign that would eventually defeat the Adal Sultanate in the final ] in 1543.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pereira|first=Hugo|title=Uma força Expedicionária Portuguesa na Campanha da Etiópia de 1541-1543|url=https://comum.rcaap.pt/bitstream/10400.26/6888/1/Uma%20for%C3%A7a%20Expedicion%C3%A1ria%20Portuguesa%20na%20Campanha%20da%20Eti%C3%B3pia...pdf}}</ref> | |||
The Turks tried to occupy the highlands of Eritrea in 1559 but withdrew after they encountered Resistance, pushed back by the Bahri Negash and highland forces. In 1578 they tried to expand into the highlands with the help of Bahri Negash Yisehaq, who had switched alliances due to a power struggle. Ethiopian Emperor ] made a punitive expedition against the Turks in 1588 in response to their raids in the northern provinces, and apparently by 1589 they were once again compelled to withdraw to the coast. The Ottomans were eventually driven out in the last quarter of the sixteenth century. However, they retained control over the seaboard until the establishment of ] in the late 1800s.<ref name="MB01"/><ref name="A10-4">Jonathan Miran . ], 2009, pp. 38–39 & 91 Google Books</ref><ref name="A10-5">Jonathan Miran . Indiana University Press, 2009, pp. 38–39 & 91</ref> | |||
In 1734, the ] leader Kedafu established the ] in Ethiopia, which later also came to include the southern Denkel lowlands of Eritrea, thus incorporating the southern Denkel lowlands into the ].<ref name="MB01">{{cite book|author=Okbazghi Yohannes|title=A Pawn in World Politics: Eritrea|url=https://archive.org/details/eritreapawninwor00yoha/page/31|year=1991|publisher=University of Florida Press|isbn=978-0-8130-1044-1|pages=}}</ref><ref name="Pankhurstteb">{{cite book|last=Pankhurst|first=Richard|title=The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century|year=1997|publisher=Red Sea Press|isbn=978-0-932415-19-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQ1CH3-RMe0C&pg=PA391}}</ref> The northern coastline of Denkel was dominated by a number of smaller Afar sultanates, such as the Sultanate of ], the Sultanate of ] and the Sultanate of ].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Shehim |first1=Kassim |title=THE INFLUENCE OF ISLAM ON THE 'AFAR (ETHIOPIA) |url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/e4f5c5d014f4671f4930a0d761ecbf86/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y |access-date=18 March 2024 |archive-date=18 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240318004728/https://www.proquest.com/openview/e4f5c5d014f4671f4930a0d761ecbf86/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Aesna">{{cite book |title=In defence of the Eritrean revolution against Ethiopian social chauvinists |date=1978 |publisher=AESNA |page=38|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=idUtAQAAIAAJ|quote=Later in their history, the Denkel lowlands of Eritrea were part of the Sultanate of Aussa, which came into being towards the end of the sixteenth century.}}</ref><ref>Abir, Mordechai (1968) ''The era of the princes: the challenge of Islam and the re-unification of the Christian empire, 1769–1855''. London: Longmans, p. 23 n. 1.</ref> | |||
The Turks tried to occupy the highland parts of Medri Bahri in 1559 and withdrew after they encountered resistance and were pushed back by the Bahri Negash and highland forces. In 1578 they tried to expand into the highlands with the help of Bahri Negash Yisehaq, who had switched alliances due to a power struggle. Ethiopian emperor ] made a ] against the Turks in 1588 in response to their raids in the northern provinces, and by 1589 they were once again apparently compelled to withdraw their forces to the coast. | |||
The Ottomans were eventually driven out in the last quarter of the 16th century. However, they retained control over the seaboard until the establishment of Italian Eritrea in the late 1800s.<ref name="MB01"/><ref name="A10-4">Jonathan Miran . ], 2009, pp. 38–39 & 91 Google Books</ref><ref name="A10-5">Jonathan Miran . Indiana University Press, 2009, pp. 38–39 & 91</ref> | |||
=== Italian Eritrea === | |||
In 1734, the ] leader Kedafu, established the ] in Ethiopia, which later also came to include the southern ] lowlands of Eritrea, thus incorporating the southern Denkel lowlands to the ]. 16th century also marked the arrival of the Ottomans, who began making inroads in the Red Sea area.<ref name="MB01">{{cite book|author=Okbazghi Yohannes|title=A Pawn in World Politics: Eritrea|url=https://archive.org/details/eritreapawninwor00yoha/page/31|year=1991|publisher=University of Florida Press|isbn=978-0-8130-1044-1|pages=}}</ref><ref>Abir, Mordechai (1968) ''The era of the princes: the challenge of Islam and the re-unification of the Christian empire, 1769–1855''. London: Longmans. pp. 23–26.</ref><ref name="Pankhurstteb">{{cite book|last=Pankhurst|first=Richard|title=The Ethiopian Borderlands: Essays in Regional History from Ancient Times to the End of the 18th Century|year=1997|publisher=Red Sea Press|isbn=978-0932415196|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=MQ1CH3-RMe0C&pg=PA391}}</ref><ref name="Aesna">{{cite book |title=In defence of the Eritrean revolution against Ethiopian social chauvinists |date=1978 |publisher=AESNA |page=38|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=idUtAQAAIAAJ|quote=Later in their history, the Denkel lowlands of Eritrea were part of the Sultanate of Aussa, which came into being towards the end of the sixteenth century.}}</ref><ref>Abir, Mordechai (1968) ''The era of the princes: the challenge of Islam and the re-unification of the Christian empire, 1769–1855''. London: Longmans, p. 23 n. 1.</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=September 2021}} | |||
===Modern history=== | |||
====Italian Eritrea==== | |||
{{main|Italian Eritrea}} | {{main|Italian Eritrea}} | ||
] sent from Italian Eritrea in 1907]] | |||
] | |||
]s, colonial troops of the Italian Army, in an 1898 wood engraving]] | |||
The boundaries of the present-day Eritrea nation state were established during the ]. In 1869<ref name=Ully>]. ''The Ethiopians: An Introduction to Country and People'' 2nd ed., p. 90. ] (London), 1965. {{ISBN|0-19-285061-X}}.</ref> or 1870, the ruling local chief sold lands surrounding the Bay of ] to the Rubattino Shipping Company.<ref name=EBAb>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Eritrea |volume=9 |page=747}}</ref> The area served as a ] along the ]s introduced by the recently completed ]. | |||
The boundaries of present-day Eritrea were established during the ]. On 15 November 1869, the ruling local chief sold lands surrounding the Bay of ] to the Italian missionary ] on behalf of the ].<ref name=EBAb>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Eritrea |volume=9 |page=747}}</ref> The area served as a ] along the ]s introduced by the recently completed ]. In 1882, the Italian government formally took possession of the ] colony from its commercial owners and expanded their control to include ] and most of the Eritrean coastal lowlands after the Egyptians withdrew from Eritrea in February 1885.<ref name=Ully>]. ''The Ethiopians: An Introduction to Country and People'' 2nd ed., p. 90. ] (London), 1965. {{ISBN|0-19-285061-X}}.</ref> | |||
In the vacuum that followed the ] of ] ], Gen. |
In the vacuum that followed the ] of ] ], Gen. ] occupied the highlands along the Eritrean coast and Italy proclaimed the establishment of ], a colony of the ]. In the ] (It. ''Uccialli'') signed the same year, ] of ], a southern Ethiopian kingdom, recognized the Italian occupation of his rivals' lands of ], ], ], and ] in exchange for guarantees of financial assistance and continuing access to European arms and ammunition. His subsequent victory over rival kings and enthronement as Emperor ] (r. 1889–1913) made the treaty formally binding upon the entire territory.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Abyssinia |volume=1 |page=94}}</ref><ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica"/> | ||
] | |||
In 1888, the Italian administration launched its first development projects in the new colony. The ] was completed to Saati in 1888,<ref>Olivieri, Emilio (1888) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012032531/http://www.ferroviaeritrea.it/la_ferrovia_massauasaati.htm |date=12 October 2013 }} (report on the construction of the Massawa–Saati Railway). ''Ferrovia Eritrea''. {{in lang|it}}</ref> and reached ] in the highlands in 1911.<ref name=f1>" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413211753/http://www.ferroviaeritrea.it/contenuti.htm |date=13 April 2009 }}" at ''Ferrovia Eritrea''. {{in lang|it}}</ref> The ] was the longest line in the world during its time, but was later dismantled by the British in World War II. Besides major infrastructural projects, the colonial authorities invested significantly in the agricultural sector. It also oversaw the provision of urban amenities in Asmara and Massawa, and employed many Eritreans in public service, particularly in the police and public works departments.<ref name=f1/> Thousands of Eritreans were concurrently enlisted in the army, serving during the ] in Libya as well as the ] and ] Italo-Abyssinian Wars. | |||
In 1888, the Italian administration launched its first development projects in the new colony. The ] was completed to Saati in 1888,<ref>Olivieri, Emilio (1888) {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012032531/http://www.ferroviaeritrea.it/la_ferrovia_massauasaati.htm |date=12 October 2013 }} (report on the construction of the Massawa–Saati Railway). ''Ferrovia Eritrea''. {{in lang|it}}</ref> and reached ] in the highlands in 1911.<ref name=f1>" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413211753/http://www.ferroviaeritrea.it/contenuti.htm |date=13 April 2009 }}" at ''Ferrovia Eritrea''. {{in lang|it}}</ref> The ] was the longest line in the world during its time but was later dismantled by the British in World War II. Besides major infrastructural projects, the colonial authorities invested significantly in the agricultural sector. They also oversaw the provision of urban amenities in Asmara and Massawa, and employed many Eritreans in public service, particularly in the police and public works departments.<ref name=f1/> Thousands of Eritreans were concurrently enlisted in the army, serving during the ] in Libya as well as the ] and ] Italo-Abyssinian Wars. | |||
Additionally, the Italian Eritrea administration opened a number of new factories, which produced buttons, cooking oil, pasta, construction materials, packing meat, tobacco, hide, and other household commodities. In 1939, there were around 2,198 factories and most of the employees were Eritrean citizens. The establishment of industries also made an increase in the number of both Italians and Eritreans residing in the cities. The number of Italians residing in the territory increased from 4,600 to 75,000 in five years; and with the involvement of Eritreans in the industries, trade and fruit plantation was expanded across the nation, while some of the plantations were owned by Eritreans.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://shabait.com/2009/11/13/italian-administration-in-eritrea/ |title=Italian administration in Eritrea |date=13 November 2009 |publisher=Eritrea Ministry of Information |access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref> | |||
Additionally, the Italian Eritrea administration opened many new factories that produced buttons, cooking oil, pasta, construction materials, packing meat, tobacco, hide, and other household commodities. In 1939, there were approximately 2,198 factories and most of the employees were Eritrean citizens. The establishment of industries also increased the number of Italians and Eritreans residing in the cities. The number of Italians in the territory increased from 4,600 to 75,000 in five years; and with the involvement of Eritreans in the industry, trade and fruit plantations were expanded across the nation, and some of the plantations were owned by Eritreans.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://shabait.com/2009/11/13/italian-administration-in-eritrea/ |title=Italian administration in Eritrea |date=13 November 2009 |publisher=Eritrea Ministry of Information |access-date=9 September 2020}}</ref> | |||
In 1922, ]'s rise to power in Italy brought profound changes to the colonial government in Italian Eritrea. After '']'' declared the birth of the ] in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (enlarged with northern Ethiopia's regions) and ] were merged with the just conquered Ethiopia in the new ] (''Africa Orientale Italiana'') administrative territory. This ] period was characterized by imperial expansion in the name of a "new Roman Empire". Eritrea was chosen by the Italian government to be the industrial center of Italian East Africa.<ref>. dankalia.com</ref> | |||
In 1922, ]'s rise to power in Italy brought profound changes to the colonial government in Italian Eritrea. After '']'' declared the birth of the ] in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (enlarged with northern Ethiopia's regions) and ] were merged with the just-conquered Ethiopia into the new ] (''Africa Orientale Italiana''). This ] period was characterized by imperial expansion in the name of a "new Roman Empire". Eritrea was chosen by the Italian government to be the industrial center of Italian East Africa.<ref>. dankalia.com</ref> | |||
Asmara's architecture after 1935 was greatly improved to become a "modernist Art Deco city" (in 2017 has been declared a "UNESCO World City Heritage"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1550|title=Asmara: A Modernist African City|author=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|website=whc.unesco.org}}</ref>), featuring ''eclectic and rationalist built forms, well-defined open spaces, and public and private buildings, including cinemas, shops, banks, religious structures, public and private offices, industrial facilities, and residences'' (according to UNESCO's publications). The Italians designed more than 400 buildings in a construction boom that was only halted by Italy's involvement in ]. These included art deco masterpieces like the worldwide famous ] and the ]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dadfeatured.blogspot.com/2018/08/italian-asmara.html |title=ITALIAN ASMARA |date=6 August 2018 |website=Dadfeatured}}</ref> | |||
After 1935, ] architecture was widely employed in Asmara. The Italians designed more than 400 buildings in a construction boom that only halted with Italy's involvement in ]. These included the ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dadfeatured.blogspot.com/2018/08/italian-asmara.html |title=ITALIAN ASMARA |date=6 August 2018 |website=Dadfeatured}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=October 2024}} In 2017, the city was declared a ], described by ] as featuring ''eclectic and rationalist built forms, well-defined open spaces, and public and private buildings, including cinemas, shops, banks, religious structures, public and private offices, industrial facilities, and residences''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1550|title=Asmara: A Modernist African City|author=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|website=whc.unesco.org}}</ref>) | |||
====British administration==== | |||
Through the 1941 ], the British expelled the Italians,<ref>{{cite web |last=Law |first=Gwillim |title=Regions of Eritrea |url=http://www.statoids.com/uer.html |website=Administrative Divisions of Countries ('Statoids') |access-date=15 August 2011}}</ref> and took over the administration of the country. | |||
=== British administration === | |||
The British placed Eritrea under British military administration until ] could determine its fate. | |||
] in the late 1940s]] | |||
Through the 1941 ], the British expelled the Italians and took over the administration of the country.<ref>{{cite web |last=Law |first=Gwillim |title=Regions of Eritrea |url=http://www.statoids.com/uer.html |website=Administrative Divisions of Countries ('Statoids') |access-date=15 August 2011}}</ref> Economically, the decade of British administration saw a significant restructuring of the Eritrean economy. Until 1945, the British and Americans relied on Italian equipment and skilled labor for wartime needs and to support the Allies in the Middle East. This economic boom, fueled by substantial Italian involvement, lasted until the end of the war. However, shortly after the conflict concluded, the Eritrean economy faced a combination of recession and depression that severely impacted the local urban population. War factories that had employed thousands were shut down, and Italians began to be repatriated. Additionally, many small manufacturing plants established between 1936 and 1945 were forced to close due to intense competition from factories in Europe and the Middle East.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Negash |first1=Tekeste |title=Eritrea and Ethiopia The Federal Experience |pages=24 |url=https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:272775/FULLTEXT01.pdf}}</ref> | |||
In the absence of agreement amongst the Allies concerning the status of Eritrea, British administration continued for the remainder of World War II and until 1950. During the immediate postwar years, the British proposed that Eritrea be divided along religious lines and annexed partly to the British colony of Sudan and partly to Ethiopia. |
The British placed Eritrea under British military administration until ] could determine its fate. In the absence of agreement amongst the Allies concerning the status of Eritrea, the British administration continued for the remainder of World War II and until 1950. During the immediate postwar years, the British proposed that Eritrea be divided along religious community lines and annexed partly to the British colony of Sudan and partly to Ethiopia. After the peace treaty with Italy was signed in 1947, the ] sent a Commission of Enquiry to decide the fate of the colony.<ref name="auto5">{{cite book |last1=Negash |first1=Tekeste |title=Eritrea and Ethiopia The Federal Experience |pages=58 |url=https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:272775/FULLTEXT01.pdf}}</ref> | ||
=== |
=== Annexation by Ethiopia === | ||
{{main|Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea}} | {{main|Federation of Ethiopia and Eritrea}} | ||
] against Ethiopia 1961–1991]] | ] against Ethiopia 1961–1991]] | ||
In the 1950s, the Ethiopian feudal administration under Emperor ] sought to annex Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. He laid claim to both territories in a letter to ] at the Paris Peace Conference and |
In the 1950s, the Ethiopian feudal administration under Emperor ] sought to annex Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. He laid claim to both territories in a letter to ] at the Paris Peace Conference and the First Session of the United Nations.<ref name="un">{{cite book|last=Habte Selassie |first=Bereket |title=Eritrea and the United Nations |isbn= 978-0-932415-12-7 |publisher=Red Sea Press|year=1989}}</ref> In the United Nations, the debate over the fate of the former Italian colonies continued. The British and Americans preferred to cede all of Eritrea except the Western province to the Ethiopians as a reward for their support during ].<ref>Top Secret Memorandum of 1949-03-05, written with the UN Third Session in view, from Mr. Rusk to the Secretary of State.</ref> The Independence Bloc of Eritrean parties consistently requested from the United Nations General Assembly that a referendum be held immediately to settle the Eritrean question of sovereignty. | ||
The United Nations Commission of Enquiry arrived in Eritrea in early 1950 and after about six weeks returned to New York to submit its report. Two reports were presented. The minority report presented by Pakistan and Guatemala proposed that Eritrea be independent after a period of trusteeship. The majority report compiled by Burma, Norway, and the Union of South Africa called for Eritrea to be incorporated into Ethiopia.<ref name="auto5"/> | |||
Following the adoption of ] in December 1950, Eritrea was ] with Ethiopia under the prompting of the United States.<ref name=UNGA390>{{cite web |author=United Nations General Assembly |title=Eritrea: Report of the United Nations Commission for Eritrea; Report of the Interim Committee of the General Assembly on the Report of the United Nations Commission for Eritrea |url=http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/059/88/IMG/NR005988.pdf?OpenElement |access-date=15 August 2011 |
Following the adoption of ] in December 1950, Eritrea was ] with Ethiopia under the prompting of the United States.<ref name=UNGA390>{{cite web |author=United Nations General Assembly |title=Eritrea: Report of the United Nations Commission for Eritrea; Report of the Interim Committee of the General Assembly on the Report of the United Nations Commission for Eritrea |url=http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/059/88/IMG/NR005988.pdf?OpenElement |access-date=15 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115022039/http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/059/88/IMG/NR005988.pdf?OpenElement |archive-date=15 November 2012}}</ref> The resolution called for Eritrea and Ethiopia to be linked through a loose federal structure under the sovereignty of the emperor. Eritrea was to have its own administrative and judicial structure, its own new flag, and control over its domestic affairs, including police, local administration, and taxation.<ref name="un"/> The federal government, which for all practical purposes was the existing imperial government, was to control foreign affairs (including commerce), defense, finance, and transportation. The resolution ignored the wishes of Eritreans for independence but guaranteed the population democratic rights and a measure of autonomy.<ref name="auto5"/> | ||
=== |
=== Independence === | ||
{{main|Eritrean War of Independence| |
{{main|Eritrean War of Independence|Eritrea under Isaias Afwerki}} | ||
] ]] | ] ]] | ||
In 1958, a group of Eritreans founded the Eritrean Liberation Movement (ELM). The organization mainly consisted of Eritrean students, professionals and intellectuals. It engaged in clandestine political activities intended to cultivate resistance to the centralizing policies of the imperial Ethiopian state.<ref>Ofcansky, TP Berry, L (2004) Ethiopia, a country study, Kessinger Publishing, p. 69</ref> On 1 September 1961, the ] (ELF), under the leadership of ], waged an armed struggle for independence. In 1962, Emperor ] unilaterally dissolved the Eritrean parliament and ] the territory. The ensuing ] went on for 30 years against successive Ethiopian governments until 1991, when the ] (EPLF), a successor of the ], defeated the Ethiopian forces in Eritrea and helped a coalition of ] take control of the Ethiopian capital ]. | In 1958, a group of Eritreans founded the Eritrean Liberation Movement (ELM). The organization mainly consisted of Eritrean students, professionals, and intellectuals. It engaged in clandestine political activities intended to cultivate resistance to the centralizing policies of the imperial Ethiopian state.<ref>Ofcansky, TP Berry, L (2004) Ethiopia, a country study, Kessinger Publishing, p. 69</ref> On 1 September 1961, the ] (ELF), under the leadership of ], waged an armed struggle for independence. In 1962, Emperor ] unilaterally dissolved the Eritrean parliament and ] the territory. The ensuing ] went on for 30 years against successive Ethiopian governments until 1991, when the ] (EPLF), a successor of the ], defeated the Ethiopian forces in Eritrea and helped a coalition of ] take control of the Ethiopian capital ]. | ||
In the 1980s a non-government organization called the Eritrea Inter-Agency Consortium (EIAC) aided in the development projects for the Eritrean Liberation movement.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Davey |first=Eleanor |date=2020-06-01 |title=Relief, Development and the Eritrean War of Independence: Subverting the Anti-politics Machine |journal=Histoire Politique |language=en |issue=41 |doi=10.4000/histoirepolitique.324 |s2cid=239592534 |issn=1954-3670|doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
Following a UN-supervised ] (dubbed ]) in which the Eritrean people overwhelmingly voted for independence, Eritrea declared its independence and gained international recognition in 1993.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-37675/Eritrea |title=Eritrea – The spreading revolution |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica }}</ref> The EPLF seized power, established a one-party state along nationalist lines and banned further political activity. There have been no elections since.<ref>{{cite news |title='Slaughtered like chickens': Eritrea heavily involved in Tigray conflict, say eyewitnesses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/dec/21/slaughtered-like-chickens-eritrea-heavily-involved-in-tigray-conflict-say-eyewitnesses |work=The Guardian |date=21 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Voice of America">{{cite news |title=US Says Eritrean Forces Should Leave Tigray Immediately |url=https://www.voanews.com/africa/us-says-eritrean-forces-should-leave-tigray-immediately |work=Voice of America |date=27 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news |title=EU Accuses Eritrean Forces of Fueling Conflict in Ethiopia |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-09/eu-accuses-eritrea-forces-of-fueling-conflict-in-ethiopia-region |work=Bloomberg |date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref name="The Washington Post">{{cite news |title=Massacre by Eritrean troops in Ethiopia's Tigray region may constitute crime against humanity, Amnesty says |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/02/25/tigray-eritrea-ethiopia-crime-against-humanity/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=26 February 2021}}</ref> | |||
Following a ] supervised by the United Nations (dubbed UNOVER) in which the Eritrean people overwhelmingly voted for independence, Eritrea declared its independence and gained international recognition in 1993.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-37675/Eritrea |title=Eritrea – The spreading revolution |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |date=14 July 2023 }}</ref> The EPLF seized power, established a one-party state along nationalist lines and banned further political activity. As of 2020, there have been no elections.<ref>{{cite news |title='Slaughtered like chickens': Eritrea heavily involved in Tigray conflict, say eyewitnesses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/dec/21/slaughtered-like-chickens-eritrea-heavily-involved-in-tigray-conflict-say-eyewitnesses |work=The Guardian |date=21 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Voice of America">{{cite news |title=US Says Eritrean Forces Should Leave Tigray Immediately |url=https://www.voanews.com/africa/us-says-eritrean-forces-should-leave-tigray-immediately |work=Voice of America |date=27 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news |title=EU Accuses Eritrean Forces of Fueling Conflict in Ethiopia |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-09/eu-accuses-eritrea-forces-of-fueling-conflict-in-ethiopia-region |work=Bloomberg |date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref name="The Washington Post">{{cite news |title=Massacre by Eritrean troops in Ethiopia's Tigray region may constitute crime against humanity, Amnesty says |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/02/25/tigray-eritrea-ethiopia-crime-against-humanity/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=26 February 2021}}</ref> On 28 May 1993, Eritrea was admitted into the ] as the 182nd member state.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sess.: 1992-1993) |first1=UN General Assembly (47th |title=Admission of Eritrea to membership in the United Nations. |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/197307?ln=en |access-date=31 May 2022 |language=en |date=16 July 1993}}</ref> | |||
==Geography== | == Geography == | ||
] | |||
{{main|Geography of Eritrea}} | {{main|Geography of Eritrea}} | ||
] | |||
] | |||
Eritrea is located in ]. It is bordered to the northeast and east by the ], ] to the west, ] to the south, and ] to the southeast. Eritrea lies between latitudes 12° and 18°N, and longitudes 36° and 44°E. | |||
The country is virtually bisected by a branch of the ]. Eritrea, at the southern end of the Red Sea, is the home of the fork in the rift. The ] and its fishing grounds are situated off the sandy arid coastline. | |||
===Location and habitat=== | |||
Eritrea is located in ]. It is bordered to the northeast and east by the ], ] to the west, ] to the south, and ] to the southeast. Eritrea lies between latitudes ] and ], and longitudes ] and ]. | |||
Eritrea may be split into three ]s. A hot arid coastal plain extends along the coast. The coastal plain is narrow in the west and widens towards the east. These coastal lowlands are part of the ] ecoregion. The cooler, more fertile ] reach up to {{Convert|3,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} and are a northern extension of the ], I home to ].<ref name = Friis>Ib Friis, Sebsebe Demissew, and Paulo van Breugel (2010) ''Atlas of the Potential Vegetation of Ethiopia''. The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, Copenhagen, Denmark</ref> Habitats here vary from the ] at Filfil Solomona to the precipitous cliffs and ]s of the southern highlands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eritrea|publisher=fatbirder.com|url=http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/africa/eritrea.html}}</ref> Filfil receives over 1,100 mm of rainfall annually.<ref>Billi, P. (2022). Climate Variability in the Horn of Africa Eastern Countries: Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia. In: Billi, P. (eds) ''Landscapes and Landforms of the Horn of Africa. World Geomorphological Landscapes.'' Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05487-7_1</ref> There is a steep escarpment along the eastern side of the highlands, which is the western wall of the East African Rift. The western slope of the highlands is more gradual, descending to interior lowlands. Southwestern Eritrea is drained by the ], which flows northwestwards to join the ]. The northwestern slope of the highlands is drained by the ], which flows northwards into Sudan to empty into the Red Sea.<ref>Knight, J., Abd Elbasit, M.A.M., Adam, E. (2022). Land Degradation in Eritrea and Djibouti. In: Billi, P. (eds) ''Landscapes and Landforms of the Horn of Africa. World Geomorphological Landscapes.'' Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05487-7_9</ref> Western Eritrea is part of the ], which extends across Africa south of the ] from Eritrea to Senegal.<ref>Martin, Emma and Burgess, Neil. . One Earth. Retrieved 28 May 2024.</ref> | |||
The country is virtually bisected by a branch of the ]. Eritrea, at the southern end of the Red Sea, is the home of the fork in the rift. The ] and its fishing grounds are situated off the sandy and arid coastline. | |||
The ] or Danakil Depression of Eritrea is the probable location of a ] where three tectonic plates are pulling away from one another. The highest point of the country, ], is located in the center of Eritrea, at {{convert|3018|m|ft|0|abbr=on|sp=us}} ]. Eritrea has volcanic activity in the southeastern parts of the country. In 2011 ] had an eruption. | |||
]]] | |||
Eritrea can be split into three ]s. To the east of the highlands are the hot, arid coastal plains stretching down to the southeast of the country. The cooler, more fertile highlands, reaching up to 3,000 m, have a different habitat. Habitats here vary from the ] at Filfil Solomona to the precipitous cliffs and ]s of the southern highlands.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eritrea|publisher=fatbirder.com|url=http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/africa/eritrea.html}}</ref> | |||
The ] or Danakil Depression of Eritrea is the probable location of a ] where three tectonic plates are pulling away from one another. The highest point of the country, ], is located in the center of Eritrea, at {{convert|3018|m|ft|0|sp=us}} ]. | |||
The main cities of the country are the capital city of ] and the port town of ] in the southeast, as well as the towns of ] to the east, the northern town of ], and the central town ]. | The main cities of the country are the capital city of ] and the port town of ] in the southeast, as well as the towns of ] to the east, the northern town of ], and the central town ]. | ||
Local variability in rainfall patterns and reduced precipitation are known to occur, which may precipitate soil erosion, floods, droughts, ], and desertification.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611154614/http://www.er.undp.org/content/eritrea/en/home/ourwork/environmentandenergy/overview.html |date=11 June 2016 }}. Er.undp.org. Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref> | |||
{{wide image|2006-11-01_Asmara-Massawa_01.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|Highlands between ] and ]}} | |||
{{clear}} | |||
Eritrea is part of a 14-nation constituency within the ], which partners with international institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eritrea|url=http://beta.thegef.org/country/eritrea|publisher=Global Environment Facility|access-date=18 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816065505/http://beta.thegef.org/country/eritrea|archive-date=16 August 2016}}</ref> | |||
===Wildlife=== | |||
{{main|Wildlife of Eritrea}} | |||
{{see also|List of mammals in Eritrea|List of birds of Eritrea}} | |||
] in a pond near ] ]] | |||
Eritrea has several species of mammals and a rich avifauna of 560 species of birds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibis.atwebpages.com/birdwatching_in_eritrea/|title=Birdwatching in Eritrea – Birding in Eritrea Homepage|publisher=ibis.atwebpages.com|author1=Anderson, Jason |author2=Abraha, Solomon |author3=Berhane, Dawit }}</ref> | |||
In 2006, Eritrea announced that it would become the first country in the world to turn its entire coast into an environmentally protected zone. The {{convert|1,347|km|mi|abbr=on}} coastline, along with another {{convert|1,946|km|mi|abbr=on}} of coast around its more than 350 islands, will come under governmental protection. | |||
Eritrea is home to an abundant amount of big game species. Enforced regulations have helped in steadily increasing their numbers throughout Eritrea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.madote.com/2010/04/photos-of-eritreas-wildlife-animals.html|title=Photos of Eritrea's wildlife animals |website=Madote}}</ref> Mammals commonly seen today include the ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]. ] are common on the coastal plains and in ]. | |||
=== Climate === | |||
] | |||
Based on temperature variations, Eritrea can be broadly divided into three major climate zones: the ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite book|author=Tesfagiorgis, Mussie |title=Eritrea |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0R7iHoaykoC&pg=PA10 |date=29 October 2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-232-6 |pages=10–}}</ref> | |||
]]] | |||
] are said to inhabit the mountains of the Gash-Barka Region. There is also a small population of ]s that roam in some parts of the country. ] can also be found in many areas. The endangered ] can be seen in Denakalia Region. Other local wildlife include ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.explore-eritrea.com/Wildlife.htm |title=Wild life in Eritrea page |publisher=explore-eritrea.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112050502/http://explore-eritrea.com/Wildlife.htm |archive-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="ibis.atwebpages.com">{{cite web |url=http://ibis.atwebpages.com/birdwatching_in_eritrea/wildlife.htm |title=Wildlife of Eritrea |publisher=ibis.atwebpages.com |author=Berhane, Dawit}}</ref> The ] is widespread and fairly common. Between 1955 and 2001 there were no reported sightings of elephant herds, and they are thought to have fallen victim to the war of independence. In December 2001 a herd of about 30, including 10 juveniles, was observed in the vicinity of the ]. The elephants seemed to have formed a ] relationship with ]s, with the baboons using the water holes dug by the elephants, while the elephants use the tree-top baboons as an early warning system. | |||
The climate of Eritrea is shaped by its diverse topographical features and its location within the tropics. The diversity of its landscape and topography in the highlands and lowlands of Eritrea results in a diversity of climate. The highlands have a temperate climate throughout the year. The climate of most lowland zones is arid and semiarid. The distribution of rainfall and vegetation types varies markedly throughout the country. Eritrean climate varies based on seasonal and altitudinal differences. | |||
Due to its physical diversity, Eritrea is one of the few countries where one can experience "four seasons in a day".<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is the weather, climate, and geography like in Eritrea |url=https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/eritrea/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=World Travel Guide |language=en-US}}</ref> In the highlands (up to 3000m above sea level) the hottest month is usually May, with temperatures reaching 30 C, whereas winter occurs during December to February when temperatures can be as low as 10 C at night. The capital, Asmara, has a pleasant temperature all year round. | |||
It is estimated that there are around 100 ] left in Eritrea, the most northerly of East Africa's elephants.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=BBC Wildlife Magazine |date=July 2003 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/300feature1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060314104912/http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/300feature1.shtml |archive-date=14 March 2006 |title=The rediscovery of Eritrea's elephants |access-date=28 July 2007}}</ref> The ] ] ('']'') was previously found in Eritrea, but is now deemed extirpated from the entire country.<ref>Hogan, C. Michael (31 January 2009) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209234758/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=35993 |date=9 December 2010 }}, GlobalTwitcher.com.</ref> In Gash-Barka, snakes like ] are common. ] and ] are widespread and can be found even in the highlands. In the coastal areas marine species that are common include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="ibis.atwebpages.com"/> | |||
In the lowlands and the coastal areas, summer occurs from June to September, when temperatures can reach 40 C. Winter in the lowlands occurs from February to April, when temperatures are between 21 and 35 C.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover the climate and geography of Eritrea |url=https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/eritrea/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=World Travel Guide |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
===Climate=== | |||
Based on variations in temperature, Eritrea can be broadly divided into three major climate zones: the ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite book|author=Tesfagiorgis, Mussie |title=Eritrea |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0R7iHoaykoC&pg=PA10 |date=29 October 2010 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-59884-232-6 |pages=10–}}</ref> The climate of Eritrea is shaped by its diverse topographical features and its location within the tropics. The diversity in landscape and topography in the highlands and lowlands of Eritrea result in the diversity of climate across the country. The highlands have temperate climate throughout the year. The climate of most lowland zones is arid and semiarid. The distribution of rainfall and vegetation types varies markedly throughout the country. Eritrean climate varies on the basis of seasonal and altitudinal differences. | |||
A 2022 analysis found that the expected costs for Eritrea to adapt to and avert the environmental consequences of ] are going to be high.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Laville |first=Sandra |date=2022-07-13 |title=Climate adaptation bill for African countries to dwarf health spending |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/13/climate-adaptation-bill-african-countries-dwarf-health-spending |access-date=2022-07-14 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> | |||
{{Weather box | |||
|location = Eritrea in general, based on 14 cities | |||
|metric first = yes | |||
|single line = yes | |||
|temperature colour = pastel | |||
|Jan high C = 27.3 | |||
|Feb high C = 28.3 | |||
|Mar high C = 29.8 | |||
|Apr high C = 32.3 | |||
|May high C = 33.3 | |||
|Jun high C = 33 | |||
|Jul high C = 32 | |||
|Aug high C = 31.5 | |||
|Sep high C = 32.3 | |||
|Oct high C = 31.8 | |||
|Nov high C = 30 | |||
|Dec high C = 28.3 | |||
|year high C = 31 | |||
|Jan mean C = 20 | |||
|Feb mean C = 20.8 | |||
|Mar mean C = 22.5 | |||
|Apr mean C = 24.3 | |||
|May mean C = 25.6 | |||
|Jun mean C = 26 | |||
|Jul mean C = 25.1 | |||
|Aug mean C = 24.7 | |||
|Sep mean C = 24.4 | |||
|Oct mean C = 23.8 | |||
|Nov mean C = 22.1 | |||
|Dec mean C = 20.5 | |||
|year mean C = 23.3 | |||
|Jan low C = 17.8 | |||
|Feb low C = 17.3 | |||
|Mar low C = 18.3 | |||
|Apr low C = 21 | |||
|May low C = 23.3 | |||
|Jun low C = 24.4 | |||
|Jul low C = 24.4 | |||
|Aug low C = 24.5 | |||
|Sep low C = 23.3 | |||
|Oct low C = 22.3 | |||
|Nov low C = 20 | |||
|Dec low C = 18.3 | |||
|year low C = 20.8 | |||
|Jan precipitation mm = 6.7 | |||
|Feb precipitation mm = 6.9 | |||
|Mar precipitation mm = 9 | |||
|Apr precipitation mm = 14.8 | |||
|May precipitation mm = 20.3 | |||
|Jun precipitation mm = 26.5 | |||
|Jul precipitation mm = 100 | |||
|Aug precipitation mm = 99.7 | |||
|Sep precipitation mm = 25.4 | |||
|Oct precipitation mm = 8.6 | |||
|Nov precipitation mm = 11.9 | |||
|Dec precipitation mm = 9.4 | |||
|year precipitation mm = 347 | |||
|source 1 = weatherbase<ref name= weatherbase>{{cite web | |||
| url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/city.php3?c=ER&name=Eritrea | |||
| title = Eritrea average climate | |||
| publisher = weatherbase | |||
| access-date = 6 March 2016}}</ref> | |||
|date=March 2016 | |||
}} | |||
===Biodiversity=== | |||
==Government and politics== | |||
{{main| |
{{main|Wildlife of Eritrea}} | ||
{{see also|List of mammals in Eritrea|List of birds of Eritrea}} | |||
The ] (PFDJ) is the ] in Eritrea.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|title=Country profile: Eritrea|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm|work=BBC News|date=17 June 2008|access-date=1 July 2008}}</ref> Other political groups are not allowed to organize, although the unimplemented ] provides for the existence of ]. The National Assembly has 150 seats. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; none have ever been held in the country.<ref name=CIA/> President ] has been in office since independence in 1993. In 1993, 75 representatives were elected to the National Assembly; the rest are appointed. As the report by the UN Human Rights Council explained: "No national elections have taken place since that time, and no presidential elections have ever taken place. Local or regional elections have not been held since 2003–2004. The National Assembly elected independent Eritrea’s first president, Isaias Afwerki, in 1993. Following his election, Afwerki consolidated his control of the Eritrean government." President Isaias Afwerki has regularly expressed his disdain for what he refers to as "western-style" democracy. In a 2008 interview with ], for example, the President stated that "Eritrea will wait three or four decades, maybe more, before it holds elections. Who knows?"<ref>{{Cite conference |url=https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/CoIEritrea/A_HRC_32_CRP.1_read-only.pdf |title=Detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea |publisher=Human Rights Council|conference=Thirty-second session, Human rights situations that require the Council’s attention|date=8 June 2016|id=A/HRC/32/CRP.1}}</ref> | |||
] in May sirwa near ]]] | |||
Eritrea has several species of mammals and a rich avifauna of 560 species of birds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibis.atwebpages.com/birdwatching_in_eritrea/|title=Birdwatching in Eritrea – Birding in Eritrea Homepage|publisher=ibis.atwebpages.com|author1=Anderson, Jason |author2=Abraha, Solomon |author3=Berhane, Dawit }}</ref> | |||
===National elections=== | |||
{{main|Elections in Eritrea}} | |||
Given that the full implementation of the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia is still incomplete, the Eritrean authorities still do not consider that peace agreement is formally implemented. However, local elections have continued in Eritrea. The most recent round of local government elections were held in 2010 and 2011.<!-- On further elections, the President's Chief of Staff, Yemane Gebremeskel said,<ref>Interview of Mr. Brandon Edmonds, Director of the Office of the President of Eritrea, PFDJ (1 April 2004)</ref> | |||
{{cquote|The electoral commission is handling these elections this time round so that may be the new element in this process. The national assembly has also mandated the electoral commission to set the date for national elections, so whenever the electoral commission sets the date there will be national elections. It's not dependent on regional elections.}} | |||
As yet, no national elections have been held since independence.<ref name=CIA />--> | |||
Eritrea is home to a large number of mammals; 126 species of mammals, 90 species of reptiles, and 19 species of amphibians have been recorded.<ref name="Main Details">{{cite web | url=https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=er | title=Main Details }}</ref> Enforced regulations have helped in steadily increasing their numbers throughout Eritrea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.madote.com/2010/04/photos-of-eritreas-wildlife-animals.html|title=Photos of Eritrea's wildlife animals |website=Madote}}</ref> Mammals commonly seen today include the ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. ] are common on the coastal plains and in ]. | |||
===Military=== | |||
The ] are now the official ] of the State of Eritrea. Eritrea's military is one of the largest in Africa. | |||
] are said to inhabit the mountains of the Gash-Barka Region. ] may be found in many areas. The endangered ] may be seen in Denakalia Region. Other local wildlife include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.explore-eritrea.com/Wildlife.htm |title=Wild life in Eritrea page |publisher=explore-eritrea.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112050502/http://explore-eritrea.com/Wildlife.htm |archive-date=12 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="ibis.atwebpages.com">{{cite web |url=http://ibis.atwebpages.com/birdwatching_in_eritrea/wildlife.htm |title=Wildlife of Eritrea |publisher=ibis.atwebpages.com |author=Berhane, Dawit}}</ref> The ] is widespread and fairly common. | |||
Compulsory military service was instituted in 1995. Officially, conscripts, male and female, must serve for 18 months minimum, which includes six months of military training and 12 months doing the regular school year to complete their last year of high school. Thus around 5% of Eritreans live in barracks in the desert doing projects such as road building as part of their service. | |||
] | |||
] with U.S. Secretary of Defense ], December 2002]] | |||
] Marine National Park]] | |||
The National Service Proclamation of 1995 does not recognize the right to conscientious objection to military service. According to the 1957 Ethiopian penal code adopted by Eritrea during independence, failure to enlist in the military or refusal to perform military service are punishable with imprisonment terms of six months to five years and up to ten years, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eritrea|url=https://www.wri-irg.org/en/programmes/world_survey/country_report/de/Eritrea|publisher=War Resisters' International|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref> National service enlistment times may be extended during times of "national crisis"; since 1998, everyone under the age of 50 is enlisted in national service for an indefinite period until released, which may depend on the arbitrary decision of a commander. In a study of 200 escaped conscripts, the average service was 6.5 years, and some had served more than 12 years.<ref name="National service in Eritrea"/> | |||
Historically, a small population of ]s roamed some parts of the country. Between 1955 and 2001 there were no reported sightings of elephant herds, however, and they were thought to have fallen victim to the war of independence. In December 2001, a herd of approximately 30, including 10 juveniles, was observed in the vicinity of the ]. The elephants seemed to have formed a ] relationship with ]s. The baboons use the water holes dug by the elephants and the elephants seem to be taking advantage of vocalizations made by baboons from the tree tops as an early warning system. It is estimated that there are approximately 100 ] left in Eritrea, the most northerly of the East African elephants.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=BBC Wildlife Magazine |date=July 2003 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/300feature1.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060314104912/http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/features/300feature1.shtml |archive-date=14 March 2006 |title=The rediscovery of Eritrea's elephants |access-date=28 July 2007}}</ref> | |||
===Legal profession=== | |||
According to the NYU School of Law, the Legal Committee of the Ministry of Justice oversees the admission and requirements to practice law in Eritrea. Although the establishment of an independent bar association is not proscribed under Proclamation 88/96, among other domestic laws, there is no bar association. The community electorate in the local jurisdiction of the Community Court chooses the Court's judges. The Community Court's standing on women in the legal profession is unclear, but elected women judges have reserved seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Eritrea1.html#LawyersandLegalProfession|title=UPDATE: Introduction to Eritrean Legal System and Research|website=]|publisher=New York University School of Law|access-date=27 December 2017}}</ref> | |||
The endangered ] ('']'') was previously found in Eritrea but is now deemed extirpated from the entire country.<ref>Hogan, C. Michael (31 January 2009) {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209234758/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=35993 |date=9 December 2010 }}, GlobalTwitcher.com.</ref> In Gash-Barka, snakes such as ] are common. ] and ] are widespread and may be found even in the highlands. In the coastal areas, common marine species include ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="ibis.atwebpages.com"/> 500 fish species, 5 marine turtles, 8 or more cetaceans, and the dugong have been recorded in the country.<ref name="Main Details"/> | |||
==Foreign relations== | |||
{{main|Foreign relations of Eritrea}}<!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series--> | |||
] Conference in ] in 2019]] | |||
Eritrea is a member of the ], the ], and is an ] of the ] alongside Brazil, ] and Turkey.<ref name="edition.cnn.com"/> The nation holds a seat on the United Nations' Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). Eritrea also holds memberships in the ], ], ] (INTERPOL), ], ], ], ], and the ]. | |||
Eritrea also harbours many species only found in Eritrea, these include various bugs, frogs, mammals, snakes, and plants.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://lntreasures.com/eritrea.html | title=Animals and Plants Unique to Eritrea }}</ref> | |||
The Eritrean government previously withdrew its representative to the African Union to protest the AU's alleged lack of leadership in facilitating the implementation of a binding border decision demarcating the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. The Eritrean government has since January 2011 appointed an envoy, Tesfa-Alem Tekle, to the AU.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sudantribune.com/Eritrea-appoints-AU-envoy-in,37700 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224084832/http://www.sudantribune.com/Eritrea-appoints-AU-envoy-in,37700 |archive-date=24 February 2011 |author=Tekle, Tesfa-Alem |date= 20 January 2011|title=Eritrea appoints AU envoy in Ethiopia – ''Sudan Tribune'': Plural news and views on Sudan |work=Sudan Tribune |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
Over 700 plants have been recorded in Eritrea, including marine plants and seagrass.<ref name="Main Details"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://dicf.unepgrid.ch/eritrea/biodiversity | title=Biodiversity / Eritrea | Interactive Country Fiches }}</ref> In Eritrea 26% of is arable land.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ifad.org/en/web/operations/w/country/eritrea | title=Eritrea }}</ref> Eritrea has diverse habitats, including Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, Shrublands, Deserts, Xeric Shrublands, Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and Mangrove forests.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/ecological-regions-of-eritrea.html | title=Ecological Regions of Eritrea | date=25 April 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ser-rrc.org/project/eritrea-the-manzanar-project-mangrove-afforestation-near-massawa/ | title=Restoration Resource Center Eritrea: The Manzanar Project — Mangrove Afforestation near Massawa }}</ref> | |||
Eritrea maintains diplomatic ties with a number of other countries: it has over 31 ] and ]s abroad, and over 22 consulates and embassies represented in the country,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.embassy-worldwide.com/country/eritrea/|title=Eritrea - Embassies and Consulates Worldwide}}</ref> including ], ], ], ], ], the ] and ]. Its relations with Djibouti and Yemen are tense due to territorial disputes over the ] and ], respectively. | |||
All of Eritrea's national parks are protected, which include Dahlak Marine National Park, Nakfa Wildlife Reserve, Gash-Setit Wildlife Refuge, Semenawi Bahri National Park, and Yob Wildlife Reserve.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Packham |first=Ian M. |date=2021-10-28 |title=Top National Parks and Reserves in Eritrea |url=https://encircleafrica.org/blog/top-national-parks-and-reserves-in-eritrea/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=Encircle Africa |language=en-GB}}</ref> | |||
On 28 May 2019, the United States removed Eritrea from the "Counterterror Non-Cooperation List" which also includes ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-removing-eritrea-from-counterterror-non-cooperation-list/4935716.html|title=US Removing Eritrea from Counterterror Non-Cooperation List|work=VOA News|date=28 May 2019}}</ref> Moreover, Eritrea was visited two months earlier by a US congressional delegation for the first time in 14 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/first-us-congressional-delegation-in-fourteen-years-visits-eritrea/4813583.html|title=1st US Congressional Delegation in 14 Years Visits Eritrea|work=VOA News|date=4 March 2019}}</ref> | |||
== Government and politics == | |||
===Relations with Ethiopia=== | |||
{{main|Politics of Eritrea}} | |||
{{see also|Eritrea–Ethiopia relations|Eritrean–Ethiopian War}} | |||
] with U.S. Secretary of Defense ], December 2002]] | |||
{{further|Eritrean War of Independence|Eritrean independence referendum, 1993}} | |||
The ] (PFDJ) is the ] in Eritrea.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|title=Country profile: Eritrea|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm|work=BBC News|date=17 June 2008|access-date=1 July 2008}}</ref> Other political groups are not allowed to organize, although the unimplemented ] provides for the existence of ]. The National Assembly has 150 seats. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; as of 2022, none have ever been held in the country.<ref name=CIA/> President ] has been in office since independence in 1993. | |||
] is one of the most important public holidays in the country.]] | |||
The undemarcated border with Ethiopia is the primary external issue currently facing Eritrea. Eritrea's relations with Ethiopia turned from that of cautious mutual tolerance, following the 30-year war for Eritrean independence, to a deadly rivalry that led to the outbreak of hostilities from May 1998 to June 2000 which claimed approximately 70,000 lives from both sides.<ref>"". ''The Guardian''. 16 March 2012.</ref> The border conflict cost hundreds of millions of dollars.<ref> BBC. 18 May 2000</ref> | |||
In 1993, 75 representatives were elected to the National Assembly; the rest were appointed. As the report by the United Nations Human Rights Council explained: "No national elections have taken place since that time, and no presidential elections have ever taken place. Local or regional elections have not been held since 2003–2004. The National Assembly elected independent Eritrea's first president, Isaias Afwerki, in 1993. Following his election, Afwerki consolidated his control of the Eritrean government." President Isaias Afwerki has regularly expressed his disdain for what he refers to as "Western-style" democracy. In a 2008 interview with ], for example, the president stated that "Eritrea will wait three or four decades, maybe more, before it holds elections. Who knows?"<ref>{{Cite conference |url=https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/CoIEritrea/A_HRC_32_CRP.1_read-only.pdf |title=Detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in Eritrea |publisher=Human Rights Council|conference=Thirty-second session, Human rights situations that require the Council's attention|date=8 June 2016|id=A/HRC/32/CRP.1}}</ref> According to 2023 ] Eritrea is 2nd lowest ranked worldwide and the lowest ranked ].<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref> | |||
Disagreements following the war have resulted in stalemate punctuated by periods of elevated tension and renewed threats of war.<ref name="horntension1">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3457957.stm |title=Horn tensions trigger UN warning |publisher=BBC |date=4 February 2004 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4400580.stm |title=Army build-up near Horn frontier |publisher=BBC |date=2 November 2005 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref><ref name="horntension3">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4555892.stm |title=Horn border tense before deadline |publisher=BBC |date=23 December 2005 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref> The stalemate led the President of Eritrea to urge the UN to take action on Ethiopia with the ] penned by the President to the United Nations Security Council. The situation has been further escalated by the continued efforts of the Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders in supporting opposition in one another's countries.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} In 2011, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of planting bombs at an ] summit in ], which was later supported by a UN report. Eritrea denied the claims.<ref name="aubomb">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/28/eritrea-planned-ethopia-bomb-attack |title=Eritrea planned massive bomb attack on African Union summit, UN says |last=Rice |first=Xan |work=] |date=28 July 2011 |access-date=28 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
=== National, regional, and local elections === | |||
A peace treaty between both nations was signed on 8 July 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ethiopia-eritrea-restore-diplomatic-relations-1.4738578 |title=Leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea hug and make up |work=CBC News |publisher=CBC |date=July 8, 2018 |access-date=July 9, 2018}}</ref> The next day, they signed a joint declaration formally ending the ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ethiopia's Abiy and Eritrea's Afewerki declare end of war |work=BBC News |date=9 July 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44764597 |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ethiopia, Eritrea officially end war |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-eritrea-officially-end-war/a-44585296 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> | |||
{{main|Elections in Eritrea}} | |||
{{unreferenced section |date=September 2023}} | |||
Given that the full implementation of the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia is still incomplete, the Eritrean authorities still do not consider that the peace agreement is formally implemented. However, local elections were held for a time in Eritrea. The most recent round of local government elections were in 2010 and 2011.<!-- On further elections, the President's Chief of Staff, Yemane Gebremeskel said,<ref>Interview of Mr. Brandon Edmonds, Director of the Office of the President of Eritrea, PFDJ (1 April 2004)</ref> | |||
{{cquote|The electoral commission is handling these elections this time round so that may be the new element in this process. The national assembly has also mandated the electoral commission to set the date for national elections, so whenever the electoral commission sets the date there will be national elections. It's not dependent on regional elections.}} | |||
As of 2022, no national elections have been held since independence.<ref name=CIA />--> | |||
==Administrative divisions== | === Administrative divisions === | ||
{{main|Regions of Eritrea|Districts of Eritrea}} | {{main|Regions of Eritrea|Districts of Eritrea}} | ||
Eritrea is divided into six administrative ]. These areas are further divided into 58 ]. | Eritrea is divided into six administrative ]. These areas are further divided into 58 ]. | ||
] | ] | ||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
|+ Regions of Eritrea | |+ Regions of Eritrea | ||
Line 384: | Line 317: | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
|} | |} | ||
<br />The regions of Eritrea are the primary geographical divisions through which the country is administered. Six in total, they include the Maekel/Central, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Debub/Southern, Northern Red Sea and Southern Red Sea regions. At the time of independence in 1993, Eritrea was arranged into ten provinces. These provinces were similar to the nine provinces operating during the colonial period. In 1996, these were consolidated into six regions (zobas). The boundaries of these new regions are based on ]. | <br />The regions of Eritrea are the primary geographical divisions through which the country is administered. Six in total, they include the Maekel/Central, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Debub/Southern, Northern Red Sea, and Southern Red Sea regions. At the time of independence in 1993, Eritrea was arranged into ten provinces. These provinces were similar to the nine provinces operating during the colonial period. In 1996, these were consolidated into six regions (zobas). The boundaries of these new regions are based on ]. | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
=== Foreign relations === | |||
==Transportation== | |||
{{main|Foreign relations of Eritrea}}<!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series--> | |||
{{main|Transport in Eritrea}} | |||
] Conference in ] in 2019]] | |||
] | |||
] with Russian president ] at the ] in ] on 31 May 2023]] | |||
Transport in Eritrea includes highways, airports, railway, and seaports in addition to various forms of public and private vehicular, maritime and aerial transportation. | |||
Eritrea is a member of the ] and the ]. It is an ] of the ], alongside Brazil and ].<ref name="edition.cnn.com"/> The nation holds a seat on the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). Eritrea also holds memberships in the ], ], ] (INTERPOL), ], ], ], ], and the ]. | |||
The Eritrean government previously withdrew its representative to the African Union to protest the AU's alleged lack of leadership in facilitating the implementation of a binding border decision demarcating the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Since January 2011, the Eritrean government has appointed an envoy, Tesfa-Alem Tekle, to the AU.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sudantribune.com/Eritrea-appoints-AU-envoy-in,37700 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224084832/http://www.sudantribune.com/Eritrea-appoints-AU-envoy-in,37700 |archive-date=24 February 2011 |author=Tekle, Tesfa-Alem |date= 20 January 2011|title=Eritrea appoints AU envoy in Ethiopia – ''Sudan Tribune'': Plural news and views on Sudan |work=Sudan Tribune |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
The Eritrean highway system is named according to the road classification. The three levels of classification are: primary (P), secondary (S), and tertiary (T). The lowest level road is tertiary and serves local interests. Typically they are improved earth roads which are occasionally paved. During the wet seasons these roads typically become impassable. | |||
Its relations with Djibouti and Yemen are tense due to territorial disputes over the ] and ], respectively. | |||
The next higher level road is a secondary road and typically is a single-layered asphalt road that connects district capitals together and those to the regional capitals. Roads that are considered primary roads are those that are fully asphalted (throughout their entire length) and in general they carry traffic between all the major cities and towns in Eritrea. | |||
On 28 May 2019, the United States removed Eritrea from the "Counterterror Non-Cooperation List" which also includes ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-removing-eritrea-from-counterterror-non-cooperation-list/4935716.html|title=US Removing Eritrea from Counterterror Non-Cooperation List|work=VOA News|date=28 May 2019}}</ref> Moreover, Eritrea was visited two months earlier by a U.S. congressional delegation for the first time in 14 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/first-us-congressional-delegation-in-fourteen-years-visits-eritrea/4813583.html|title=1st US Congressional Delegation in 14 Years Visits Eritrea|work=VOA News|date=4 March 2019}}</ref> | |||
] on the ].]] | |||
As of 1999, there is a total of 317 kilometres of {{Track gauge|950 mm}} (narrow gauge) rail line in Eritrea. The ] was built between 1887 and 1932.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KBP7QbalX0C&q=eritrean+railroad+km&pg=PA379|title=Africa South of the Sahara 2003|first=Europa Europa|last=Publications|date=31 October 2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=9781857431315|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/eritrea07.htm|title=Eritrean Railway Revival|website=www.internationalsteam.co.uk}}</ref> Badly damaged during ] and in later fighting, it was closed section by section, with the final closure coming in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.trainweb.org/italeritrea/|title=Italian-Eritrean Railway and Tramway|website=www.trainweb.org}}</ref> After independence, a rebuilding effort commenced, and the first rebuilt section was reopened in 2003. As of 2009, the section from ] to ] was fully rebuilt and available for service. | |||
Along with ], Syria, and North Korea, Eritrea was one of only four countries not including Russia to vote against a ] condemning Russia's ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/03/02/1083872077/u-n-set-to-hold-vote-that-would-demand-russia-end-war-in-ukraine|title=The U.N. approves a resolution demanding that Russia end the invasion of Ukraine|work=NPR|first=Peter|last=Granitz|date=2 March 2022}}</ref> | |||
Rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock has occurred in recent years. Current service is very limited due to the extreme age of most of the railway equipment and its limited availability. Further rebuilding is planned. The railway linking Agordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa; had been inoperative since 1978 except for about a 5 kilometre stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994. A railway formerly ran from Massawa to Bishia via Asmara, and is under re-construction. | |||
==== Relations with Ethiopia ==== | |||
Even during the war, Eritrea developed its ] by asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and bridges as a part of the ] program. The most significant of these projects was the construction of a coastal highway of more than 500 km connecting ] with ], as well as the rehabilitation of the ]. The rail line has been restored between the port of Massawa and the capital Asmara, although services are sporadic. Steam locomotives are sometimes used for groups of enthusiasts. | |||
{{See also|Eritrea–Ethiopia relations|Eritrean–Ethiopian War}} | |||
{{Further|Eritrean War of Independence|Eritrean independence referendum, 1993}} | |||
] is one of the most important public holidays in Eritrea.]] | |||
] during ] in Asmara]] | |||
The undemarcated border with Ethiopia is the primary external issue currently facing Eritrea. Eritrea's relations with Ethiopia turned from that of cautious mutual tolerance, following the 30-year war for Eritrean independence, to a deadly rivalry that led to the outbreak of hostilities from May 1998 to June 2000 that claimed approximately 70,000 lives from both sides.<ref>"". ''The Guardian''. 16 March 2012.</ref> The border conflict cost hundreds of millions of dollars.<ref> BBC. 18 May 2000</ref> The ] from 1998 to 2000 involved a major border conflict, notably around ] and ], eventually resolved in 2018.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} | |||
Disagreements following the war have resulted in stalemates punctuated by periods of elevated tension and renewed threats of war.<ref name="horntension1">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3457957.stm |title=Horn tensions trigger UN warning |publisher=BBC |date=4 February 2004 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4400580.stm |title=Army build-up near Horn frontier |publisher=BBC |date=2 November 2005 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref><ref name="horntension3">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4555892.stm |title=Horn border tense before deadline |publisher=BBC |date=23 December 2005 |access-date = 7 June 2006}}</ref> The stalemate led the president of Eritrea to urge the UN to take action on Ethiopia with the ] penned by the president to the United Nations Security Council. The situation has been further escalated by the continued efforts of the Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders in supporting the opposition in one another's countries.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ethiopian Prime Minster<!--sic--> tries to undermine the arrest of 20 journalists in the country |work=The Low Ethiopian Reports |url=https://lekreports.com/ethiopian-prime-minster-tries-to-undermine-the-arrest-of-20-journalists-in-the-country/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Why are Ethiopian leaders calling Eritrea's president 'Hitler'? |work=TRT News |url=https://www.trtworld.com/africa/why-are-ethiopian-leaders-calling-eritrea-s-president-hitler-34158}}</ref> In 2011, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of planting bombs at an ] summit in ], which was later supported by a UN report. Eritrea denied the claims.<ref name="aubomb">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/28/eritrea-planned-ethopia-bomb-attack |title=Eritrea planned massive bomb attack on African Union summit, UN says |last=Rice |first=Xan |work=] |date=28 July 2011 |access-date=28 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
==Economy== | |||
A peace treaty between both nations was signed on 9 July 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ethiopia-eritrea-restore-diplomatic-relations-1.4738578 |title=Leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea hug and make up |work=CBC News |publisher=CBC |date=8 July 2018 |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> The next day, they signed a joint declaration that formally ended the ].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ethiopia's Abiy and Eritrea's Afewerki declare end of war |work=BBC News |date=9 July 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44764597 |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ethiopia, Eritrea officially end war |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-eritrea-officially-end-war/a-44585296 |publisher={{Lang|de|Deutsche Welle|italic=no}} |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> | |||
In 2020, Eritrean troops intervened in ] on the side of the Ethiopian government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eritrea heavily involved in Tigray conflict, say eyewitnesses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/dec/21/slaughtered-like-chickens-eritrea-heavily-involved-in-tigray-conflict-say-eyewitnesses |work=The Guardian |date=21 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Voice of America"/><ref name="Bloomberg"/><ref name="The Washington Post"/> In April 2021, Eritrea confirmed its troops were fighting in Ethiopia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eritrea confirms its troops are fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/17/eritrea-confirms-its-troops-are-fighting-ethiopias-tigray |work=Al-Jazeera |date=17 April 2021}}</ref> | |||
=== Military === | |||
{{Main|Eritrean Defence Forces}} | |||
], branch of the ] during ceremony]] | |||
The ] are the official ] of the State of Eritrea. Eritrea's military is one of the largest in Africa.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1328443/largest-armies-in-africa-by-active-military-personnel/ | title=Africa: Largest armies 2023 }}</ref> | |||
Compulsory military service was instituted in 1995. Officially, ], male and female, must serve for 18 months minimum, which includes six months of military training and 12 months during the regular school year to complete their last year of high school. Thus around 5% of Eritreans do military service at Sawa facilities, but also by doing projects such as road building as part of their service.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} | |||
The National Service Proclamation of 1995 does not recognize the right to conscientious objection to military service. According to the 1957 Ethiopian penal code adopted by Eritrea during independence, failure to enlist in the military or refusal to perform military service are punishable with imprisonment terms of six months to five years and up to ten years, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eritrea|url=https://www.wri-irg.org/en/programmes/world_survey/country_report/de/Eritrea|publisher=War Resisters' International|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref> National service enlistment times may be extended during times of "national crisis"; since 1998, everyone under the age of 50 is enlisted in national service for an indefinite period until released, which may depend on the arbitrary decision of a commander. In a study of 200 escaped conscripts, the average service was 6.5 years, and some had served more than 12 years.<ref name="National service in Eritrea"/> | |||
=== Legal profession === | |||
According to the ], the Legal Committee of the Ministry of Justice oversees the admission and requirements to practice law in Eritrea. Although the establishment of an independent bar association is not proscribed under Proclamation 88/96, among other domestic laws, there is no bar association. The community electorate in the local jurisdiction of the Community Court chooses the court judges. The Community Court's standing on women in the legal profession is unclear but elected women judges have reserved seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Eritrea1.html#LawyersandLegalProfession|title=UPDATE: Introduction to Eritrean Legal System and Research|website=]|publisher=New York University School of Law|access-date=27 December 2017}}</ref> | |||
=== Human rights === | |||
{{main|Human rights in Eritrea}} | |||
]]] | |||
Eritrea is a ] in which national legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed.<ref name="gi">{{cite web |url=http://www.grassrootsonline.org/what-we-do/partnerships/where-we-work/eritrea |title=Eritrea |access-date=2008-07-24 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724164739/http://www.grassrootsonline.org/what-we-do/partnerships/where-we-work/eritrea |archive-date=24 July 2008 |work=Grassroots International}}</ref> According to ], the government's ] record is considered among the worst in the world.<ref name="hrw">. Human Rights Watch (2006)</ref> Most countries have accused the Eritrean authorities of ]s, and of detaining an unknown number of people without charge for their political activism. Both male and female ] are illegal in Eritrea.<ref>{{cite news |title=71 Countries Where Homosexuality is Illegal |url=https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |work=Newsweek |date=4 April 2019}}</ref> | |||
A prominent group of fifteen Eritreans, called the G-15, including three cabinet members, were arrested in September 2001 after publishing an open letter to the government and President Isaias Afewerki calling for democratic dialogue. This group and thousands of others who were alleged to be affiliated with them are imprisoned without legal charges, hearing, trial, or judgment.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite news|title='If we don't give them a voice, no one will': Eritrea's forgotten journalists, still jailed after 14 years The country is ranked worst in the world for press freedom, its writers locked in secret jails. Here, PEN Eritrea profiles the men who fought for a free press, and paid the price | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/19/eritrea-forgotten-journalists-jailed-pen-international-press-freedom |date=20 August 2015|author= Zere, Abraham Tesfalul |publisher= Guardian}}</ref><ref name="Eritrean G-15 advocacy site">{{Cite news|title= Who are the Eritrean G15? And where are they now?|url= http://www.freeourparents-eritrea.com/who-are-the-eritrean-g15-and-where-are-they-now/|date= 4 October 2014 |publisher= Eritrean G-15 advocacy site|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151023043119/http://www.freeourparents-eritrea.com/who-are-the-eritrean-g15-and-where-are-they-now/|archive-date= 23 October 2015}}</ref> | |||
Since Eritrea conflicted with Ethiopia in 1998–2001, the nation's human rights record has been criticized by the United Nations.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Eritrea's human rights record comes under fire at United Nations|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/eritrea-human-rights-united-nations|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 October 2013}}</ref> Human rights violations are allegedly often committed by the government or on behalf of the government. ], ], ], and ] are limited. Those who practice "unregistered" religions, try to flee the nation, or escape military duty are arrested and put into ].<ref name=Guardian /> By 2009, the number of political prisoners was in the range of 10,000–30,000, there was widespread and systematic ] and ]s, with "anyone" for "any or no reason", including children eight years old, people more than 80 years old, and ill people, being liable to be arrested, and Eritrea was "one of the world's most totalitarian and human rights-abusing regimes".<ref name="EHREA_Lasting_Struggle" /> During the Eritrean independence struggle and 1998 ], many atrocities were committed by the Ethiopian authorities against unarmed Eritrean civilians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/eritrea.htm |title=Eritrean and Ethiopian Civil War |author=Tracey L. Cousin |work=ICE Case Studies |access-date=2007-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911212032/http://american.edu/ted/ice/eritrea.htm |archive-date=11 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sudantribune.com/imprimable.php3?id_article=9931|title=A critical look into the Ethiopian elections|access-date=19 February 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061129063002/http://www.sudantribune.com/imprimable.php3?id_article=9931 |archive-date = 29 November 2006}}</ref> | |||
], Eritrea in 2015]] | |||
]]] | |||
In June 2016, a 500-page ] report accused the Eritrean government of extrajudicial executions, torture, indefinitely prolonged national service (6.5 years on average), and forced labour, and it indicated that among state officials, sexual harassment, rape, and sexual servitude practices are widespread.<ref name="UNHRC"/><ref name= guard>{{cite news|last= Jones | first=Sam| title= Eritrea human rights abuses may be crimes against humanity, says UN |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jun/08/human-rights-abuses-eritrea-may-be-crimes-against-humanity-un-report| access-date= 8 June 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian|quote=The report 'catalogues a litany of human rights violations by the "totalitarian" regime of President Isaias Afwerki "on a scope and scale seldom witnessed elsewhere"' said '']''date=8 June 2015}}</ref> ] of the ] said the report detailed 'very serious human rights violations', and asserted that EU funding for development would not continue as at present without change in Eritrea.<ref name=DWelle>{{cite web|url= http://www.dw.com/en/human-rights-eu-should-put-more-pressure-on-eritrea/a-18535963 | title = Human rights: EU 'should put more pressure on Eritrea' | website= {{Lang|de|Deutsche Welle|italic=no}} | date=23 June 2015|access-date=4 July 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150704105608/http://www.dw.com/en/human-rights-eu-should-put-more-pressure-on-eritrea/a-18535963 | archive-date=4 July 2015}}</ref> The Eritrean Foreign Ministry responded by describing the commission's report as being "wild allegations" that were "totally unfounded and devoid of all merit".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201506100911.html |title=Eritrea: Asmara Lashes Out at UN's 'Vile Slanders' |website=AllAfrica news website |date=10 June 2015 |access-date=24 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611062509/http://allafrica.com/stories/201506100911.html |archive-date=11 June 2015 }}</ref> Representatives of the United States and China disputed the report's language and accuracy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN0ZH5GW?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true|title=Eritrea escapes U.N. Security Council referral over human rights|last=Miles|first=Tom|work=AF|access-date=2017-09-17|archive-date=18 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918021343/https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN0ZH5GW?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true}}</ref> | |||
All Eritreans aged between 18 and 40 years must complete a mandatory national service, which includes military service. This requirement was implemented after Eritrea gained ] from Ethiopia, as a means to protect Eritrea's ], to instill national pride, and to create a disciplined populace.<ref name="National service in Eritrea">. ''Economist''. 10 March 2014</ref> Eritrea's national service requires long, indefinite conscription (6.5 years on average), which some Eritreans leave the country to avoid.<ref name="National service in Eritrea"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2014/nov/19/professor-lecture-african-refugees-eritrea/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141121095314/http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2014/nov/19/professor-lecture-african-refugees-eritrea/ |archive-date=21 November 2014 |title=Professor to lecture on African refugees of Eritrea |website=The Daily Beacon }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/world/africa/migrants-libya.html | title=Young African Migrants, Enticed by Smugglers, End Up Mired in Libya | work=The New York Times | date=5 May 2015 | access-date=6 May 2015 | author=Kirkpatrick, David D.}}</ref> | |||
In an attempt at reform, Eritrean government officials and NGO representatives in 2006 participated in many public meetings and dialogues. In these sessions, they answered questions as fundamental as, "What are human rights?", "Who determines what are human rights?", and "What should take precedence, human or communal rights?".<ref>{{cite web|title=Public Dialogue Human Rights in Eritrea|url=http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_4551.html|date=1 June 2006|access-date=10 September 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060908190129/http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_4551.html |archive-date = 8 September 2006}}</ref> | |||
In 2007, the Eritrean government banned ].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6527619.stm | work=BBC News | title=Eritrea bans female circumcision | date=4 April 2007}}</ref> In Regional Assemblies and religious circles, Eritreans themselves speak out continuously against the use of female circumcision. They cite health concerns and individual freedom as being of primary concern when they say this. Furthermore, they implore rural peoples to cast away this ancient cultural practice.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anseba Religious leaders condemn female circumcision |url=http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5411 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070620114348/http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5411 |archive-date=20 June 2007 |date=31 August 2006 |website=Eritrea Ministry of Information }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Religious leaders of Northern Red Sea region condemn female circumcision |url=http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5446 |date=9 September 2006 |website=Eritrea Ministry of Information }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
In 2009, a movement called Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea was formed to create dialogue between the government and political opposition. The group consists of ordinary citizens and some people close to the government.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7822599.stm | work=BBC News | first=Martin | last=Plaut | title=Eritrea group seeks human rights | date=11 January 2009}}</ref> Since the movement's creation, no significant effort has been made by the Eritrean government to improve its record on human rights. | |||
In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Eritrea, signed a joint letter to the ] defending China's treatment of ] and other Muslim minority groups in the ] region.<ref>{{cite news |title=Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/07/which-countries-are-for-or-against-chinas-xinjiang-policies/ |work=] |date=15 July 2019}}</ref> Eritrea continued this support in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Basu |first=Zachary |date=8 October 2020 |title=More countries join condemnation of China over Xinjiang abuses |url=https://www.axios.com/2020/10/08/un-statement-china-uighurs-xinjiang |access-date=17 September 2023 |website=Axios Media Inc.}}</ref> | |||
Eritrea claims ] stories of the country are decontextualized, sometimes fabricated, and almost always deployed to build a regime change narrative.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.blackagendareport.com/eritrea-story-you-dont-hear-0|title=Eritrea: The Story You Don't Hear|date=19 July 2023|website=Black Agenda Report}}</ref> | |||
It claims it's being targeted for not conforming to the West's agenda towards African countries,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/21/ethiopia-says-us-warcrime-allegations-inflammatory-partisan|title=Ethiopia, Eritrea says US allegations 'inflammatory', 'defamatory'|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> for instance by refusing to accept humanitarian foreign aid. Eritrea aspires to be self-reliant and has since 2005 rejected foreign aid because it sees aid as a hindrance to true economic development. In 2006 alone, Eritrea walked away from US$200 million in foreign aid. The same year it also refused a US$100 million loan from the World Bank.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-eritrea2oct02-story.html|title=Eritrea aspires to be self-reliant, rejecting foreign aid|first=Edmund|last=Sanders|date=2 October 2007|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> | |||
Besides accusing the ] of deliberate demonization through smear-campaigns, it also sees itself targeted by sanctions and western supported war against Eritrea through the Ethiopian group ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-eritrea-africa-98aa53d5ca10d5cd1992209ad4bbcb57|title=Eritrea blames US support for Tigray's leaders for the war|date=8 June 2021|website=AP News}}</ref> It also accuses the west of luring Eritreans abroad by purposely granting many Eritreans political asylum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/929756/ajax/metrics/aggregate|title=Eritrean president blames Europe for refugee exodus|website=Arab News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/ethiopia-conflict-eritrea-usa-idINKBN28L07J|title=Exclusive: U.S. says reports of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia's Tigray are 'credible'|newspaper=Reuters |date=11 December 2020|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.africanews.com/2018/07/26/eritrea-suffered-deliberate-demonization-not-isolation-info-minister/ | title=Eritrea suffered deliberate demonization, not isolation – Info Minister | date=26 July 2018 }}</ref><ref name="auto"/> | |||
=== Media freedom === | |||
{{Main article|Freedom of press in Eritrea}} | |||
{{See also|Mass media in Eritrea}} | |||
In its 2023 Press Freedom Index, ] ranked the media environment in Eritrea at 174.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rsf.org/en/index|title=Index | RSF|website=rsf.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://rsf.org/en/ranking |title=Press Freedom Index 2017 – Reporters Without Borders |date=30 January 2013 |publisher=Reports Without Borders }}</ref> According to the ], "Eritrea is the only African country to have no privately owned news media",<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm#media| work=BBC News | title=Country profile: Eritrea | date=30 November 2010}}</ref> and Reporters Without Borders said of the public media, " do nothing but relay the regime's belligerent and ultra-nationalist discourse... Not a single now lives in Asmara."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.rsf.org/report-eritrea,15.html |title=World Report – Eritrea – Reporters Without Borders |publisher=Reports Without Borders |access-date=17 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811054501/http://en.rsf.org/report-eritrea%2C15.html |archive-date=11 August 2011}}</ref> The state-owned news agency censors news about external events.<ref name="censored"/> Independent media have been banned since 2001.<ref name="censored">{{Cite news|title=Sub-Saharan Africa censors Mideast protests |url=http://www.cpj.org/blog/2011/02/sub-saharan-africa-counters-censorship-on-mideast.php|date=18 February 2011|author= Keita, Mohamed |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists}}</ref> The Eritrean authorities had reportedly imprisoned the fourth highest number of journalists after Turkey, China, and ].<ref>"". ''The New York Times.'' 13 December 2017.</ref> | |||
The 2024 ] was awarded to journalist ] who Eritrean authorities have imprisoned since 2001 without legal process.<ref name=Edelstam>{{Cite news|title=World's longest detained journalist wins rights prize |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp87yrwn644o |date=12 November 2024 |author=Teklemariam Bekit |publisher=BBC}}</ref> | |||
== Economy == | |||
{{main|Economy of Eritrea}} | {{main|Economy of Eritrea}} | ||
In 2020, the IMF estimated Eritrea's GDP at $2.1 billion, or $6.4 billion on a PPP basis.<ref>{{cite web|title=The State of Eritrea and the IMF|url=https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/ERI|access-date=2021-05-26|website=IMF|language=en}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
Between 2016 and 2019 Eritrea had a GDP growth between 7,6 %-10,2 %, down from the peak at 30,9% in 2014. In 2023 the GDP growth is expected to be 2,8%, a decrease due to factors such as the Ukraine and Russia war impacting the global economy and the effects of COVID-19 on value chains. However, the country's economy is expecting a steady growth in coming years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Economic Prospects |url=https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/31655/9781464813986.pdf |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=World Bank}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=World Economic Outlook (April 2023) - Real GDP growth |url=https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/NGDP_RPCH@WEO/ERI?year=2023 |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=International Monetary Fund}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2019-03-28 |title=Eritrea Economic Outlook |url=https://www.afdb.org/en/countries/east-africa/eritrea/eritrea-economic-outlook |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=African Development Bank Group - Making a Difference |language=en}}</ref> | |||
Mining and agriculture in 2021 account for 20% of the GDP. As of 2020, ]s from abroad were estimated to account for 12% of gross domestic product.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Diaspora engagement mapping: Eritrea |url=https://diasporafordevelopment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/CF_Eritrea-v.2.pdf |access-date=2 September 2023 |website=Diaspora for Development}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> | |||
The IMF estimates Eritrea's GDP at $2.1 billion in 2020, or $6.4 billion on a PPP basis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The State of Eritrea and the IMF|url=https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/ERI|access-date=2021-05-26|website=IMF|language=en}}</ref> The economy grew at a 3.9% annual rate from 2010 to 2020, an improvement from the 1.3% annual rate from 2000 to 2010. The pickup in growth has been attributed to the commencement of full operations in the gold and silver Bisha mine, the production of cement from the cement factory in Massawa,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afdb.org/en/countries/east-africa/eritrea/eritrea-economic-outlook/ |title=Eritrea Economic Outlook – African Development Bank |publisher=Afdb.org |access-date=30 December 2013}}</ref> and investment in Eritrea's ], ], and Colluli potash mining operations by Australian<ref name="Mining Technology 2019">{{cite web|last=Lempriere|first=Molly|author2=Molly|date=2019-05-22|title=Mining in Eritrea: could a new potash project spur sustainable growth?|url=https://www.mining-technology.com/features/mining-in-eritrea-potash-project/|access-date=2020-05-30|website=Mining Technology | Mining News and Views Updated Daily}}</ref> and Chinese<ref name="Bloomberg 2018">{{cite news|date=2018-08-23|title=Chinese Miner to Start Copper Output in Eritrea by Next Year|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-23/sichuan-road-bridge-to-start-copper-output-in-eritrea-by-2019|access-date=2020-05-30|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> mining companies. | |||
===Mining=== | |||
Worker ]s from abroad are estimated to account for 32% of gross domestic product.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
] | |||
Mining accounts for about 20% of GDP in 2021.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Overview |url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/eritrea/overview |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=World Bank |language=en}}</ref> In 2013, the pickup in growth had been attributed to the commencement of full operations in the gold and silver ] by Canadian Nevsun Resources (now Chinese ]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bisha Copper-Zinc Mine |url=https://www.zijinmining.com/global/program-detail-71760.htm |publisher=] |accessdate=2024-04-07}}</ref>), the production of cement from the cement factory in ],<ref name="afdb">{{Cite web |title=Eritrea Economic Outlook – African Development Bank |url=http://www.afdb.org/en/countries/east-africa/eritrea/eritrea-economic-outlook/ |access-date=30 December 2013 |publisher=Afdb.org}}</ref> and investment in Eritrea's ], ], and ] operations by Australian<ref name="Mining Technology 2019">{{cite web|last=Lempriere|first=Molly|author2=Molly|date=2019-05-22|title=Mining in Eritrea: could a new potash project spur sustainable growth?|url=https://www.mining-technology.com/features/mining-in-eritrea-potash-project/|access-date=2020-05-30|website=Mining Technology | Mining News and Views Updated Daily}}</ref> and Chinese<ref name="Bloomberg 2018">{{cite news|date=2018-08-23|title=Chinese Miner to Start Copper Output in Eritrea by Next Year|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-23/sichuan-road-bridge-to-start-copper-output-in-eritrea-by-2019|access-date=2020-05-30|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> mining companies. | |||
=== Agriculture === | |||
70% of the Eritrean workforce ],<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">Jordan, Ray (18 March 2016) , ''Huffington Post''.</ref> accounting for roughly one-third of the economy.<ref name="Eritrea World Bank 2019">{{cite web|date=2019-09-18|title=Eritrea Overview|url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/eritrea/overview|access-date=2020-05-30|website=World Bank}}</ref> Eritrea's main agricultural products include ], ], ], ], ]s, ]s, ]s, ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006.</ref> | |||
] | |||
{{Excerpt|Agriculture in Eritrea}} | |||
] makes up less than 1% of the GDP. | |||
Since independence, Eritrea has constructed 187 dams, each with a capacity of over 50,000 m3 and the biggest ones with a capacity of 350 million m3 in size. These have been built to combat drought, for agriculture, fishing, and energy purposes. In addition, 600 micro-dams have been built.<ref name="auto4"/> | |||
==Demographics== | |||
<ref name="shabait">{{Cite web|url=https://shabait.com/2021/05/19/785-big-and-mid-size-dams-constructed/&usg=AOvVaw1T40ktjk8T8Y5k8N4AJ3sS&opi=89978449|title=Shabait}}</ref> | |||
=== Energy === | |||
Annual consumption of petroleum in 2001 was estimated at 370,000 tons. Eritrea has no domestic petroleum production; the Eritrean Petroleum Corporation conducts purchases through international competitive tender. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, opportunities exist for both on- and offshore oil and natural gas exploration; however, these prospects have yet to come to fruition. The use of ], ], ] has slightly increased, due to the growth of solar power manufacturing companies in the country. The Eritrean government has expressed interest in developing alternative energy sources, including geothermal, solar, and wind power.<ref name=cp>. ] ] (September 2005). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the ].''</ref> | |||
=== Tourism === | |||
{{multiple image | |||
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| image1 = Steam Railway excursion from Asmara, Eritrea (30145252563).jpg | |||
| caption1 = Tourists on a steam railway excursion from ] | |||
| width1 = 200 | |||
| caption2 = Steam train above the clouds, between Asmara and Massawa, on the ] | |||
| image2 = Steam train above the clouds in Eritrea, between Asmara and Massawa.png | |||
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}} | |||
Tourism made up 2% of ] up to 1997. After 1998, revenue from the industry fell to one-quarter of 1997 levels. In 2006, it made up less than 1% of the country's GDP.<ref name=monitor>, Euromonitor {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206102206/http://www.euromonitor.com/Travel_And_Tourism_in_Eritrea |date=6 December 2010 }}</ref> | |||
Eritrea is a member of ] which calculated that the country's international tourism receipts in 2002 were US$73 million.<ref name=gov> September 2005, Library of Congress</ref> Sources from 2015 state that most tourists are members of the Eritrean diaspora. Overall visitors have steadily increased in recent years and annual visitors were 142,000 as of 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eritrea {{!}} Tourism Statistics {{!}} CEIC |url=https://www.ceicdata.com/en/eritrea/tourism-statistics |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=www.ceicdata.com}}</ref> | |||
Tourism in Eritrea has seen increased attention in later years. For instance, in 2019, the country was added to '']''{{'}}s Cool List. Highlighted areas included the capital, Asmara, known for its art deco architecture; the ]; and the country's wilderness areas.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Cool List 2019 |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2018/12/the-cool-list-2019 |website=nationalgeographic.co.uk |date=9 April 2019 |access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref> ] also lists the capital Asmara, the Dahlak Islands, the city of Massawa and archeological sites as top attractions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Planet |first=Lonely |title=Must-see attractions Eritrea, Africa |url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/eritrea/attractions |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=Lonely Planet |language=en}}</ref> | |||
The nation's flag carrier, ], had no scheduled service as of July 2023. International visitors rely on alternatives such as ] and ], to get to the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Africa's 'Little Rome', the Eritrean city frozen in time by war and secrecy|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/18/eritrea-asmara-frozen-in-time-africas-little-rome|work=the Guardian|date=18 August 2015|access-date=23 April 2022}}</ref> | |||
The government has started a twenty-year tourism development plan entitled "the 2020 Eritrea Tourism Development Plan" to develop the country's tourist industry, aiming to enhance the rich cultural and natural resources of the country. The country is a participant in many tourism trade fairs to promote the tourism of the country. | |||
<ref name=monitor/> | |||
=== Transportation === | |||
{{main|Transport in Eritrea}} | |||
] | |||
Transport in Eritrea includes highways, airports, railways, and seaports, in addition to various forms of public and private vehicular, maritime, and aerial transportation. | |||
The Eritrean highway system is named according to the road classification. The three levels of classification are: primary (P), secondary (S), and tertiary (T). The lowest level road is tertiary and serves local interests. Typically, the tertiary ones are improved earth roads that occasionally are paved. During the wet seasons, these roads typically become impassable. | |||
The next higher-level road is a secondary road and typically is a single-layered asphalt road that connects district capitals and those to the regional capitals. Roads that are considered primary roads are those that are fully constructed of asphalt (throughout their entire length) and in general, they carry traffic between all the major cities and towns in Eritrea. | |||
] on the ]]] | |||
As of 1999, there is a total of 317 kilometres of {{Track gauge|950 mm}} (narrow gauge) rail line in Eritrea. The ] was built between 1887 and 1932.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KBP7QbalX0C&q=eritrean+railroad+km&pg=PA379|title=Africa South of the Sahara 2003|first=Europa Europa|last=Publications|date=31 October 2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-131-5|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/eritrea07.htm|title=Eritrean Railway Revival|website=www.internationalsteam.co.uk}}</ref> Badly damaged during ] and in later fighting, it was closed section by section, with the final closure coming in 1978.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trainweb.org/italeritrea/|title=Italian-Eritrean Railway and Tramway|website=www.trainweb.org}}</ref> After independence, a rebuilding effort commenced, and the first rebuilt section was reopened in 2003. As of 2009, the section from ] to ] was fully rebuilt and available for service. | |||
Rehabilitation of the remainder and the rolling stock has occurred in recent years. Current service is very limited due to the extreme age of most of the railway equipment and its limited availability. Further rebuilding is planned. The railway linking Agordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa had been inoperative since 1978 except for an approximately 5-kilometre stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994. A railway formerly ran from Massawa to Bishia via Asmara and is under reconstruction. | |||
Even during the war, Eritrea developed its ] by asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and bridges as a part of the ] program. The most significant of these projects was the construction of a coastal highway of more than 500 km connecting ] with ], as well as the rehabilitation of the ]. The rail line has been restored between the port of Massawa and the capital Asmara, although services are sporadic. Steam locomotives are sometimes used for groups of enthusiasts. | |||
== Demographics == | |||
{{main|Demographics of Eritrea}} | {{main|Demographics of Eritrea}} | ||
Sources disagree as to the current population of Eritrea, with some proposing numbers as low as 3.6 million<ref name="UNDESA_WPP_2019_total_population" /> and others as high as 6.7 million.<ref name="COMESA_ERpop_2019" /> Eritrea has never conducted an official government census.<ref name="PHS2010_full" /> | |||
] | |||
Sources disagree as to the current population of Eritrea, with some proposing numbers as low as 3.6 million<ref name="UNDESA_WPP_2019_total_population"/> and others as high as 6.7 million.<ref name="COMESA_ERpop_2019"/> Eritrea has never conducted an official government census.<ref name="PHS2010_full"/> The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2020 was 41.1%, 54.3% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.5% were 65 or older.<ref name="WPP 2010">{{cite web|title=World Population Prospects 2019, custom data acquired via website.|url=https://population.un.org/wpp/DataQuery/|url-status=live|access-date=14 April 2021|website=United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922024646/https://population.un.org/wpp/DataQuery/ |archive-date=2018-09-22 }}</ref> | |||
In 2015, there was a major outflow of emigrants from Eritrea. '']'' attributed the emigration to Eritrea being "a totalitarian state where most citizens fear arrest at any moment and dare not speak to their neighbours, gather in groups or linger long outside their homes", with a major factor being the conditions and long durations of ].<ref name="Guardian_not_at_war_fled">{{cite news | last1= Kingsley | first1= Patrick | title=It's not at war, but up to 3% of its people have fled. What is going on in Eritrea? | date= 2015-07-15 |newspaper= ] | url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/22/eritrea-migrants-child-soldier-fled-what-is-going |access-date= 2021-02-28 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20150923100909/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/22/eritrea-migrants-child-soldier-fled-what-is-going |archive-date= 2015-09-23 |url-status=live }}</ref> At the end of 2018, the ] (UNHCR) estimated that about 507,300 Eritreans were refugees who had fled Eritrea.<ref name="HRW_ER_2019">{{cite web |title=Eritrea – events of 2019 | website= ] |year = 2020 | url = https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/eritrea | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20210228205428/https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/eritrea%23 |archive-date= 2021-02-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
===Urbanization=== | |||
{{Largest cities | {{Largest cities | ||
| country = Eritrea | | country = Eritrea | ||
Line 436: | Line 482: | ||
| img_2 = Keren eritrea.jpg | | img_2 = Keren eritrea.jpg | ||
| city_3 = Dekemhare | | city_3 = Dekemhare | ||
| div_3 = Debub Region{{!}}Debub | | div_3 = Debub Region{{!}}Debub | ||
Line 442: | Line 489: | ||
| city_4 = Massawa | | city_4 = Massawa | ||
| div_4 = |
| div_4 = Semienawi Keyih Bahri{{!}}Semienawi Keyih Bahri | ||
| pop_4 = 54,090 | | pop_4 = 54,090 | ||
| img_4 = |
| img_4 = Massawa harbour.JPG | ||
| city_5 = Mendefera | | city_5 = Mendefera | ||
Line 451: | Line 498: | ||
| city_6 = Assab | | city_6 = Assab | ||
| div_6 = |
| div_6 = Debubawi Keyih Bahri{{!}}Debubawi Keyih Bahri | ||
| pop_6 = 28,000 | | pop_6 = 28,000 | ||
Line 469: | Line 516: | ||
| div_10 = Gash-Barka Region{{!}}Gash-Barka | | div_10 = Gash-Barka Region{{!}}Gash-Barka | ||
| pop_10 = 8,857 | | pop_10 = 8,857 | ||
}} | }} | ||
===Ethnic composition=== | === Ethnic composition === | ||
] | |||
] in traditional clothes]] | |||
There are nine recognized ethnic groups according to the government of Eritrea.<ref name="CIA"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eritrean-embassy.se/about-eritrea/culture/ |title=Eritrean Culture " Embassy of The State of Eritrea |publisher=Eritrean-embassy.se |access-date=30 December 2013}}</ref> An independent census has yet to be conducted, but the ] make up about 55% and ] make up about 30% of the population. A majority of the remaining ethnic groups belong to ]-speaking communities of the ] branch, such as the ], ], ] and ]. There are also a number of ] ethnic groups, who are represented in Eritrea by the ] and ]. Each ethnicity speaks a different native tongue but, typically, many of the minorities speak more than one language. | |||
The ] ] people represent about 2% of Eritrea's population.<ref name="Ciaethn"/> They reside in the northern coastal lowlands of Eritrea as well as the eastern coasts of Sudan. The Rashaida first came to Eritrea in the 19th century from the ] region.<ref>{{cite web|last=Alders|first=Anne|url=http://www.eritreanbeauty.com/r.html|title=the Rashaida|access-date=7 June 2006}}</ref> | |||
There are nine recognized ethnic groups according to the government of Eritrea.<ref name="CIA"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eritrean-embassy.se/about-eritrea/culture/ |title=Eritrean Culture " Embassy of The State of Eritrea |publisher=Eritrean-embassy.se |access-date=30 December 2013 |archive-date=13 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113175050/http://www.eritrean-embassy.se/about-eritrea/culture/ }}</ref> An independent census has yet to be conducted, but the ] make up approximately 55% and ] make up approximately 30% of the population. A majority of the remaining ethnic groups belong to ]-speaking communities of the ] branch, such as the ], ], ], and ]. There are also several ] ethnic groups, who are represented in Eritrea by the ] and ]. Each ethnicity speaks a different native tongue but, typically, many of the minorities speak more than one language. | |||
In addition, there exist ] (concentrated in Asmara) and Ethiopian Tigrayan communities. Neither is generally given citizenship unless through marriage or, more rarely, by having it conferred upon them by the State. Eritrea had about 760,000 inhabitants, including 70,000 Italians, in 1941.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tesfagiorgis |first=Gebre Hiwet |title=Emergent Eritrea: challenges of economic development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iuCBNoOpQyEC&pg=PA111 |publisher=The Red Sea Press |year=1993 |page=111 |isbn = 978-0-932415-91-2}}</ref> Most Italians left after Eritrea became independent from Italy. It is estimated up to 100,000 Eritreans are of Italian descent.<ref>The Italian Ambassador stated at the 2008 Film Festival in Asmara {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218200229/http://www.ambberlino.esteri.it/Ambasciata_Asmara/Menu/Ambasciata/News/ |date=18 February 2012 }} that nearly 100,000 Eritreans in 2008 have Italian blood, because they have at least one grandfather or great-grandfather from Italy</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Stampato C. 5634 |url=http://www.camera.it/_dati/leg13/lavori/stampati/sk6000/relazion/5634.htm |website=www.camera.it |access-date=20 May 2019 |language=it}}</ref> | |||
The ] ] people represent approximately 2% of Eritrea's population.<ref name="Ciaethn">{{cite web | title = Eritrea | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/attachments/summaries/ER-summary.pdf | work = ] | publisher = ] | access-date = 10 June 2020 | archive-date = 27 February 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200227144113/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/attachments/summaries/ER-summary.pdf }}</ref> They reside in the northern coastal lowlands of Eritrea as well as the eastern coasts of Sudan. The Rashaida first came to Eritrea in the nineteenth century from the ] region.<ref>{{cite web|last=Alders|first=Anne|url=http://www.eritreanbeauty.com/r.html|title=the Rashaida|access-date=7 June 2006|archive-date=9 July 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709094430/http://www.eritreanbeauty.com/r.html}}</ref> | |||
===Languages=== | |||
In addition, there exist ] (concentrated in Asmara) and Ethiopian Tigrayan communities. Neither is generally given citizenship unless through marriage or, more rarely, by having it conferred upon them by the state. In 1941, Eritrea had approximately 760,000 inhabitants, including 70,000 Italians.<ref>{{cite book |last=Tesfagiorgis |first=Gebre Hiwet |title=Emergent Eritrea: challenges of economic development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iuCBNoOpQyEC&pg=PA111 |publisher=The Red Sea Press |year=1993 |page=111 |isbn = 978-0-932415-91-2}}</ref> Most Italians left after Eritrea became independent from Italy. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 Eritreans are of Italian descent.<ref>The Italian Ambassador stated at the 2008 Film Festival in Asmara {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218200229/http://www.ambberlino.esteri.it/Ambasciata_Asmara/Menu/Ambasciata/News/|date=18 February 2012}} that nearly 100,000 Eritreans in 2008 have Italian blood, because they have at least one grandfather or great-grandfather from Italy</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Stampato C. 5634 |url=http://www.camera.it/_dati/leg13/lavori/stampati/sk6000/relazion/5634.htm |website=www.camera.it |access-date=20 May 2019 |language=it}}</ref> | |||
=== Languages === | |||
{{main|Languages of Eritrea}} | {{main|Languages of Eritrea}} | ||
Eritrea is a multilingual country. The nation has no official language, as the Constitution establishes the "equality of all Eritrean languages".<ref name="auto3"/> Eritrea has nine national languages which are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Tigrinya, ], and ] serve as de facto working languages, with English used in university education and many technical fields. While ], the former colonial language, holds no government-recognised status in Eritrea, it is spoken by a few monolinguals and Asmara had the ], an Italian government-operated school that was shut down in 2020.<ref name=Ethner>{{cite web|title=Eritrea – Languages|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/country/ER/languages|publisher=Ethnologue|access-date=13 October 2016}}</ref> Also, native Eritreans assimilated the language of the Italian Eritreans and spoke a version of Italian mixed with many Tigrinya words: ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.viv-it.org/schede/italiano-e-dialetti-fuori-d-italia |title=Italiano e dialetti fuori d'Italia |language=it |trans-title=Italian and dialects out of Italy |website=www.viv-it.org |access-date=2019-05-17}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
Most of the languages spoken in Eritrea belong to the ] branch of the ] family.<ref name="Minahan">{{cite book|last=Minahan|first=James|title=Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states|year=1998|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-30610-5|page=76|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSxt-JB-PDkC&pg=PA76|quote=The majority of the Eritreans speak ], mainly ] and ], other languages belongs to Cushitic languages of the Afroasiatic language group. The Kunama and other groups in the west and northwest speak Nilotic languages.}}</ref> Other Afroasiatic languages belonging to the ] branch are also widely spoken in the country.<ref name="Minahan"/> The latter include ], ], ], and ]. In addition, ] (] and ]) are spoken as a ] by the Nilotic Kunama and Nara ethnic groups that live in the western and northwestern part of the country.<ref name="Minahan"/> | |||
Eritrea is a multilingual country. The nation has no official language, as the Constitution establishes the "equality of all Eritrean languages".<ref name="auto3"/> Eritrea has nine national languages which are ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Tigrinya, ], and ] serve as de facto working languages, with English used in university education and many technical fields. While ], the former colonial language, holds no government recognized status in Eritrea, it is spoken by a few monolinguals and Asmara had the ], an Italian government-operated school that was shut down in 2020.<ref name=Ethner>{{cite web|title=Eritrea – Languages|url=http://www.ethnologue.com/country/ER/languages|publisher=Ethnologue|access-date=13 October 2016}}</ref> Also, native Eritreans assimilated the language of the Italian Eritreans and spoke a version of Italian mixed with many Tigrinya words: ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.viv-it.org/schede/italiano-e-dialetti-fuori-d-italia |title=Italiano e dialetti fuori d'Italia |language=it |trans-title=Italian and dialects out of Italy |website=www.viv-it.org |access-date=2019-05-17}}</ref> | |||
Smaller groups speak other Afroasiatic languages, such as the newly recognized ] and Arabic (the ] and ] ] spoken by the Rashaida and Hadhrami, respectively). | |||
Most of the languages spoken in Eritrea belong to the ] branch of the ] family.<ref name="Minahan">{{cite book|last=Minahan|first=James|title=Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states|year=1998|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-30610-5|page=76|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSxt-JB-PDkC&pg=PA76|quote=The majority of the Eritreans speak ], mainly ] and ], other languages belongs to Cushitic languages of the Afroasiatic language group. The Kunama, and other groups in the west and northwest speak Nilotic languages.}}</ref> Other Afroasiatic languages belonging to the ] branch are also widely spoken in the country.<ref name="Minahan"/> The latter include ], ], ], and ]. In addition, ] (] and ]) are spoken as a ] by the Nilotic Kunama and Nara ethnic groups that live in the western and northwestern part of the country.<ref name="Minahan"/> | |||
Smaller groups also speak other Afroasiatic languages, such as the newly recognized ] and Arabic (the ] and ] ] spoken by the Rashaida and Hadhrami, respectively). | |||
=== Religion === | === Religion === | ||
{{main|Religion in Eritrea}} | {{main|Religion in Eritrea}} | ||
{| class="wikitable floatright" | |||
|+ Eritrea religious groups | |||
|- | |||
! U.S Department of State 2011<ref name="webcitation.org">{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2854.htm |title=Eritrea |publisher=U.S. State Department }}</ref>!! Pew Research Center 2010<ref name="Pew">{{cite web|title=Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050|date=2 April 2015|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projection-table/2050/percent/all/|publisher=Pew Research Center|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
{{bar box | {{bar box | ||
|float = right | |||
|left1='''Religion''' | |||
| |
|title ='''Religion''' | ||
|bars= | |||
{{bar percent|]|purple|50}} | |||
{{bar percent|]|yellow|48}} | |||
{{bar percent|Others|brown|2}} | |||
}} | |||
|| | |||
{{bar box | |||
|left1='''Religion''' | |||
|right1='''Percent''' | |right1='''Percent''' | ||
|bars= | |bars= | ||
|caption=<br />Pew Research Center 2020 <ref name="Pew">{{cite web|title=Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050|date=2 April 2015|url=http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projection-table/2050/percent/all/|publisher=Pew Research Center|access-date=26 October 2017|archive-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026213925/http://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/religious-projection-table/2050/percent/all/}}</ref> | |||
{{bar percent|]|purple|63}} | {{bar percent|]|purple|63}} | ||
{{bar percent|]|yellow|36}} | {{bar percent|]|yellow|36}} | ||
{{bar percent|Others|brown|1}} | {{bar percent|Others|brown|1}} | ||
{{bar gap|<br /> U.S. Department of State 2019 <ref name="webcitation.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/eritrea/|title=Eritrea |publisher=U.S. State Department }}</ref>}} | |||
{{bar percent|]|purple|49}} | |||
{{bar percent|]|yellow|49}} | |||
{{bar percent|Others|brown|2}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{multiple image | |||
|} | |||
| align = right | |||
According to the ], {{as of|2010|lc=y}}, 62.9% of the population of Eritrea adhered to ], 36.6% followed ], and 0.4% practiced ]. The remainder observed ], ], ], other faiths (<0.1% each), or were religiously unaffiliated (0.1%).<ref name="Pew" /> The U.S. Department of State estimated that, {{as of|2011|lc=y}}, 50% of the population of Eritrea adhered to Christianity, 48% followed Islam, and 2% observed other religions, including traditional faiths and animism.<ref name="webcitation.org"/> ] is the oldest world religion practiced in the country, and the first Christian monastery ] was built during the 4th century. | |||
| direction = horizontal | |||
| image2 = Asmara, cattedrale cattolica, 01.JPG | |||
| caption2 = ] in ] | |||
| width2 = 200 | |||
| caption1 = The Sheikh Hanafi Mosque in ] | |||
| image1 = Sheikh Hanafi Mosque (8529064326).jpg | |||
| width1 = 180 | |||
}} | |||
The two main religions followed in Eritrea are ] and ]. However, the number of adherents of each faith is subject to debate. According to the ], {{as of|2020|lc=y}}, 62.9% of the population of Eritrea adhered to ], 36.6% followed ], and 0.4% practiced ]. The remainder observed ], ], ], other faiths (<0.1% each), or were religiously unaffiliated (0.1%).<ref name="Pew" /> The U.S. Department of State estimated that {{as of|2019|lc=y}}, 49% of the population of Eritrea adhered to Christianity, 49% followed Islam, and 2% observed other religions, including traditional faiths and animism.<ref name="webcitation.org"/> The World Religion Database reports that in 2020, 47% of the population were Christian and 51% were Muslim.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=76c|title=National Profiles | World Religion|website=www.thearda.com}}</ref> ] is the oldest world religion practiced in the country, and the first Christian monastery ] was built during the fourth century. | |||
<ref>{{cite book | <ref>{{cite book | ||
|title=Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide | |title=Eritrea: The Bradt Travel Guide | ||
|year=2007 | |year=2007 | ||
| |
|author=Edward Denison |author2=Edward Paice | ||
|isbn=978- |
|isbn=978-1-84162-171-5 | ||
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi-KQchGks8C&pg=PA187 | |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi-KQchGks8C&pg=PA187 | ||
|page=187 |
|page=187|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides | ||
}}</ref> | |||
Since May 2002, the government of Eritrea has officially recognized the ] (]), ], the ] (a ] sui juris), and the ] ] church. All other faiths and denominations are required to undergo a registration process.<ref name="Religious persecution in Eritrea">{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3663654.stm | title=Religious persecution in Eritrea|work= BBC News | access-date=11 December 2009 | date=17 September 2004 | first=Jonah | last=Fisher}}</ref> Among other things, the government |
Since May 2002, the government of Eritrea has officially recognized the ] (]), ], the ] (a ] sui juris), and the ] ] church. All other faiths and denominations are required to undergo a registration process.<ref name="Religious persecution in Eritrea">{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3663654.stm | title=Religious persecution in Eritrea|work= BBC News | access-date=11 December 2009 | date=17 September 2004 | first=Jonah | last=Fisher}}</ref> Among other things, the government registration system requires religious groups to submit personal information on their membership to be allowed to ].<ref name="Religious persecution in Eritrea"/> | ||
The Eritrean government is against what it deems as "reformed" or "radical" versions of its established religions. Therefore, alleged radical forms of Islam and Christianity, ], and numerous other ] Evangelical denominations are not registered and cannot worship freely. Three named Jehovah's Witnesses are known to have been imprisoned since 1994 along with 51 others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tdgnews.it/en/2008/10/jehovahs-witnesses%E2%80%94eritrea-country-profile/ |title=Jehovah's Witnesses — Eritrea Country Profile – October 2008 |access-date=25 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930040630/http://www.tdgnews.it/en/2008/10/jehovahs-witnesses%E2%80%94eritrea-country-profile/ |archive-date=30 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/eritrea/jehovahs-witnesses-unjust-imprisonment-20-years/ |title=Twenty Years of Imprisonment in Eritrea—Will It Ever End? |publisher=jw.org |access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = UN Report on Eritrea's Human Rights Violations|url = http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/eritrea/human-rights-violations-un-report/|website = jw.org|access-date = 21 October 2015}}</ref> The government treats Jehovah's Witnesses especially harshly, denying them ration cards and work permits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/10/03/eritrea-diplomacy-changes-political-prisoners-remain|title=Eritrea: Diplomacy Changes, but Political Prisoners Remain|website=Human Rights Watch|date=3 October 2018}}</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses were stripped of their citizenship and basic civil rights by presidential decree in October 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hrc-eritrea.org/eritrea-20-years-and-counting-the-exceptional-persecution-of-jehovahs-witnesses/|title=Eritrea: 20 Years and Counting – The Exceptional Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses|website=Human Rights Concern - Eritrea (HRCE)|date=14 October 2014 }}</ref> | |||
{{Gallery | |||
|title= | |||
|width=200 | height=170 | |||
|align=right | |||
|File:Sheikh Hanafi Mosque (8529064326).jpg | |||
|The 15th century Sheikh Hanafi Mosque in ] | |||
|File:Asmara, cattedrale cattolica, 01.JPG | |||
|] in the capital ] | |||
}} | |||
The Eritrean government is against what it deems as "reformed" or "radical" versions of its established religions. Therefore, alleged radical forms of Islam and Christianity, ], and numerous other non-] Evangelical denominations are not registered and cannot worship freely. Three named Jehovah's Witnesses are known to have been imprisoned since 1994 along with 51 others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tdgnews.it/en/2008/10/jehovahs-witnesses%E2%80%94eritrea-country-profile/ |title=Jehovah's Witnesses — Eritrea Country Profile – October 2008 |access-date=25 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930040630/http://www.tdgnews.it/en/2008/10/jehovahs-witnesses%E2%80%94eritrea-country-profile/ |archive-date=30 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/eritrea/jehovahs-witnesses-unjust-imprisonment-20-years/ |title=Twenty Years of Imprisonment in Eritrea—Will It Ever End? |publisher=jw.org |access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = UN Report on Eritrea's Human Rights Violations|url = http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/eritrea/human-rights-violations-un-report/|website = jw.org|access-date = 21 October 2015}}</ref> The government treats Jehovah's Witnesses especially harshly, denying them ration cards and work permits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/10/03/eritrea-diplomacy-changes-political-prisoners-remain|title=Eritrea: Diplomacy Changes, but Political Prisoners Remain|website=Human Rights Watch|date=3 October 2018}}</ref> Jehovah's Witnesses were stripped of their citizenship and basic civil rights by presidential decree in October 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hrc-eritrea.org/eritrea-20-years-and-counting-the-exceptional-persecution-of-jehovahs-witnesses/|title=Eritrea: 20 Years and Counting – The Exceptional Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses|website=Human Rights Concern - Eritrea (HRCE)}}</ref> | |||
In its 2017 religious freedom report, the U.S. State Department named Eritrea a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).<ref>{{cite web|title=International Religious Freedom Report, 2017|url=http://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2017.USCIRFAnnualReport.pdf|publisher=U.S. Department of State|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> | In its 2017 religious freedom report, the U.S. State Department named Eritrea a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).<ref>{{cite web|title=International Religious Freedom Report, 2017|url=http://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2017.USCIRFAnnualReport.pdf|publisher=U.S. Department of State|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> | ||
=== Health === | |||
== UNESCO World Heritage Site == | |||
{{main|Health in Eritrea}} | |||
Eritrea has achieved significant improvements in health care and is one of the few countries to be on target to meet its ]s (MDG) for health, in particular child health.<ref name=ODI1>{{cite web |last1=Rodríguez Pose |first1=Romina |last2=Samuels |first2=Fiona |date=December 2010 |website=Overseas Development Institute |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5179&title=progress-health-eritrea-cost-effective-inter-sectoral-interventions-long-term-perspective |title=Progress in health in Eritrea: Cost-effective inter-sectoral interventions and a long-term perspective |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228112540/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5179&title=progress-health-eritrea-cost-effective-inter-sectoral-interventions-long-term-perspective |archive-date=28 December 2010 }}</ref> ] at birth increased from 39.1 years in 1960 to 66.44 years in 2020;<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/ERI/eritrea/life-expectancy|title=Eritrea Life Expectancy 1950-2020|website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref> maternal and ] rates dropped dramatically and the health infrastructure expanded.<ref name=ODI1/> | |||
The ] (WHO) in 2008 found average life expectancy to be slightly less than 63 years, a number that has increased to 66.44 in 2020.<ref name="auto2"/>{{failed verification|date=March 2023}} ] and child nutrition have been tackled by working closely with schools in a multi-sectoral approach; the number of children vaccinated against measles almost doubled in seven years, from 40.7% to 78.5% and the prevalence of underweight children decreased by 12% from 1995 to 2002 (severe underweight prevalence by 28%).<ref name=ODI1/> The National Malaria Protection Unit of the Ministry of Health registered reductions in malarial mortality by as much as 85% and in the number of cases by 92% between 1998 and 2006.<ref name=ODI1/> The Eritrean government has banned ] (FGM), saying the practice was painful and put women at risk of life-threatening health problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71199 |title=IRIN Africa | ERITREA: Government outlaws female genital mutilation | Human Rights |agency=IRIN |date=5 April 2007 |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
However, Eritrea still faces many challenges. Although the number of physicians increased from only 0.2 in 1993 to 0.5 in 2004 per 1000 people, this is still very low.<ref name=ODI1/> ] and ] are common.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> HIV prevalence for ages 15 to 49 years exceeds 2%.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> The fertility rate is about 4.1 births per woman.<ref name="afro.who.int">Health profile at . afro.who.int</ref> Maternal mortality dropped by more than half from 1995 to 2002 but is still high.<ref name=ODI1/> Similarly, the number of births attended by skilled health personnel doubled from 1995 to 2002 but still is only 28.3%.<ref name=ODI1/> A major cause of death in newborns is severe ].<ref name="afro.who.int"/> Per-capita expenditure on health is low.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> | |||
=== Education === | |||
{{main|Education in Eritrea}} | |||
]]] | |||
] | |||
There are five levels of education in Eritrea: ], ], ], ], and ]. There are nearly 1,270,000 students in the primary, middle, and secondary levels of education.<ref name="uis.unesco.org">{{cite web|url=http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/er#slideoutmenu|title=Eritrea|date=27 November 2016|website=uis.unesco.org}}</ref> There are approximately 824 schools,<ref>{{cite book|date=January 2005|title=Baseline Study on Livelihood Systems in Eritrea|publisher=National Food Information System of Eritrea|url=http://www1.chr.up.ac.za/chr_old/indigenous/documents/Eritrea/Report/Base%20line%20study%20on%20Livelihood%20Systems%20in%20Eritrea.pdf|access-date=20 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055210/http://www1.chr.up.ac.za/chr_old/indigenous/documents/Eritrea/Report/Base%20line%20study%20on%20Livelihood%20Systems%20in%20Eritrea.pdf|archive-date=21 September 2013}}</ref> two universities, (the ] and the ]), and several smaller colleges and technical schools. | |||
The Eritrea Institute of Technology "EIT" is a technological institute located near the town of Himbrti, ] outside ]. The institute has three colleges: Science, Engineering and Technology, and Education. The institute began with approximately 5,500 students during the 2003–2004 ]. The EIT was opened after the University of Asmara was reorganized. According to the Ministry of Education, the institution was established, as one of many efforts to achieve equal distribution of higher learning in areas outside the capital city, Asmara. Accordingly, several similar colleges have also been established in other parts of the country. The Eritrea Institute of Technology is the main local institute of higher studies in science, engineering, and education. The University of Asmara is the oldest in the country and was opened in 1958.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uoa.edu.er/ |title=National Board for Higher Education |access-date=11 June 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809063605/http://www.uoa.edu.er/ }}</ref> It is currently not in operation. | |||
As of 2018, the overall adult literacy rate in Eritrea is 76.6% (84.4% for men and 68.9% for women). For youth 15–24, the overall literacy rate is 93.3% (93.8% for men and 92.7% for women).<ref>{{cite web|title=World Development Indicators {{!}} DataBank|url=https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&country=ERI#|access-date=2021-05-26|website=databank.worldbank.org}}</ref> | |||
Education in Eritrea is officially compulsory for children aged 6 to 13 years.<ref name="uis.unesco.org"/> | |||
Statistics vary at the elementary level, suggesting that 70% to 90% of school-aged children attend primary school; approximately 61% attend secondary school. Student-teacher ratios are high: 45:1 at the elementary level and 54:1 at the secondary level. Class sizes average 63 and 97 students per classroom at the elementary and secondary school levels, respectively.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} | |||
Barriers to education in Eritrea include traditional ], school fees (for registration and materials), and the ]s of ] households.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kifle |first=Temesgen |year=2002 |title=Educational Gender Gap in Eritrea |series=Berichte aus dem Weltwirtschaftlichen Colloquium der Universität Bremen |url=http://www.econbiz.de/en/search/detailed-view/doc/all/educational-gender-gap-in-eritrea-kifle-temesgen/10001715911/?no_cache=1 }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030759/http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/publikationen/pdf/b079.pdf |date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> | |||
== Culture == | |||
{{Main|Culture of Eritrea}} | |||
The culture of Eritrea is the collective cultural heritage of the various populations native to Eritrea and its rich cultural heritage inherited through its long history. Modern-day Eritrea is also defined by the struggle for independence.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000098638 |title=Preservation and presentation of the cultural heritage: Eritrea - (mission) |last=Anfray |first=Francesco |publisher=UNESCO |date=1994 |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://us.embassyeritrea.org/our-history/ |title=Our History |publisher=Embassy of the State of Eritrea – Washington, D.C., USA |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> The nation has a rich oral and literary tradition which ranges across all nine ethnic groups, it includes a wealth of poetry and proverbs, songs and chants, folk tales, histories and legends. It also has a rich history in theatre and painting, often colourful and depicting a reflection of the Eritrean people's history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://consulateoferitrea.ca/eritrean-culture/ |title=Eritrean Culture |date=28 November 2016 |publisher=The Consulate General of the State of Eritrea – Toronto, Canada |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> | |||
One of the most recognizable parts of Eritrean culture is the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.networkafricaonline.com/eritrea-coffee-cere.htm |title=It's coffee time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004094605/http://www.networkafricaonline.com/eritrea-coffee-cere.htm |archive-date=4 October 2011 |work=Network Africa Online |date=April 2008}}</ref> Coffee (] ቡን ''būn'') is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. During the coffee ceremony, some traditions are upheld. The coffee is served in three rounds: the first brew or round is called ''awel'' in Tigrinya (meaning "first"), the second round is called ''kalaay'' (meaning "second"), and the third round is called ''bereka'' (meaning "to be blessed"). | |||
Traditional Eritrean attire is quite varied among the ethnic groups of Eritrea. In the larger cities, most people dress in Western casual dress such as jeans and shirts. In offices, both men and women often dress in suits. A common traditional clothing for ] Tigrinya highlanders consists of bright white gowns called '']s'' for the women, and a white shirt accompanied by white pants for the men. In Muslim communities in the Eritrean lowlands, the women traditionally dress in brightly colored clothes. Besides convergent culinary tastes, Eritreans share an appreciation for similar music and lyrics, jewelry and fragrances, and tapestry and fabrics, as many other populations in the region.<ref name="Tekle197">{{cite book|last=Tekle|first=Amare|title=Eritrea and Ethiopia: From Conflict to Cooperation|year=1994|publisher=The Red Sea Press|isbn=978-0-932415-97-4 |page=197 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xbQTEF0rd7wC}}</ref> | |||
=== UNESCO World Heritage Site === | |||
On 8 July 2017, the entire capital city of ] was listed as a ], with the inscription taking place during the 41st World Heritage Committee Session. | On 8 July 2017, the entire capital city of ] was listed as a ], with the inscription taking place during the 41st World Heritage Committee Session. | ||
The city has thousands of ], ], ], and ] buildings, constructed during the period of ].<ref name="auto1">{{ |
The city has thousands of ], ], ], and ] buildings, constructed during the period of ].<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1550/|title=Asmara: A Modernist African City|first=UNESCO World Heritage|last=Centre|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://qz.com/africa/1026237/eritreas-asmara-is-now-a-unesco-world-heritage-site-and-should-boost-tourism/|title=Eritrea's picturesque capital is now a World Heritage site and could help bring it in from the cold|first=Tom Gardner|last=Commentary|website=Quartz Africa|date=11 July 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.africanews.com/2017/07/12/eritrea-capital-asmara-makes-unesco-world-heritage-list/|title=Eritrea capital, Asmara, makes UNESCO World Heritage list | Africanews|date=11 July 2017|access-date=18 December 2019|archive-date=4 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304162652/https://www.africanews.com/2017/07/12/eritrea-capital-asmara-makes-unesco-world-heritage-list//}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/eritreas-capital-added-to-unesco-world-heritage-site-list/a-39609655|title=Eritrea's capital added to UNESCO World Heritage site list | DW | 08.07.2017|website=DW.COM}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/eritrea-italy-modernist-architecture/|title=The modernist marvels of Eritrea|date=19 November 2019|website=Apollo Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/design/asmara-eritrea-art-deco-unesco-architecture-italy-little-rome-world-heritage-a8040871.html|title=Exploring Eritrea's UNESCO certified Art-Deco wonderland|date=9 November 2017|website=The Independent}}</ref> Asmara, a small town in the nineteenth century, started to grow quickly during 1889.<ref>Britannica,, britannica.com, USA, accessed on 8 September 2019</ref> The city also became a place "to experiment with radical new designs", mainly futuristic and art deco inspired.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://washingtontimes.com/article/20070915/ENTERTAINMENT/109150018/1007 |title=Asmara useful for experimenting with radical designs for Europeans |newspaper=] |date=15 September 2007 |access-date=8 December 2010}}</ref> Even though city planners, architects, and engineers were largely European, members of the indigenous population were largely used as construction workers, Asmarinos still identify with their city's legacy.<ref>Jan Körting & Neysan Zölzer (2012): ''Heritage and Daily Life in the Historic Urban Core of Asmara (Original: Erbe und Alltag im historischen Stadtkern Asmaras)'' (Dissertation). Technische Universität Berlin.</ref> | ||
{{ multiple image | {{ multiple image | ||
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| image1 = Asmara, museo nazionale, ingresso.JPG | | image1 = Asmara, museo nazionale, ingresso.JPG | ||
| caption1 = ] in Asmara | | caption1 = ] in Asmara | ||
| caption2 = ] | | caption2 = ], Futurist-style service station designed by ] during the Italian colonial era | ||
| image2 = Fiat tagliero, 07,0.JPG | | image2 = Fiat tagliero, 07,0.JPG | ||
| caption4 = | | caption4 = | ||
}} | }} | ||
The city shows off most early |
The city shows off most early twentieth-century architectural styles. Some buildings are ], such as the ]. Art Deco influences are found throughout the city. Essences of ] may be found on the Africa Pension Building and on a small collection of buildings. The ] shows almost the height of futurism, just as it was becoming fashionable in Italy. In recent times, some buildings have been functionally built, which sometimes can spoil the atmosphere of some cities, but they fit into Asmara as it is such a modern city. | ||
Many buildings such as opera houses, hotels, and cinemas were built during this period. Some notable buildings include the ] ] (opened in 1937 and considered by the experts one of the world's finest examples of Art Déco style building<ref>Gianluca Rossi, ''Renzo Martinelli inviato de |
Many buildings such as opera houses, hotels, and cinemas were built during this period. Some notable buildings include the ] ] (opened in 1937 and considered by the experts one of the world's finest examples of Art Déco style building<ref>Gianluca Rossi, ''Renzo Martinelli inviato de La Nazione'', 2009.</ref>), Cubist Africa Pension, eclectic Eritrean Orthodox ] and ], the ] ], the ] ]. | ||
A statement from UNESCO read: | A statement from UNESCO read: | ||
Line 564: | Line 634: | ||
{{cquote|It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the beginning of the 20th century and its application in an African context.|200|50|]<ref name="auto1"/>}} | {{cquote|It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the beginning of the 20th century and its application in an African context.|200|50|]<ref name="auto1"/>}} | ||
== |
=== Music === | ||
{{ |
{{Main|Music of Eritrea}} | ||
]]] | |||
<!-- For brief summary --> | |||
Eritrea's ethnic groups each have their distinct styles of music and accompanying dances. Amongst the Tigrinya, the best-known traditional musical genre is the guaila. Traditional instruments of Eritrean folk music include the strung ], ], ], ], and the wata (a distant/rudimentary cousin of the violin). A popular Eritrean artist is the Tigrinya singer ], who is noted for her powerful voice and wide singing range.<ref name="Blum">{{cite book|last1=Blum|first1=Bruno|title=De l'art de savoir chanter, danser et jouer la bamboula comme un éminent musicien africain: le guide des musiques africaines|date=2007|publisher=Scali|isbn=978-2-35012-197-0|page=198|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MNsTAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> Other prominent local musicians include the Kunama singer ], ], ], the late ] and the late ]. | |||
]]] | |||
Eritrea is a ] in which national legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed.<ref name="gi">{{cite web |url=http://www.grassrootsonline.org/what-we-do/partnerships/where-we-work/eritrea |title=Eritrea |access-date=2008-07-24 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724164739/http://www.grassrootsonline.org/what-we-do/partnerships/where-we-work/eritrea |archive-date=24 July 2008 |work=Grassroots International}}</ref> According to ], the government's ] record is considered among the worst in the world.<ref name="hrw">. Human Rights Watch (2006)</ref> Most countries have accused the Eritrean authorities of ]s, and of detaining an unknown number of people without charge for their political activism. Both male and female ] is illegal in Eritrea.<ref>{{cite news |title=71 Countries Where Homosexuality is Illegal |url=https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |work=Newsweek |date=4 April 2019}}</ref> | |||
A prominent group of fifteen Eritreans, called the G-15, including three cabinet members, were arrested in September 2001 after publishing an open letter to the government and President Isaias Afewerki calling for democratic dialogue. This group and thousands of others who were alleged to be affiliated with them are imprisoned without legal charges, hearing, trial and judgment.<ref name="guardian">{{Cite news|title='If we don't give them a voice, no one will': Eritrea's forgotten journalists, still jailed after 14 years The country is ranked worst in the world for press freedom, its writers locked in secret jails. Here, PEN Eritrea profiles the men who fought for a free press, and paid the price | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/19/eritrea-forgotten-journalists-jailed-pen-international-press-freedom |date=20 August 2015|author= Zere, Abraham Tesfalul |publisher= Guardian}}</ref><ref name="Eritrean G-15 advocacy site">{{Cite news|title= Who are the Eritrean G15? And where are they now?|url= http://www.freeourparents-eritrea.com/who-are-the-eritrean-g15-and-where-are-they-now/|date= 4 October 2014 |publisher= Eritrean G-15 advocacy site|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151023043119/http://www.freeourparents-eritrea.com/who-are-the-eritrean-g15-and-where-are-they-now/|archive-date= 23 October 2015}}</ref> | |||
Since Eritrea's conflict with Ethiopia in 1998–2001, the nation's human rights record has been criticized at the United Nations.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Eritrea's human rights record comes under fire at United Nations|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/eritrea-human-rights-united-nations|access-date=30 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 October 2013}}</ref> Human rights violations are allegedly often committed by the government or on behalf of the government. ], ], ], and ] are limited. Those who practice "unregistered" religions, try to flee the nation, or escape military duty are arrested and put into ].<ref name=Guardian /> By 2009, the number of political prisoners was in the range 10,000–30,000, there was widespread and systematic ] and ]s, with "anyone" for "any or no reason", including children eight years old, people over 80 years old and ill people, being liable to be arrested, and Eritrea was "one of the world's most totalitarian and human rights-abusing regimes".<ref name="EHREA_Lasting_Struggle" /> During the Eritrean independence struggle and 1998 ], many atrocities were also committed by the Ethiopian authorities against unarmed Eritrean civilians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www1.american.edu/ted/ice/eritrea.htm |title=Eritrean and Ethiopian Civil War |author=Tracey L. Cousin |work=ICE Case Studies |access-date=2007-09-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070911212032/http://american.edu/ted/ice/eritrea.htm |archive-date=11 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sudantribune.com/imprimable.php3?id_article=9931|title=A critical look into the Ethiopian elections|access-date=19 February 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061129063002/http://www.sudantribune.com/imprimable.php3?id_article=9931 |archive-date = 29 November 2006}}</ref> | |||
], Eritrea in 2015]] | |||
]]] | |||
In June 2016, a 500-page ] report accused Eritrea's government of extrajudicial executions, torture, indefinitely prolonged national service (6.5 years on average) and forced labour, and indicated that sexual harassment, rape and sexual servitude by state officials are also widespread.<ref name="UNHRC"/><ref name= guard>{{cite news|last= Jones | first=Sam| title= Eritrea human rights abuses may be crimes against humanity, says UN |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jun/08/human-rights-abuses-eritrea-may-be-crimes-against-humanity-un-report| access-date= 8 June 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian|quote=The report 'catalogues a litany of human rights violations by the "totalitarian" regime of President Isaias Afwerki "on a scope and scale seldom witnessed elsewhere"' said '']''date=8 June 2015}}</ref> ] of the ] said the report detailed 'very serious human rights violations', and asserted that EU funding for development would not continue as at present without change in Eritrea.<ref name=DWelle>{{cite web|url= http://www.dw.com/en/human-rights-eu-should-put-more-pressure-on-eritrea/a-18535963 | title = Human rights: EU 'should put more pressure on Eritrea' | website= Deutsche Welle | date=23 June 2015|access-date=4 July 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150704105608/http://www.dw.com/en/human-rights-eu-should-put-more-pressure-on-eritrea/a-18535963 | archive-date=4 July 2015}}</ref> The Eritrean Foreign Ministry responded by describing the commission's report as "wild allegations" which were "totally unfounded and devoid of all merit".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201506100911.html |title=Eritrea: Asmara Lashes Out at UN's 'Vile Slanders' |website=AllAfrica news website |date=10 June 2015 |access-date=24 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611062509/http://allafrica.com/stories/201506100911.html |archive-date=11 June 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Representatives of the United States and China disputed the report's language and accuracy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN0ZH5GW?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true|title=Eritrea escapes U.N. Security Council referral over human rights|last=Miles|first=Tom|work=AF|access-date=2017-09-17|archive-date=18 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918021343/https://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKCN0ZH5GW?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Dancing plays an important role in Eritrean society. The nine ethnic groups have many exuberant dances.<ref name="traditionalmusic">{{cite web |url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/traditional-music-eritrea |title=Traditional music in Eritrea |work=Music in Africa |last=Abraham |first=Tedros |date=21 July 2016 |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> The dancing styles differ amongst the ethnic groups; for instance the Bilen and Tigre ethnicities shake their shoulders, while standing rotating in a circle towards the end of the dance, which differs from the Tigrinya who first dance rotating anti-clockwise but later change it to fast-paced dancing and at the same breaking the circular rotation. Kunama ethnic group have dances that include rituals, these are - "tuka (rites of passage); indoda (prayers for rain); sangga-nena (peaceful mediation); and shatta (showcases of endurance and courage)". They are often fast-paced in their character and are accompanied by drum beats.<ref name="traditionalmusic"/> | |||
All Eritreans aged between 18 and 40 years must complete a mandatory national service, which includes military service. This requirement was implemented after Eritrea gained ] from Ethiopia, as a means to protect Eritrea's ], to instill national pride, and to create a disciplined populace.<ref name="National service in Eritrea">. ''Economist''. 10 March 201</ref> Eritrea's national service requires long, indefinite conscription (6.5 years on average), which some Eritreans leave the country in order to avoid.<ref name="National service in Eritrea"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2014/nov/19/professor-lecture-african-refugees-eritrea/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141121095314/http://utdailybeacon.com/news/2014/nov/19/professor-lecture-african-refugees-eritrea/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 November 2014 |title=Professor to lecture on African refugees of Eritrea |website=The Daily Beacon }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/world/africa/migrants-libya.html | title=Young African Migrants, Enticed by Smugglers, End Up Mired in Libya | work=The New York Times | date=5 May 2015 | access-date=6 May 2015 | author=Kirkpatrick, David D.}}</ref> | |||
=== Media === | |||
In an attempt at reform, Eritrean government officials and NGO representatives in 2006 participated in many public meetings and dialogues. In these sessions they answered questions as fundamental as, "What are human rights?", "Who determines what are human rights?", and "What should take precedence, human or communal rights?"<ref>{{cite web|title=Public Dialogue Human Rights in Eritrea|url=http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_4551.html|date=1 June 2006|access-date=10 September 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060908190129/http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_4551.html |archive-date = 8 September 2006}}</ref> In 2007, the Eritrean government also banned ].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6527619.stm | work=BBC News | title=Eritrea bans female circumcision | date=4 April 2007}}</ref> In Regional Assemblies and religious circles, Eritreans themselves speak out continuously against the use of female circumcision. They cite health concerns and individual freedom as being of primary concern when they say this. Furthermore, they implore rural peoples to cast away this ancient cultural practice.<ref>{{cite web|title=Anseba Religious leaders condemn female circumcision |url=http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5411 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070620114348/http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5411 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 June 2007 |date=31 August 2006 |website=Eritrea Ministry of Information }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Religious leaders of Northern Red Sea region condemn female circumcision |url=http://www.shabait.com/cgi-bin/staging/exec/view.cgi?archive=11&num=5446 |date=9 September 2006 |website=Eritrea Ministry of Information }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 2009, a movement called Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea formed to create dialogue between the government and political opposition. The group consists of ordinary citizens and some people close to the government.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7822599.stm | work=BBC News | first=Martin | last=Plaut | title=Eritrea group seeks human rights | date=11 January 2009}}</ref> Since the movement's creation, no significant effort has been made by the Eritrean government to improve its record on human rights. | |||
{{Main|Mass media in Eritrea}} | |||
There are no current independent mass media in Eritrea. All media outlets in Eritrea are from the Ministry of Information, a government source. | |||
=== Cuisine === | |||
In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Eritrea, have signed a joint letter to the ] defending China's treatment of ] and other Muslim minority groups in the ] region.<ref>{{cite news |title=Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/07/which-countries-are-for-or-against-chinas-xinjiang-policies/ |work=] |date=15 July 2019}}</ref> | |||
{{Main|Eritrean cuisine}} | |||
===Media freedom=== | |||
{{See also|Mass media in Eritrea}} | |||
In its 2017 Press Freedom Index, ] ranked the media environment in Eritrea at the bottom of a list of 180 countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rsf.org/en/ranking |title=Press Freedom Index 2017 – Reporters Without Borders |publisher=Reports Without Borders }}</ref> According to the ], "Eritrea is the only African country to have no privately owned news media",<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm#media| work=BBC News | title=Country profile: Eritrea | date=30 November 2010}}</ref> and Reporters Without Borders said of the public media, " do nothing but relay the regime's belligerent and ultra-nationalist discourse. ... Not a single now lives in Asmara."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.rsf.org/report-eritrea,15.html |title=World Report – Eritrea – Reporters Without Borders |publisher=Reports Without Borders |access-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811054501/http://en.rsf.org/report-eritrea%2C15.html |archive-date=11 August 2011}}</ref> The state-owned news agency censors news about external events.<ref name="censored"/> Independent media have been banned since 2001.<ref name="censored">{{Cite news|title=Sub-Saharan Africa censors Mideast protests |url=http://www.cpj.org/blog/2011/02/sub-saharan-africa-counters-censorship-on-mideast.php|date=18 February 2011|author= Keita, Mohamed |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists}}</ref> The Eritrean authorities had reportedly imprisoned the fourth highest number of journalists after Turkey, China and ].<ref>"". ''The New York Times.'' 13 December 2017.</ref> | |||
== Health care == | |||
{{main|Health in Eritrea}} | |||
Eritrea has achieved significant improvements in health care and is one of the few countries to be on target to meet its ]s (MDG) for health, in particular child health.<ref name=ODI1>{{cite web |last1=Rodríguez Pose |first1=Romina |last2=Samuels |first2=Fiona |date=December 2010 |website=Overseas Development Institute |url=http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5179&title=progress-health-eritrea-cost-effective-inter-sectoral-interventions-long-term-perspective |url-status=dead |title=Progress in health in Eritrea: Cost-effective inter-sectoral interventions and a long-term perspective |location=London |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228112540/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/details.asp?id=5179&title=progress-health-eritrea-cost-effective-inter-sectoral-interventions-long-term-perspective |archive-date=28 December 2010 }}</ref> ] at birth increased from 39.1 years in 1960 to 66.44 years in 2020;<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/ERI/eritrea/life-expectancy|title=Eritrea Life Expectancy 1950-2020|website=www.macrotrends.net}}</ref> maternal and ] rates dropped dramatically and the health infrastructure expanded.<ref name=ODI1/> | |||
The ] (WHO) in 2008 found average life expectancy to be slightly less than 63 years, a number that has increased to 66.44 in 2020.<ref name="auto2"/>] and child nutrition have been tackled by working closely with schools in a multi-sectoral approach; the number of children vaccinated against measles almost doubled in seven years, from 40.7% to 78.5% and the prevalence of underweight children decreased by 12% from 1995 to 2002 (severe underweight prevalence by 28%).<ref name=ODI1/> The National Malaria Protection Unit of the Ministry of Health registered reductions in malarial mortality by as much as 85% and in the number of cases by 92% between 1998 and 2006.<ref name=ODI1/> The Eritrean government has banned ] (FGM), saying the practice was painful and put women at risk of life-threatening health problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=71199 |title=IRIN Africa | ERITREA: Government outlaws female genital mutilation | Human Rights |agency=IRIN |date=5 April 2007 |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> | |||
However, Eritrea still faces many challenges. Although the number of physicians increased from only 0.2 in 1993 to 0.5 in 2004 per 1000 people, this is still very low.<ref name=ODI1/> ] and ] are common.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> HIV prevalence for ages 15 to 49 years exceeds 2%.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> The fertility rate is about 4.1 births per woman.<ref name="afro.who.int">Health profile at . afro.who.int</ref> Maternal mortality dropped by more than half from 1995 to 2002, but is still high.<ref name=ODI1/> Similarly, the number of births attended by skilled health personnel doubled from 1995 to 2002, but still is only 28.3%.<ref name=ODI1/> A major cause of death in newborns is severe ].<ref name="afro.who.int"/> Per-capita expenditure on health is low.<ref name="afro.who.int"/> | |||
==Education== | |||
{{main|Education in Eritrea}} | |||
]]] | |||
] | |||
There are five levels of education in Eritrea: ], ], ], ], and ]. There are nearly 1,270,000 students in the primary, middle, and secondary levels of education.<ref name="uis.unesco.org">{{Cite web|url=http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/er#slideoutmenu|title=Eritrea|date=27 November 2016|website=uis.unesco.org}}</ref> There are approximately 824 schools,<ref>{{cite book|date=January 2005|title=Baseline Study on Livelihood Systems in Eritrea|publisher=National Food Information System of Eritrea|url=http://www1.chr.up.ac.za/chr_old/indigenous/documents/Eritrea/Report/Base%20line%20study%20on%20Livelihood%20Systems%20in%20Eritrea.pdf|access-date=20 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055210/http://www1.chr.up.ac.za/chr_old/indigenous/documents/Eritrea/Report/Base%20line%20study%20on%20Livelihood%20Systems%20in%20Eritrea.pdf|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> two universities (the ] and the ]) and several smaller colleges and technical schools. | |||
Education in Eritrea is officially compulsory for children aged 6 to 13 years.<ref name="uis.unesco.org"/> | |||
{|class="wikitable" style="float: center; margin-center: 10px"} | |||
! scope="col" style="background:#77B5FE;" |Education system in Eritrea<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web|url=http://uis.unesco.org/en/country/er|title=Eritrea|date=27 November 2016|website=uis.unesco.org}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| Basic Education- 7 years | |||
|- | |||
| Middle - Junior High School (Years included in basic) | |||
|- | |||
| Secondary -Secondary School - 4 years | |||
|- | |||
| Post- secondary - Advanced Diploma - 3 years | |||
|- | |||
| Higher Education - Bachelor - 4/5 years | |||
|- | |||
| Higher Education - Master - 2 years | |||
|} | |||
Statistics vary at the elementary level, suggesting that 70% to 90% of school-aged children attend primary school; Approximately 61% attend secondary school. Student-teacher ratios are high: 45:1 at the elementary level and 54:1 at the secondary level. Class sizes average 63 and 97 students per classroom at the elementary and secondary school levels, respectively. Learning hours at school are often less than six hours per day. | |||
Barriers to education in Eritrea include traditional ], school fees (for registration and materials), and the ] of ] households.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kifle |first=Temesgen |year=2002 |title=Educational Gender Gap in Eritrea |series=Berichte aus dem Weltwirtschaftlichen Colloquium der Universität Bremen |url=http://www.econbiz.de/en/search/detailed-view/doc/all/educational-gender-gap-in-eritrea-kifle-temesgen/10001715911/?no_cache=1 }} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030759/http://www.iwim.uni-bremen.de/publikationen/pdf/b079.pdf |date=4 March 2016 }}</ref> | |||
The ] "EIT" is a technological institute located near the town Himbrti, ] outside ]. The institute has three colleges: ], ] and ], and ]. The institute began with about 5,500 students during the 2003-2004 ]. | |||
{{Bar chart | |||
| title = Literacy rate Eritrea 2018, source: World bank, UNESCO<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&country=ERI#|title=Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) and youth total (% of people ages 15-24)|website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/> | |||
| float = right | |||
| label_type = Literacy rate | |||
| data_type = Percent (%) | |||
| bar_width = 20 | |||
| width_units = em | |||
| data_max = 100 | |||
| label1 = All Adults | |||
| data1 = 76.6 | |||
| label2 = Age: 15-24 | |||
| data2 = 93.3 | |||
| color1 = #77B5FE | |||
| color2 = #77B5FE | |||
}} | |||
The EIT was opened after the ] was reorganized. According to the Ministry of Education, the institution was established, as one of many efforts to achieve equal distribution of higher learning in areas outside the capital city, Asmara. Accordingly, several similar colleges are also established in different other parts of the country. The Eritrea Institute of Technology is the main local institute of higher studies in science, engineering and education. The ] is the oldest university in the country and was opened in 1958.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.uoa.edu.er/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 June 2021 |archive-date=9 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809063605/http://www.uoa.edu.er/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is currently not in operation. | |||
The overall adult literacy rate in Eritrea is 76.6% (84.4% for men and 68.9% for women). For youth 15–24, the overall literacy rate is 93.3% (93.8% for men and 92.7% for women).<ref>{{Cite web|title=World Development Indicators {{!}} DataBank|url=https://databank.worldbank.org/reports.aspx?source=2&country=ERI#|access-date=2021-05-26|website=databank.worldbank.org}}</ref> | |||
{{clear}} | |||
==Culture== | |||
{{main|Culture of Eritrea}} | |||
One of the most recognizable parts of Eritrean culture is the ].<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004094605/http://www.networkafricaonline.com/eritrea-coffee-cere.htm |date=4 October 2011 }} Network Africa Online, April 2008 interview.</ref> Coffee (] ቡን ''būn'') is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. During the coffee ceremony, there are traditions that are upheld. The coffee is served in three rounds: the first brew or round is called ''awel'' in Tigrinya (meaning "first"), the second round is called ''kalaay'' (meaning "second"), and the third round is called ''bereka'' (meaning "to be blessed"). | |||
Traditional Eritrean attire is quite varied among the ethnic groups of Eritrea. In the larger cities, most people dress in Western casual dress such as jeans and shirts. In offices, both men and women often dress in suits. A common traditional clothing for ] Tigrinya highlanders consists of bright white gowns called '']s'' for the women, and a white shirt accompanied by white pants for the men. In Muslim communities in the Eritrean lowland, the women traditionally dress in brightly colored clothes. Besides convergent culinary tastes, Eritreans share an appreciation for similar music and lyrics, jewelry and fragrances, and tapestry and fabrics as many other populations in the region.<ref name="Tekle197">{{cite book|last=Tekle|first=Amare|title=Eritrea and Ethiopia: From Conflict to Cooperation|year=1994|publisher=The Red Sea Press|isbn=978-0932415974 |page=197 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xbQTEF0rd7wC}}</ref> | |||
===Cuisine=== | |||
{{see also|Eritrean cuisine}} | |||
] with various stews]] | ] with various stews]] | ||
A typical traditional Eritrean dish consists of ] accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, chicken, lamb or fish.<!--(Commented out because it's repeated a few sentence later): People in Eritrea also tend to drink coffee and a bitter fermented barley called ''sowa''.--><ref name="Kittler"/> Overall, Eritrean cuisine strongly resembles that of neighboring ],<ref name="Kittler">{{cite book|author1=Goyan Kittler, Pamela |author2=Sucher, Kathryn P. |author3=Nahikian-Nelms, Marcia |title=Food and Culture, 6th ed|year=2011|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978- |
A typical traditional Eritrean dish consists of ] accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, chicken, lamb, or fish.<!--(Commented out because it's repeated a few sentence later): People in Eritrea also tend to drink coffee and a bitter fermented barley called ''sowa''.--><ref name="Kittler"/> Overall, Eritrean cuisine strongly resembles that of neighboring ],<ref name="Kittler">{{cite book|author1=Goyan Kittler, Pamela |author2=Sucher, Kathryn P. |author3=Nahikian-Nelms, Marcia |title=Food and Culture, 6th ed|year=2011|publisher=Cengage Learning|isbn=978-0-538-73497-4|page=202|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R06H7WabJuMC}}</ref><ref name="Tekle142">{{cite book|last=Tekle|first=Amare|title=Eritrea and Ethiopia: From Conflict to Cooperation|year=1994|publisher=The Red Sea Press|isbn=978-0-932415-97-4 |page=142 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xbQTEF0rd7wC}}</ref> though Eritrean cooking tends to feature more ] than Ethiopian cuisine on account of their coastal location.<ref name="Kittler"/> Eritrean dishes are also frequently "lighter" in texture than Ethiopian meals. They likewise tend to employ less ] and spices and more ]es, as in the ''] dorho'' delicacy. | ||
Additionally, owing to its colonial history, cuisine in Eritrea features more ] influences than are present in Ethiopian cooking, including more ] and greater use of ] powders and ]. |
Additionally, owing to its colonial history, cuisine in Eritrea features more ] influences than are present in Ethiopian cooking, including more ] and greater use of ] powders and ]. Italian Eritrean cuisine started to be practiced during the colonial times of the ], when a large number of Italians moved to Eritrea. They brought the use of pasta to ], and it is one of the main foods eaten in present-day ]. An ] emerged, and common dishes are "pasta al sugo e berbere" (pasta with tomato sauce and berbere spice), ], and "cotoletta alla Milanese" (veal Milanese).<ref name="Mftdbeaeccdtmts">{{cite news|last=Carman|first=Tim|title=Mild Frontier: the differences between Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisines come down to more than spice|url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/36663/mild-frontier|access-date=12 March 2013|newspaper=Washington City Paper|date=9 January 2009}}</ref> | ||
In addition to coffee, local alcoholic beverages are enjoyed. These include ''sowa'', a bitter drink made from fermented barley, and ''mies'', a fermented honey wine.<ref name="Mettm">{{cite book|title=Eritrea: Travel Trade Manual|year=2000|publisher=Ministry of Tourism of Eritrea|page=4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j11zAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> | In addition to coffee, local alcoholic beverages are enjoyed. These include ''sowa'', a bitter drink made from fermented barley, and ''mies'', a fermented honey wine.<ref name="Mettm">{{cite book|title=Eritrea: Travel Trade Manual|year=2000|publisher=Ministry of Tourism of Eritrea|page=4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j11zAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> | ||
=== |
=== Sport === | ||
{{ |
{{Main|Sport in Eritrea}} | ||
<!-- Caution should be taken to ensure that the section is not simply a listing of names or mini-biographies of individuals' accomplishments---> | |||
]]] | |||
] and ] are the most popular sports in Eritrea.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47709673|title=Cycling heaven: The African capital with 'no traffic'|date=27 March 2019|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eritreansportfamily.com/cycling-in-eritrea/|title=Cycling in Eritrea|date=20 November 2022}}</ref> | |||
Eritrea's ethnic groups each have their own styles of music and accompanying dances. Amongst the Tigrinya, the best known traditional musical genre is the guaila. Traditional instruments of Eritrean folk music include the stringed ], ], ], ] and the wata (a distant/rudimentary cousin of the violin). A popular Eritrean artist is the Tigrinya singer ], who is noted for her powerful voice and wide singing range.<ref name="Blum">{{cite book|last1=Blum|first1=Bruno|title=De l'art de savoir chanter, danser et jouer la bamboula comme un éminent musicien africain: le guide des musiques africaines|date=2007|publisher=Scali|isbn=978-2350121970|page=198|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=MNsTAQAAIAAJ}}</ref> Other prominent local musicians include the Kunama singer ], ], ], the late ], and the late ]. | |||
===Sports=== | |||
{{see also|Sport in Eritrea}} | |||
] cycling competition in ], Eritrea.]] | |||
<!-- no file jamming per image policy - single file sufficient --> | |||
] and ] are the most popular sports in Eritrea. Cycling has a long tradition in Eritrea and was first introduced during the colonial period.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/article/2017/07/28/cycling-isolated-eritreas-window-world|title=Cycling is isolated Eritrea's window to the world|website=Cycling|date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thebestofafrica.org/content/eritrea-and-cycling-an-unlikely-relationship|title=Eritrea and cycling: An unlikely relationship|website=The Best of Africa}}</ref> | |||
The ], a multi-stage cycling event, has been held annually since 1946 throughout the country. | |||
Cycling has a long tradition in Eritrea and was first introduced during the colonial period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/article/2017/07/28/cycling-isolated-eritreas-window-world|title=Cycling is isolated Eritrea's window to the world|website=Cycling|date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebestofafrica.org/content/eritrea-and-cycling-an-unlikely-relationship|title=Eritrea and cycling: An unlikely relationship|website=The Best of Africa|access-date=9 January 2020|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225044947/https://thebestofafrica.org/content/eritrea-and-cycling-an-unlikely-relationship|url-status=dead}}</ref> The ], a multi-stage cycling event, was first held in 1946 and most recently held in 2017. | |||
The national cycling teams of both men and women are ranked first on the African continent, and Eritrea is ranked among the best cycling nations in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/cqRankingCountry.asp|title=CQ Ranking|website=cqranking.com}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
The Eritrea national cycling team has experienced a lot of success, winning the African continental cycling championship several years in a row. In 2013, the women's team won the gold medal in the ] for the first time, and for the second time in 2015 and third time in 2019. The men's team have won gold 7 times in the last 9 years in the African continental cycling championships, between 2010 and 2019.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609211448/http://www.raimoq.com/eritrean-cycling-team-wins-the-2015-african-continental-cycling-championships-ttt/ |date=9 June 2016 }}. Raimoq.com (10 February 2015). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref>. The Guardian (17 August 2015). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609210517/http://www.raimoq.com/eritrean-national-teams-rank-first-at-the-african-cycling-championship-time-race/ |date=9 June 2016 }}. Raimoq.com (1 December 2013). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/african-cycling-championships-ttt/2019|title=African Continental Championships - TTT 2019 | Results|website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref> | |||
The national cycling teams of both men and women are ranked first on the African continent,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Road |url=https://www.uci.org/discipline/road/6TBjsDD8902tud440iv1Cu?tab=rankings&discipline=ROA |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=www.uci.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> with the men's team ranked 16th in the world as of February 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/cqRankingCountry.asp|title=CQ Ranking|website=cqranking.com}}</ref> | |||
The Eritrean national cycling team has experienced much success, winning the African Continental cycling championship several years in a row. In 2013, the women's team won the gold medal in the ] for the first time, and for the second time in 2015 and third time in 2019. The men's team has won gold eight times in the last 12 years in the African Continental cycling championships, between 2010 and 2022.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609211448/http://www.raimoq.com/eritrean-cycling-team-wins-the-2015-african-continental-cycling-championships-ttt/ |date=9 June 2016 }}. Raimoq.com (10 February 2015). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref>. The Guardian (17 August 2015). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609210517/http://www.raimoq.com/eritrean-national-teams-rank-first-at-the-african-cycling-championship-time-race/ |date=9 June 2016 }}. Raimoq.com (1 December 2013). Retrieved on 5 June 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/african-cycling-championships-ttt/2019|title=African Continental Championships - TTT 2019 | Results|website=www.procyclingstats.com}}</ref> | |||
Eritrea has more than 500 elite cyclist riders (men and women) within the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-sports.org/cycling-statistics-individual-men-eritrea-s2-c2-b4-o113-v1.html |title=Cycling - Individual statistics - Eritrea - Men |website=TheSports.org |access-date=29 December 2023}}</ref> More than 20 Eritrean riders from Eritrea have signed professional contracts to international cycling teams{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} ] and ] became the first cyclists from Africa to compete in the ] in the ] of the race.<ref>{{cite news|title=Heroes welcome for Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus in Eritrea|url=http://www.caperi.com/heroes-welcome-for-daniel-teklehaimanot-and-merhawi-kudus-in-eritrea/|access-date=25 June 2016|agency=Caperi|date=1 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508002440/http://www.caperi.com/heroes-welcome-for-daniel-teklehaimanot-and-merhawi-kudus-in-eritrea/|archive-date=8 May 2016}}</ref><ref name="Cnbcfertf">{{cite news|title=Berhane could become the first Eritrean to ride the Tour de France|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/berhane-could-become-the-first-eritrean-to-ride-the-tour-de-france|access-date=16 October 2014|agency=Cycling News|date=2 March 2014}}</ref> In 2022, ] was the first African rider to win both the ] and a stage in one of the ] during ]. Multiple ] ] became the first African female cyclist to compete in an Olympics, representing Eritrea in the ]<ref>{{cite web | title=Mosana Debesay Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age | website=Olympics.com | url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/mosana-debesay | access-date=4 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bikeaid.de/en/racing/racing_article/title-a_dream_almost_broken_mosana_debesay_on_her_way_to_the_olympics/article-60ecc1a94715b | title=A dream almost broken - Mosana Debesay on her way to the Olympics }}</ref> All these accomplishments from Eritrean cyclists, have helped push Eritrea into the top of global rankings in cycling. | |||
Eritrean athletes have also seen increasing success in the international arena in other sports. ], an Eritrean athlete, formerly held the world record in the half marathon.<ref>. Iaaf.org (8 May 2010). Retrieved 20 September 2013.</ref> ] became the first Eritrean to win a gold medal at a ] for his country when he took the ] at the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/world-athletics-championships-2015-eritrean-teen-ghirmay-ghebreslassie-wins-mens-marathon-title-20150822-gj5a4b.html |title=World Athletics Championships 2015: Eritrean teen Ghirmay Ghebreslassie wins men's marathon title |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=22 August 2015 |website=] |access-date=22 August 2015}}</ref> Eritrea made its Winter Olympic debut 25 February 2018, when they competed at the ] in ], ] 2018. Eritrea's team was represented by their flagbearer ] who competed as ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Rieger|first=Sarah|date=28 December 2017|title=Calgary skier headed to Winter Olympics... but not with Team Canada |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/eritrea-skier-calgary-1.4466978|work=]|location=Calgary, Alberta, Canada|access-date=31 December 2017}}</ref> | Eritrean athletes have also seen increasing success in the international arena in other sports. ], an Eritrean athlete, formerly held the world record in the half marathon.<ref>. Iaaf.org (8 May 2010). Retrieved 20 September 2013.</ref> ] became the first Eritrean to win a gold medal at a ] for his country when he took the ] at the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/athletics/world-athletics-championships-2015-eritrean-teen-ghirmay-ghebreslassie-wins-mens-marathon-title-20150822-gj5a4b.html |title=World Athletics Championships 2015: Eritrean teen Ghirmay Ghebreslassie wins men's marathon title |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=22 August 2015 |website=] |access-date=22 August 2015}}</ref> Eritrea made its Winter Olympic debut 25 February 2018, when they competed at the ] in ], ] 2018. Eritrea's team was represented by their flagbearer ] who competed as ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Rieger|first=Sarah|date=28 December 2017|title=Calgary skier headed to Winter Olympics... but not with Team Canada |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/eritrea-skier-calgary-1.4466978|work=]|location=Calgary, Alberta, Canada|access-date=31 December 2017}}</ref> | ||
Neither the Eritrean national ] or ] national football team currently have a world ranking despite being a member association of global governing body ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA |url=https://fifa.com/ |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=fifa.com |language=en}}</ref> | |||
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==See also== | == See also == | ||
{{portal|Eritrea|Africa}} | {{portal|Eritrea|Africa}} | ||
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* ] | |||
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<!-- *{{wikipedia books link|Eritrea}} -->{{Clear}} | <!-- *{{wikipedia books link|Eritrea}} -->{{Clear}} | ||
==References== | == References == | ||
{{notelist}} | {{notelist}} | ||
{{reflist|refs= | {{reflist|refs= | ||
<ref name="EHREA_Lasting_Struggle">{{cite web | last1 = Tronvoll | first1 =Kjetil |author1-link = Kjetil Tronvoll | title= The Lasting Struggle for Freedom in Eritrea – Human Rights and Political Development, 1991–2009 | website= ] |date = 2009-07-22 | url = http://www.ehrea.org/eritrearapport_2_endelig_versjon.pdf | access-date = 2021-02-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210213014319/http://www.ehrea.org/eritrearapport_2_endelig_versjon.pdf |archive-date= 2021-02-13 |url-status=live }}</ref> | <ref name="EHREA_Lasting_Struggle">{{cite web | last1 = Tronvoll | first1 =Kjetil |author1-link = Kjetil Tronvoll | title= The Lasting Struggle for Freedom in Eritrea – Human Rights and Political Development, 1991–2009 | website= ] |date = 2009-07-22 | url = http://www.ehrea.org/eritrearapport_2_endelig_versjon.pdf | access-date = 2021-02-13 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210213014319/http://www.ehrea.org/eritrearapport_2_endelig_versjon.pdf |archive-date= 2021-02-13 |url-status=live }}</ref> | ||
<ref name="UNDESA_WPP_2019_total_population">{{cite web | title= World Population Prospects 2019 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227235642/https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Files/1_Indicators%20(Standard)/EXCEL_FILES/1_Population/WPP2019_POP_F01_1_TOTAL_POPULATION_BOTH_SEXES.xlsx |archive-date= 2021-02-27 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="COMESA_ERpop_2019">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Indicators – Population (million people), 2018 | website= ] |year = 2019 | url = https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 | access-date = 2021-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228195303/https://comstat.comesa.int/lqpaqnf/comesa-in-figures-2019?tsId=1000510 |archive-date= 2021-02-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<ref name="PHS2010_full">{{cite web | title= Eritrea – Population and Health Survey 2010 | website= ], ] |year = 2010 | url =https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf | access-date = 2021-03-03 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190606121847/https://www.unicef.org/eritrea/ECO_resources_populationhealthsurvey2010.pdf |archive-date= 2019-06-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
}} | }} | ||
*Christine, Owen. "Navigating difference between ] and |
*Christine, Owen. "Navigating difference between ] and Tigrinya". 16 December 2010 | ||
Hailemariam, Chefena; Kroon, Sjaak; Walters, Joel (1999). "Multilingualism and Nation Building: Language and Education in Eritrea" (PDF). Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 20 (6): 474–493. doi:10.1080/01434639908666385. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2012-04-04. | |||
==Further reading== | == Further reading == | ||
{{refbegin|30em}} | {{refbegin|30em}} | ||
* Beretekeab, R. (2000); ''Eritrea: The Making of a Nation 1890–1991''. Thesis. Uppsala University, Uppsala. {{ISBN| |
* Beretekeab, R. (2000); ''Eritrea: The Making of a Nation 1890–1991''. Thesis. Uppsala University, Uppsala. {{ISBN|978-91-506-1387-2}}. {{OCLC|632423867}}. | ||
* Cliffe, Lionel; Connell, Dan; Davidson, Basil (2005), ''Taking on the Superpowers: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1976–1982)''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-188-0}} | * Cliffe, Lionel; Connell, Dan; Davidson, Basil (2005), ''Taking on the Superpowers: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1976–1982)''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-188-0}} | ||
* Cliffe, Lionel & Davidson, Basil (1988), ''The Long Struggle of Eritrea for Independence and Constructive Peace''. Spokesman Press, {{ISBN|0-85124-463-7}} | * Cliffe, Lionel & Davidson, Basil (1988), ''The Long Struggle of Eritrea for Independence and Constructive Peace''. Spokesman Press, {{ISBN|0-85124-463-7}} | ||
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* Connell, Dan (2005), ''Building a New Nation: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1983–2002)''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-198-8}} | * Connell, Dan (2005), ''Building a New Nation: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1983–2002)''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-198-8}} | ||
* Firebrace, James & Holand, Stuart (1985), ''Never Kneel Down: Drought, Development and Liberation in Eritrea''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|0-932415-00-8}} | * Firebrace, James & Holand, Stuart (1985), ''Never Kneel Down: Drought, Development and Liberation in Eritrea''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|0-932415-00-8}} | ||
* Drudi, Emilio (2021). ''Una storia eritrea. Beyan, Adam, Amr''. Calamaro Edizioni. {{ISBN| |
* Drudi, Emilio (2021). ''Una storia eritrea. Beyan, Adam, Amr''. Calamaro Edizioni. {{ISBN|978-88-944639-2-7}} | ||
* Gebre-Medhin, Jordan (1989), ''Peasants and Nationalism in Eritrea''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|0-932415-38-5}} | * Gebre-Medhin, Jordan (1989), ''Peasants and Nationalism in Eritrea''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|0-932415-38-5}} | ||
* Hatem Elliesie: ''Decentralisation of Higher Education in Eritrea'', Afrika Spectrum, Vol. 43 (2008) No. 1, p. 115–120. | * Hatem Elliesie: ''Decentralisation of Higher Education in Eritrea'', Afrika Spectrum, Vol. 43 (2008) No. 1, p. 115–120. | ||
*{{Citation |last=Hedberg |first=I. |title=Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea |date=1996 |work=The Biodiversity of African Plants: Proceedings XIVth AETFAT Congress 22–27 August 1994, Wageningen, The Netherlands |pages=802–804 |editor-last=van der Maesen |editor-first=L. J. G. |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0285-5_104 |access-date=2024-03-21 |place=Dordrecht |publisher=Springer Netherlands |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-94-009-0285-5_104 |isbn=978-94-009-0285-5 |editor2-last=van der Burgt |editor2-first=X. M. |editor3-last=van Medenbach de Rooy |editor3-first=J. M.}} | |||
* ] (2002), ''Ciao Asmara, A classic account of contemporary Africa''. Little, Brown, {{ISBN|978-0-349-11526-9}} | * ] (2002), ''Ciao Asmara, A classic account of contemporary Africa''. Little, Brown, {{ISBN|978-0-349-11526-9}} | ||
* Iyob, Ruth (1997), ''The Eritrean Struggle for Independence: Domination, Resistance, Nationalism, 1941–1993''. ], {{ISBN|0-521-59591-6}} | * Iyob, Ruth (1997), ''The Eritrean Struggle for Independence: Domination, Resistance, Nationalism, 1941–1993''. ], {{ISBN|0-521-59591-6}} | ||
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* Müller, Tanja R.: ''Bare life and the developmental State: the Militarization of Higher Education in Eritrea'', Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 46 (2008), No. 1, p. 1–21. | * Müller, Tanja R.: ''Bare life and the developmental State: the Militarization of Higher Education in Eritrea'', Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 46 (2008), No. 1, p. 1–21. | ||
* Negash T. (1987); ''Italian Colonisation in Eritrea: Policies, Praxis and Impact'', Uppsala Univwersity, Uppsala. | * Negash T. (1987); ''Italian Colonisation in Eritrea: Policies, Praxis and Impact'', Uppsala Univwersity, Uppsala. | ||
* {{cite web |last=Ogbaselassie |first=G |date=10 January 2006 |url=http://eri24.com/Article_10043.htm |title=Response to remarks by Mr. David Triesman, Britain's parliamentary under-secretary of state with responsibility for Africa |access-date=7 June 2006 |archive-date=16 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116081151/http://eri24.com/Article_10043.htm |
* {{cite web |last=Ogbaselassie |first=G |date=10 January 2006 |url=http://eri24.com/Article_10043.htm |title=Response to remarks by Mr. David Triesman, Britain's parliamentary under-secretary of state with responsibility for Africa |access-date=7 June 2006 |archive-date=16 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116081151/http://eri24.com/Article_10043.htm }} | ||
* Pateman, Roy (1998), ''Eritrea: Even the Stones Are Burning''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-057-4}} | * Pateman, Roy (1998), ''Eritrea: Even the Stones Are Burning''. Red Sea Press, {{ISBN|1-56902-057-4}} | ||
* Phillipson, David W. (1998), ''Ancient Ethiopia''. | * Phillipson, David W. (1998), ''Ancient Ethiopia''. | ||
* Reid, Richard. (2011). ''Frontiers of Violence in North-East Africa: Genealogies of Conflict Since c. 1800''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978- |
* Reid, Richard. (2011). ''Frontiers of Violence in North-East Africa: Genealogies of Conflict Since c. 1800''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-921188-3}} | ||
* Wrong, Michela (2005), ''I Didn't Do It For You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation''. |
* Wrong, Michela (2005), ''I Didn't Do It For You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation''. HarperCollins. {{ISBN|0-06-078092-4}} | ||
{{refend}} | {{refend}} | ||
==External links== | == External links == | ||
{{Sister project links|Eritrea|voy=Eritrea}} | {{Sister project links|Eritrea|voy=Eritrea}} | ||
{{Scholia|topic}} | {{Scholia|topic}} | ||
===Government=== | === Government === | ||
* |
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622190405/http://www.shabait.com/index.php |date=22 June 2018 }} (official government website). | ||
* |
* | ||
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*. '']''. ]. | ||
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*{{GovPubs|eritrea}} | ||
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*{{Wikiatlas|Eritrea}} | ||
* from ]. | |||
* {{Wikiatlas|Eritrea}} | |||
===Others=== | === Others === | ||
* from ]. | |||
* , ] Report, 8 June 2015 | |||
*, ] Report, 8 June 2015 | |||
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* | * | ||
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* (Eritrea and north Ethiopia (Tigray-Province)). | ||
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* {{in lang|it}} | ||
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* from ]. | ||
===Magazines=== | === Magazines === | ||
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* {{in lang|it}} | ||
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* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012135549/http://geschichteinchronologie.ch/afrika/kol/Eritrea-Munzinger-fight-against-colonialism-ENGL.html |date=12 October 2007 }} | ||
{{Eritrea topics}} | {{Eritrea topics}} | ||
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]<!--Keep with index at start of list (eponymous category) --> | ]<!--Keep with index at start of list (eponymous category) --> | ||
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Latest revision as of 05:04, 24 December 2024
Country in the Horn of Africa "Erythrea" redirects here. For other uses, see Erythrean (disambiguation), Eritrea (disambiguation), and Eritrean (disambiguation).
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|
State of Eritreaሃገረ ኤርትራ (Tigrinya) | |
---|---|
Flag Emblem | |
Anthem: ኤርትራ ኤርትራ ኤርትራ (Tigrinya) "Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea" | |
Show globeShow map of Africa | |
Capitaland largest city | Asmara 15°20′N 38°55′E / 15.333°N 38.917°E / 15.333; 38.917 |
Official languages | None |
Recognised national languages | |
Working languages | |
Ethnic groups (2021) | |
Religion | See Religion in Eritrea |
Demonym(s) | |
Government | Unitary one-party presidential republic under a totalitarian dictatorship |
• President | Isaias Afwerki |
Legislature | National Assembly |
Independence from Ethiopia | |
• Eritrean War of Independence | 1 September 1961 |
• De facto | 24 May 1991 |
• De jure | 24 May 1993 |
Area | |
• Total | 120,000 km (46,000 sq mi) (97th) |
• Water (%) | negligible |
Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 3.6–6.7 million |
GDP (PPP) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $6.42 billion |
• Per capita | $1,835 |
GDP (nominal) | 2019 estimate |
• Total | $1.98 billion |
• Per capita | $566 |
HDI (2022) | 0.493 low (175th) |
Currency | Nakfa (ERN) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (not observed) |
Drives on | Right |
Calling code | +291 |
ISO 3166 code | ER |
Internet TLD | .er |
|
Eritrea (/ˌɛrɪˈtriːə/ ERR-ih-TREE-ə or /-ˈtreɪ-/ -TRAY-;, pronounced [ʔer(ɨ)trä] ), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the south, Sudan in the west, and Djibouti in the southeast. The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the Red Sea. The nation has a total area of approximately 117,600 km (45,406 sq mi), and includes the Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands.
Human remains found in Eritrea have been dated to 1 million years old and anthropological research indicates that the area may contain significant records related to the evolution of humans. The Kingdom of Aksum, covering much of modern-day Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, was established during the first or second century AD. It adopted Christianity around the middle of the fourth century. Beginning in the 12th century, the Ethiopian Zagwe and Solomonid dynasties held sway to a fluctuating extent over the entire plateau and the Red Sea coast. Eritrea's central highlands, known as Mereb Melash ("Beyond the Mereb"), were the northern frontier region of the Ethiopian kingdoms and were ruled by a governor titled the Bahr Negus ("King of the Sea"). In the 16th century, the Ottomans conquered the Eritrean coastline, then in May 1865 much of the coastal lowlands came under the rule of the Khedivate of Egypt, until it was transferred to Italy in February 1885. Beginning in 1885–1890, Italian troops systematically spread out from Massawa toward the highlands, eventually resulting in the formation of the colony of Italian Eritrea in 1889, establishing the present-day boundaries of the country. Italian rule continued until 1942 when Eritrea was placed under British Military Administration during World War II; following a UN General Assembly decision in 1952, Eritrea would govern itself with a local Eritrean parliament, but for foreign affairs and defense, it would enter into a federal status with Ethiopia for ten years. However, in 1962, the government of Ethiopia annulled the Eritrean parliament and formally annexed Eritrea. The Eritrean secessionist movement organised the Eritrean Liberation Front in 1961 and fought the Eritrean War of Independence until Eritrea gained de facto independence in 1991. Eritrea gained de jure independence in 1993 after an independence referendum.
Contemporary Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country with nine recognised ethnic groups, each of which has a distinct language. The most widely spoken languages are Tigrinya and Arabic. The others are Tigre, Saho, Kuinama, Nara, Afar, Beja, Bilen and English. Tigrinya, Arabic and English serve as the three working languages. Most residents speak languages from the Afroasiatic family, either of the Ethiopian Semitic languages or Cushitic branches. Among these communities, the Tigrinyas make up about 50% of the population, with the Tigre people constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are several Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic groups. Most people in the country adhere to Christianity or Islam, with a small minority adhering to traditional faiths.
Eritrea is one of the least developed countries. It is a unitary one-party presidential republic in which national legislative and presidential elections have never been held. Isaias Afwerki has served as president since its official independence in 1993. According to Human Rights Watch, the Eritrean government's human rights record is among the worst in the world. The Eritrean government has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated. Freedom of the press in Eritrea is extremely limited; the Press Freedom Index consistently ranks it as one of the least free countries. As of 2022 Reporters Without Borders considers the country to be among those with the least press freedom. Eritrea is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and is an observer state in the Arab League alongside Brazil and Venezuela.
Etymology
The name Eritrea is derived from the ancient (originally Greek) name for the Red Sea, the Erythraean Sea (Ἐρυθρὰ Θάλασσα Erythra Thalassa, based on the adjective ἐρυθρός erythros "red"). It was first formally adopted in 1890, with the formation of Italian Eritrea (Colonia Eritrea). The name persisted throughout subsequent British and Ethiopian occupation, and was reaffirmed by the 1993 independence referendum and 1997 constitution.
History
Main article: History of EritreaPrehistory
Madam Buya is the name of a fossil found at an archaeological site in Eritrea by Italian anthropologists. She has been identified as among the oldest hominid fossils found to date that reveal significant stages in the evolution of humans and to represent a possible link between the earlier Homo erectus and an archaic Homo sapiens. Her remains have been dated to 1 million years old. She is the oldest skeletal find of her kind and provides a link between earlier hominids and the earliest anatomically modern humans. It is believed that the section of the Danakil Depression in Eritrea was a major site in terms of human evolution and may contain other traces of evolution from Homo erectus hominids to anatomically modern humans.
During the last interglacial period, the Red Sea coast of Eritrea was occupied by early anatomically modern humans. It is believed that the area was on the route out of Africa that some scholars suggest was used by early humans to colonize the rest of the Old World. In 1999, the Eritrean Research Project Team composed of Eritrean, Canadian, American, Dutch, and French scientists discovered a Paleolithic site with stone and obsidian tools dated to more than 125,000 years old near the Gulf of Zula south of Massawa, along the Red Sea littoral. The tools are believed to have been used by early humans to harvest marine resources such as clams and oysters.
Antiquity
Main articles: Gash Group, Land of Punt, and DʿmtResearch shows tools found in the Barka Valley dating from 8,000 BC appear to offer the first concrete evidence of human settlement in the area. Research also shows that many of the ethnic groups of Eritrea were the first to inhabit these areas.
Excavations in and near Agordat in central Eritrea yielded the remains of an ancient pre-Aksumite civilization known as the Gash Group. Ceramics were discovered that were dated back to between 2,500 and 1,500 BC.
Around 2,000 BC, parts of Eritrea were most likely part of the Land of Punt, first mentioned in the twenty-fifth century BC. It was known for producing and exporting gold, aromatic resins, blackwood, ebony, ivory, and wild animals. The region is known from ancient Egyptian records of trade expeditions to it, especially a well-documented expedition to Punt in approximately 1,469 BC during the reestablishment of disrupted trade routes by Hatshepsut shortly after the beginning of her rule as the king of ancient Egypt.
Excavations at Sembel found evidence of an ancient pre-Aksumite civilization in greater Asmara. This Ona urban culture is believed to have been among the oldest pastoral and agricultural communities in East Africa. Artifacts at the site have been dated to between 800 BC and 400 BC, contemporaneous with other pre-Aksumite settlements in the Eritrean and Ethiopian highlands during the mid-first millennium BC.
D'mt
Main article: DʿmtDʿmt was a kingdom that existed from the tenth to fifth centuries BC in what is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. Given the presence of a massive temple complex at Yeha, this area was most likely the kingdom's capital. Qohaito, often identified as the town of Koloe in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, as well as Matara were important ancient Dʿmt kingdom cities in southern Eritrea.
The realm developed irrigation schemes, used plows, grew millet, and made iron tools and weapons. After the fall of Dʿmt in the fifth century BC, the plateau came to be dominated by smaller successor kingdoms. This lasted until the rise of one of these polities during the first century, the Kingdom of Aksum, which was able to reunite the area.
Kingdom of Aksum
Main article: Kingdom of AksumThe Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum) was a trading empire centered in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. It existed from approximately 100–940 AD, growing from the proto-Aksumite Iron Age period around the fourth century BC to achieve prominence by the first century AD.
According to the medieval Liber Axumae (Book of Aksum), Aksum's first capital, Mazaber, was built by Itiyopis, son of Cush. The capital was later moved to Axum in northern Ethiopia. The kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the fourth century.
The Aksumites erected a number of large stelae, which served a religious purpose in pre-Christian times. One of these granite columns, the Obelisk of Aksum, is the largest such structure in the world, standing at 90 feet (27 metres). Under Ezana (fl. 320–360), Aksum later adopted Christianity.
Christianity was the first world religion to be adopted in modern Eritrea and the oldest monastery in the country, Debre Sina, was built in the fourth century. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Africa and the world. Debre Libanos, the second oldest monastery, was said to have been founded in the late fifth or early sixth century. Originally located in the village of Ham, it was moved to an inaccessible location on the edge of a cliff below the Ham plateau. Its church contains the Golden Gospel, a metal-covered bible dating to the thirteenth century during which Debre Libanos was an important seat of religious power.
In the seventh century AD, early Muslims from Mecca, at least companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, sought refuge from Qurayshi persecution by travelling to the kingdom, a journey known in Islamic history as the First Hijrah. They reportedly built the first African mosque, that is the Mosque of the Companions in Massawa.
The kingdom is mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea as an important market place for ivory, which was exported throughout the ancient world. At the time, Aksum was ruled by Zoskales, who also governed the port of Adulis. The Aksumite rulers facilitated trade by minting their own Aksumite currency.
Early Modern Period
Main articles: Mereb Melash and Habesh EyaletPre-colonial Eritrea had four distinct regions divided by geography that had limited contact with each other. The Abyssinian Tigrinya-speaking Christians controlled the highlands, the nomadic Tigre and Beni Amer clans the western lowlands, the Arabic Muslims of Massawa and Dahlak, and the pastoralist Afars the Dankalia region.
After the decline of Aksum, the Eritrean highlands fell under the domain of the Christian Zagwe dynasty, and later under the sphere of influence of the Ethiopian Empire. The area was first known as Ma'ikele Bahri ("between the seas/rivers", i.e. the land between the Red Sea and the Mereb river), and later renamed the Medri Bahri ("Sea land" in Tigrinya). The region, ruled by a local governor called the Bahr Negash, was first documented in an obscure land grant of the 11th-century Zagwe king Tatadim. He considered the unnamed Bahr Negash one of his seyyuman or "appointed ones". Ethiopian Emperor Zara Yaqob strengthened imperial presence in the area by increasing the power of the Bahr Negash and placing him above other local chiefs, establishing a military colony of settlers from Shewa, and forcing the Muslims on the coast to pay tribute.
The first Westerner to document a visit to Eritrea was Portuguese explorer Francisco Álvares in 1520. He recounted his journey through the principality ruled by the Bahr Negus, highlighting three key cities, with Debarwa as the capital. He then detailed the border demarcation at the Mereb River with the province of Tigray and recounted the difficulties in transporting certain goods across the border. His books have the first description of the local powers of Tigray and the Bahr Negus (lord of the lands by the sea)
The contemporary coast of Eritrea guaranteed the connection to the region of Tigray, where the Portuguese had a small colony, and to the interior Ethiopian allies of the Portuguese. Massawa was also the stage for the 1541 landing of troops by Cristóvão da Gama in the military campaign that eventually defeated the Adal Sultanate in the battle of Wayna Daga in 1543.
By 1557, the Ottomans had succeeded in occupying all of northeastern present-day Eritrea for the following two decades, an area that stretched from Massawa to Swakin in Sudan. The territory became an Ottoman governorate, known as the Habesh Eyalet, with a capital at Massawa. When the city became of secondary economic importance, the administrative capital moved across the Red Sea to Jeddah. The Turks tried to occupy the highlands of Eritrea in 1559 but withdrew after they encountered Resistance, pushed back by the Bahri Negash and highland forces. In 1578 they tried to expand into the highlands with the help of Bahri Negash Yisehaq, who had switched alliances due to a power struggle. Ethiopian Emperor Sarsa Dengel made a punitive expedition against the Turks in 1588 in response to their raids in the northern provinces, and apparently by 1589 they were once again compelled to withdraw to the coast. The Ottomans were eventually driven out in the last quarter of the sixteenth century. However, they retained control over the seaboard until the establishment of Italian Eritrea in the late 1800s.
In 1734, the Afar leader Kedafu established the Mudaito Dynasty in Ethiopia, which later also came to include the southern Denkel lowlands of Eritrea, thus incorporating the southern Denkel lowlands into the Sultanate of Aussa. The northern coastline of Denkel was dominated by a number of smaller Afar sultanates, such as the Sultanate of Rahayta, the Sultanate of Beylul and the Sultanate of Bidu.
Italian Eritrea
Main article: Italian EritreaThe boundaries of present-day Eritrea were established during the Scramble for Africa. On 15 November 1869, the ruling local chief sold lands surrounding the Bay of Assab to the Italian missionary Giuseppe Sapeto on behalf of the Rubattino Shipping Company. The area served as a coaling station along the shipping lanes introduced by the recently completed Suez Canal. In 1882, the Italian government formally took possession of the Assab colony from its commercial owners and expanded their control to include Massawa and most of the Eritrean coastal lowlands after the Egyptians withdrew from Eritrea in February 1885.
In the vacuum that followed the 1889 death of Emperor Yohannes IV, Gen. Oreste Baratieri occupied the highlands along the Eritrean coast and Italy proclaimed the establishment of Italian Eritrea, a colony of the Kingdom of Italy. In the Treaty of Wuchale (It. Uccialli) signed the same year, Menelik OI of Shewa, a southern Ethiopian kingdom, recognized the Italian occupation of his rivals' lands of Bogos, Hamasien, Akkele Guzay, and Serae in exchange for guarantees of financial assistance and continuing access to European arms and ammunition. His subsequent victory over rival kings and enthronement as Emperor Menelek II (r. 1889–1913) made the treaty formally binding upon the entire territory.
In 1888, the Italian administration launched its first development projects in the new colony. The Eritrean Railway was completed to Saati in 1888, and reached Asmara in the highlands in 1911. The Asmara–Massawa Cableway was the longest line in the world during its time but was later dismantled by the British in World War II. Besides major infrastructural projects, the colonial authorities invested significantly in the agricultural sector. They also oversaw the provision of urban amenities in Asmara and Massawa, and employed many Eritreans in public service, particularly in the police and public works departments. Thousands of Eritreans were concurrently enlisted in the army, serving during the Italo-Turkish War in Libya as well as the First and Second Italo-Abyssinian Wars.
Additionally, the Italian Eritrea administration opened many new factories that produced buttons, cooking oil, pasta, construction materials, packing meat, tobacco, hide, and other household commodities. In 1939, there were approximately 2,198 factories and most of the employees were Eritrean citizens. The establishment of industries also increased the number of Italians and Eritreans residing in the cities. The number of Italians in the territory increased from 4,600 to 75,000 in five years; and with the involvement of Eritreans in the industry, trade and fruit plantations were expanded across the nation, and some of the plantations were owned by Eritreans.
In 1922, Benito Mussolini's rise to power in Italy brought profound changes to the colonial government in Italian Eritrea. After il Duce declared the birth of the Italian Empire in May 1936, Italian Eritrea (enlarged with northern Ethiopia's regions) and Italian Somaliland were merged with the just-conquered Ethiopia into the new Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana). This Fascist period was characterized by imperial expansion in the name of a "new Roman Empire". Eritrea was chosen by the Italian government to be the industrial center of Italian East Africa.
After 1935, art deco architecture was widely employed in Asmara. The Italians designed more than 400 buildings in a construction boom that only halted with Italy's involvement in World War II. These included the Fiat Tagliero Building and Cinema Impero. In 2017, the city was declared a World Heritage Site, described by UNESCO as featuring eclectic and rationalist built forms, well-defined open spaces, and public and private buildings, including cinemas, shops, banks, religious structures, public and private offices, industrial facilities, and residences.)
British administration
Through the 1941 Battle of Keren, the British expelled the Italians and took over the administration of the country. Economically, the decade of British administration saw a significant restructuring of the Eritrean economy. Until 1945, the British and Americans relied on Italian equipment and skilled labor for wartime needs and to support the Allies in the Middle East. This economic boom, fueled by substantial Italian involvement, lasted until the end of the war. However, shortly after the conflict concluded, the Eritrean economy faced a combination of recession and depression that severely impacted the local urban population. War factories that had employed thousands were shut down, and Italians began to be repatriated. Additionally, many small manufacturing plants established between 1936 and 1945 were forced to close due to intense competition from factories in Europe and the Middle East.
The British placed Eritrea under British military administration until Allied forces could determine its fate. In the absence of agreement amongst the Allies concerning the status of Eritrea, the British administration continued for the remainder of World War II and until 1950. During the immediate postwar years, the British proposed that Eritrea be divided along religious community lines and annexed partly to the British colony of Sudan and partly to Ethiopia. After the peace treaty with Italy was signed in 1947, the United Nations sent a Commission of Enquiry to decide the fate of the colony.
Annexation by Ethiopia
Main article: Federation of Ethiopia and EritreaIn the 1950s, the Ethiopian feudal administration under Emperor Haile Selassie sought to annex Eritrea and Italian Somaliland. He laid claim to both territories in a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt at the Paris Peace Conference and the First Session of the United Nations. In the United Nations, the debate over the fate of the former Italian colonies continued. The British and Americans preferred to cede all of Eritrea except the Western province to the Ethiopians as a reward for their support during World War II. The Independence Bloc of Eritrean parties consistently requested from the United Nations General Assembly that a referendum be held immediately to settle the Eritrean question of sovereignty.
The United Nations Commission of Enquiry arrived in Eritrea in early 1950 and after about six weeks returned to New York to submit its report. Two reports were presented. The minority report presented by Pakistan and Guatemala proposed that Eritrea be independent after a period of trusteeship. The majority report compiled by Burma, Norway, and the Union of South Africa called for Eritrea to be incorporated into Ethiopia.
Following the adoption of U.N. Resolution 390A(V) in December 1950, Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia under the prompting of the United States. The resolution called for Eritrea and Ethiopia to be linked through a loose federal structure under the sovereignty of the emperor. Eritrea was to have its own administrative and judicial structure, its own new flag, and control over its domestic affairs, including police, local administration, and taxation. The federal government, which for all practical purposes was the existing imperial government, was to control foreign affairs (including commerce), defense, finance, and transportation. The resolution ignored the wishes of Eritreans for independence but guaranteed the population democratic rights and a measure of autonomy.
Independence
Main articles: Eritrean War of Independence and Eritrea under Isaias AfwerkiIn 1958, a group of Eritreans founded the Eritrean Liberation Movement (ELM). The organization mainly consisted of Eritrean students, professionals, and intellectuals. It engaged in clandestine political activities intended to cultivate resistance to the centralizing policies of the imperial Ethiopian state. On 1 September 1961, the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), under the leadership of Hamid Idris Awate, waged an armed struggle for independence. In 1962, Emperor Haile Selassie unilaterally dissolved the Eritrean parliament and annexed the territory. The ensuing Eritrean War of Independence went on for 30 years against successive Ethiopian governments until 1991, when the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), a successor of the ELF, defeated the Ethiopian forces in Eritrea and helped a coalition of Ethiopian rebel forces take control of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
In the 1980s a non-government organization called the Eritrea Inter-Agency Consortium (EIAC) aided in the development projects for the Eritrean Liberation movement.
Following a referendum in Eritrea supervised by the United Nations (dubbed UNOVER) in which the Eritrean people overwhelmingly voted for independence, Eritrea declared its independence and gained international recognition in 1993. The EPLF seized power, established a one-party state along nationalist lines and banned further political activity. As of 2020, there have been no elections. On 28 May 1993, Eritrea was admitted into the United Nations as the 182nd member state.
Geography
Main article: Geography of EritreaEritrea is located in East Africa. It is bordered to the northeast and east by the Red Sea, Sudan to the west, Ethiopia to the south, and Djibouti to the southeast. Eritrea lies between latitudes 12° and 18°N, and longitudes 36° and 44°E.
The country is virtually bisected by a branch of the East African Rift. Eritrea, at the southern end of the Red Sea, is the home of the fork in the rift. The Dahlak Archipelago and its fishing grounds are situated off the sandy arid coastline.
Eritrea may be split into three ecoregions. A hot arid coastal plain extends along the coast. The coastal plain is narrow in the west and widens towards the east. These coastal lowlands are part of the Djibouti xeric shrublands ecoregion. The cooler, more fertile highlands reach up to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) and are a northern extension of the Ethiopian Highlands, I home to montane grasslands and woodlands. Habitats here vary from the sub-tropical rainforest at Filfil Solomona to the precipitous cliffs and canyons of the southern highlands. Filfil receives over 1,100 mm of rainfall annually. There is a steep escarpment along the eastern side of the highlands, which is the western wall of the East African Rift. The western slope of the highlands is more gradual, descending to interior lowlands. Southwestern Eritrea is drained by the Atbara River, which flows northwestwards to join the Nile. The northwestern slope of the highlands is drained by the Barka River, which flows northwards into Sudan to empty into the Red Sea. Western Eritrea is part of the Sahelian Acacia savanna, which extends across Africa south of the Sahara from Eritrea to Senegal.
The Afar Triangle or Danakil Depression of Eritrea is the probable location of a triple junction where three tectonic plates are pulling away from one another. The highest point of the country, Emba Soira, is located in the center of Eritrea, at 3,018 m (9,902 ft) above sea level. Eritrea has volcanic activity in the southeastern parts of the country. In 2011 Nabro Volcano had an eruption.
The main cities of the country are the capital city of Asmara and the port town of Asseb in the southeast, as well as the towns of Massawa to the east, the northern town of Keren, and the central town Mendefera.
Local variability in rainfall patterns and reduced precipitation are known to occur, which may precipitate soil erosion, floods, droughts, land degradation, and desertification.
Eritrea is part of a 14-nation constituency within the Global Environment Facility, which partners with international institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives.
In 2006, Eritrea announced that it would become the first country in the world to turn its entire coast into an environmentally protected zone. The 1,347 km (837 mi) coastline, along with another 1,946 km (1,209 mi) of coast around its more than 350 islands, will come under governmental protection.
Climate
Based on temperature variations, Eritrea can be broadly divided into three major climate zones: the temperate zone, subtropical climate zone, and tropical climate zone.
The climate of Eritrea is shaped by its diverse topographical features and its location within the tropics. The diversity of its landscape and topography in the highlands and lowlands of Eritrea results in a diversity of climate. The highlands have a temperate climate throughout the year. The climate of most lowland zones is arid and semiarid. The distribution of rainfall and vegetation types varies markedly throughout the country. Eritrean climate varies based on seasonal and altitudinal differences.
Due to its physical diversity, Eritrea is one of the few countries where one can experience "four seasons in a day". In the highlands (up to 3000m above sea level) the hottest month is usually May, with temperatures reaching 30 C, whereas winter occurs during December to February when temperatures can be as low as 10 C at night. The capital, Asmara, has a pleasant temperature all year round.
In the lowlands and the coastal areas, summer occurs from June to September, when temperatures can reach 40 C. Winter in the lowlands occurs from February to April, when temperatures are between 21 and 35 C.
A 2022 analysis found that the expected costs for Eritrea to adapt to and avert the environmental consequences of climate change are going to be high.
Biodiversity
Main article: Wildlife of Eritrea See also: List of mammals in Eritrea and List of birds of EritreaEritrea has several species of mammals and a rich avifauna of 560 species of birds.
Eritrea is home to a large number of mammals; 126 species of mammals, 90 species of reptiles, and 19 species of amphibians have been recorded. Enforced regulations have helped in steadily increasing their numbers throughout Eritrea. Mammals commonly seen today include the Abyssinian hare, African wild cat, Black-backed jackal, African golden wolf, Genet, Ground squirrel, pale fox, Soemmerring's gazelle, and warthog. Dorcas gazelle are common on the coastal plains and in Gash-Barka.
Lions are said to inhabit the mountains of the Gash-Barka Region. Dik-diks may be found in many areas. The endangered African wild ass may be seen in Denakalia Region. Other local wildlife include bushbuck, duikers, greater kudu, Klipspringer, African leopards, oryx, and crocodiles. The spotted hyena is widespread and fairly common.
Historically, a small population of African bush elephants roamed some parts of the country. Between 1955 and 2001 there were no reported sightings of elephant herds, however, and they were thought to have fallen victim to the war of independence. In December 2001, a herd of approximately 30, including 10 juveniles, was observed in the vicinity of the Gash River. The elephants seemed to have formed a symbiotic relationship with olive baboons. The baboons use the water holes dug by the elephants and the elephants seem to be taking advantage of vocalizations made by baboons from the tree tops as an early warning system. It is estimated that there are approximately 100 African bush elephant left in Eritrea, the most northerly of the East African elephants.
The endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) was previously found in Eritrea but is now deemed extirpated from the entire country. In Gash-Barka, snakes such as saw-scaled viper are common. Puff adder and red spitting cobra are widespread and may be found even in the highlands. In the coastal areas, common marine species include dolphin, dugong, whale shark, turtles, marlin, swordfish, and manta ray. 500 fish species, 5 marine turtles, 8 or more cetaceans, and the dugong have been recorded in the country.
Eritrea also harbours many species only found in Eritrea, these include various bugs, frogs, mammals, snakes, and plants.
Over 700 plants have been recorded in Eritrea, including marine plants and seagrass. In Eritrea 26% of is arable land. Eritrea has diverse habitats, including Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, Shrublands, Deserts, Xeric Shrublands, Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and Mangrove forests.
All of Eritrea's national parks are protected, which include Dahlak Marine National Park, Nakfa Wildlife Reserve, Gash-Setit Wildlife Refuge, Semenawi Bahri National Park, and Yob Wildlife Reserve.
Government and politics
Main article: Politics of EritreaThe People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) is the only legal party in Eritrea. Other political groups are not allowed to organize, although the unimplemented Constitution of 1997 provides for the existence of multi-party politics. The National Assembly has 150 seats. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; as of 2022, none have ever been held in the country. President Isaias Afwerki has been in office since independence in 1993.
In 1993, 75 representatives were elected to the National Assembly; the rest were appointed. As the report by the United Nations Human Rights Council explained: "No national elections have taken place since that time, and no presidential elections have ever taken place. Local or regional elections have not been held since 2003–2004. The National Assembly elected independent Eritrea's first president, Isaias Afwerki, in 1993. Following his election, Afwerki consolidated his control of the Eritrean government." President Isaias Afwerki has regularly expressed his disdain for what he refers to as "Western-style" democracy. In a 2008 interview with Al Jazeera, for example, the president stated that "Eritrea will wait three or four decades, maybe more, before it holds elections. Who knows?" According to 2023 V-Dem Democracy indices Eritrea is 2nd lowest ranked worldwide and the lowest ranked electoral democracy in Africa.
National, regional, and local elections
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Given that the full implementation of the Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship between Eritrea and Ethiopia is still incomplete, the Eritrean authorities still do not consider that the peace agreement is formally implemented. However, local elections were held for a time in Eritrea. The most recent round of local government elections were in 2010 and 2011.
Administrative divisions
Main articles: Regions of Eritrea and Districts of EritreaEritrea is divided into six administrative regions. These areas are further divided into 58 districts.
Region | Area (km) | Capital |
---|---|---|
Central | 1,300 | Asmara |
Anseba | 23,200 | Keren |
Gash-Barka | 33,200 | Barentu |
Southern | 8,000 | Mendefera |
Northern Red Sea | 27,800 | Massawa |
Southern Red Sea | 27,600 | Assab |
The regions of Eritrea are the primary geographical divisions through which the country is administered. Six in total, they include the Maekel/Central, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Debub/Southern, Northern Red Sea, and Southern Red Sea regions. At the time of independence in 1993, Eritrea was arranged into ten provinces. These provinces were similar to the nine provinces operating during the colonial period. In 1996, these were consolidated into six regions (zobas). The boundaries of these new regions are based on water catchment basins.
Foreign relations
Main article: Foreign relations of EritreaEritrea is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It is an observing member of the Arab League, alongside Brazil and Venezuela. The nation holds a seat on the United Nations Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ). Eritrea also holds memberships in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation, International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Permanent Court of Arbitration, Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa, and the World Customs Organization.
The Eritrean government previously withdrew its representative to the African Union to protest the AU's alleged lack of leadership in facilitating the implementation of a binding border decision demarcating the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Since January 2011, the Eritrean government has appointed an envoy, Tesfa-Alem Tekle, to the AU.
Its relations with Djibouti and Yemen are tense due to territorial disputes over the Doumeira Islands and Hanish Islands, respectively.
On 28 May 2019, the United States removed Eritrea from the "Counterterror Non-Cooperation List" which also includes Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela. Moreover, Eritrea was visited two months earlier by a U.S. congressional delegation for the first time in 14 years.
Along with Belarus, Syria, and North Korea, Eritrea was one of only four countries not including Russia to vote against a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Relations with Ethiopia
See also: Eritrea–Ethiopia relations and Eritrean–Ethiopian War Further information: Eritrean War of Independence and Eritrean independence referendum, 1993The undemarcated border with Ethiopia is the primary external issue currently facing Eritrea. Eritrea's relations with Ethiopia turned from that of cautious mutual tolerance, following the 30-year war for Eritrean independence, to a deadly rivalry that led to the outbreak of hostilities from May 1998 to June 2000 that claimed approximately 70,000 lives from both sides. The border conflict cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The Eritrean–Ethiopian War from 1998 to 2000 involved a major border conflict, notably around Badme and Zalambessa, eventually resolved in 2018.
Disagreements following the war have resulted in stalemates punctuated by periods of elevated tension and renewed threats of war. The stalemate led the president of Eritrea to urge the UN to take action on Ethiopia with the Eleven Letters penned by the president to the United Nations Security Council. The situation has been further escalated by the continued efforts of the Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders in supporting the opposition in one another's countries. In 2011, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of planting bombs at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, which was later supported by a UN report. Eritrea denied the claims.
A peace treaty between both nations was signed on 9 July 2018. The next day, they signed a joint declaration that formally ended the Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict.
In 2020, Eritrean troops intervened in Tigray War on the side of the Ethiopian government. In April 2021, Eritrea confirmed its troops were fighting in Ethiopia.
Military
Main article: Eritrean Defence ForcesThe Eritrean Defence Forces are the official armed forces of the State of Eritrea. Eritrea's military is one of the largest in Africa.
Compulsory military service was instituted in 1995. Officially, conscripts, male and female, must serve for 18 months minimum, which includes six months of military training and 12 months during the regular school year to complete their last year of high school. Thus around 5% of Eritreans do military service at Sawa facilities, but also by doing projects such as road building as part of their service.
The National Service Proclamation of 1995 does not recognize the right to conscientious objection to military service. According to the 1957 Ethiopian penal code adopted by Eritrea during independence, failure to enlist in the military or refusal to perform military service are punishable with imprisonment terms of six months to five years and up to ten years, respectively. National service enlistment times may be extended during times of "national crisis"; since 1998, everyone under the age of 50 is enlisted in national service for an indefinite period until released, which may depend on the arbitrary decision of a commander. In a study of 200 escaped conscripts, the average service was 6.5 years, and some had served more than 12 years.
Legal profession
According to the NYU School of Law, the Legal Committee of the Ministry of Justice oversees the admission and requirements to practice law in Eritrea. Although the establishment of an independent bar association is not proscribed under Proclamation 88/96, among other domestic laws, there is no bar association. The community electorate in the local jurisdiction of the Community Court chooses the court judges. The Community Court's standing on women in the legal profession is unclear but elected women judges have reserved seats.
Human rights
Main article: Human rights in EritreaEritrea is a one-party state in which national legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed. According to Human Rights Watch, the government's human rights record is considered among the worst in the world. Most countries have accused the Eritrean authorities of arbitrary arrest and detentions, and of detaining an unknown number of people without charge for their political activism. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are illegal in Eritrea.
A prominent group of fifteen Eritreans, called the G-15, including three cabinet members, were arrested in September 2001 after publishing an open letter to the government and President Isaias Afewerki calling for democratic dialogue. This group and thousands of others who were alleged to be affiliated with them are imprisoned without legal charges, hearing, trial, or judgment.
Since Eritrea conflicted with Ethiopia in 1998–2001, the nation's human rights record has been criticized by the United Nations. Human rights violations are allegedly often committed by the government or on behalf of the government. Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association are limited. Those who practice "unregistered" religions, try to flee the nation, or escape military duty are arrested and put into prison. By 2009, the number of political prisoners was in the range of 10,000–30,000, there was widespread and systematic torture and extrajudicial killings, with "anyone" for "any or no reason", including children eight years old, people more than 80 years old, and ill people, being liable to be arrested, and Eritrea was "one of the world's most totalitarian and human rights-abusing regimes". During the Eritrean independence struggle and 1998 Eritrean-Ethiopian War, many atrocities were committed by the Ethiopian authorities against unarmed Eritrean civilians.
In June 2016, a 500-page United Nations Human Rights Council report accused the Eritrean government of extrajudicial executions, torture, indefinitely prolonged national service (6.5 years on average), and forced labour, and it indicated that among state officials, sexual harassment, rape, and sexual servitude practices are widespread. Barbara Lochbihler of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights said the report detailed 'very serious human rights violations', and asserted that EU funding for development would not continue as at present without change in Eritrea. The Eritrean Foreign Ministry responded by describing the commission's report as being "wild allegations" that were "totally unfounded and devoid of all merit". Representatives of the United States and China disputed the report's language and accuracy.
All Eritreans aged between 18 and 40 years must complete a mandatory national service, which includes military service. This requirement was implemented after Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, as a means to protect Eritrea's sovereignty, to instill national pride, and to create a disciplined populace. Eritrea's national service requires long, indefinite conscription (6.5 years on average), which some Eritreans leave the country to avoid.
In an attempt at reform, Eritrean government officials and NGO representatives in 2006 participated in many public meetings and dialogues. In these sessions, they answered questions as fundamental as, "What are human rights?", "Who determines what are human rights?", and "What should take precedence, human or communal rights?".
In 2007, the Eritrean government banned female genital mutilation. In Regional Assemblies and religious circles, Eritreans themselves speak out continuously against the use of female circumcision. They cite health concerns and individual freedom as being of primary concern when they say this. Furthermore, they implore rural peoples to cast away this ancient cultural practice.
In 2009, a movement called Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea was formed to create dialogue between the government and political opposition. The group consists of ordinary citizens and some people close to the government. Since the movement's creation, no significant effort has been made by the Eritrean government to improve its record on human rights.
In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Eritrea, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang region. Eritrea continued this support in 2020.
Eritrea claims Western media stories of the country are decontextualized, sometimes fabricated, and almost always deployed to build a regime change narrative. It claims it's being targeted for not conforming to the West's agenda towards African countries, for instance by refusing to accept humanitarian foreign aid. Eritrea aspires to be self-reliant and has since 2005 rejected foreign aid because it sees aid as a hindrance to true economic development. In 2006 alone, Eritrea walked away from US$200 million in foreign aid. The same year it also refused a US$100 million loan from the World Bank.
Besides accusing the West of deliberate demonization through smear-campaigns, it also sees itself targeted by sanctions and western supported war against Eritrea through the Ethiopian group TPLF. It also accuses the west of luring Eritreans abroad by purposely granting many Eritreans political asylum.
Media freedom
Main article: Freedom of press in Eritrea See also: Mass media in EritreaIn its 2023 Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked the media environment in Eritrea at 174. According to the BBC, "Eritrea is the only African country to have no privately owned news media", and Reporters Without Borders said of the public media, " do nothing but relay the regime's belligerent and ultra-nationalist discourse... Not a single now lives in Asmara." The state-owned news agency censors news about external events. Independent media have been banned since 2001. The Eritrean authorities had reportedly imprisoned the fourth highest number of journalists after Turkey, China, and Egypt.
The 2024 Edelstam Prize was awarded to journalist Dawit Isaak who Eritrean authorities have imprisoned since 2001 without legal process.
Economy
Main article: Economy of EritreaIn 2020, the IMF estimated Eritrea's GDP at $2.1 billion, or $6.4 billion on a PPP basis. Between 2016 and 2019 Eritrea had a GDP growth between 7,6 %-10,2 %, down from the peak at 30,9% in 2014. In 2023 the GDP growth is expected to be 2,8%, a decrease due to factors such as the Ukraine and Russia war impacting the global economy and the effects of COVID-19 on value chains. However, the country's economy is expecting a steady growth in coming years.
Mining and agriculture in 2021 account for 20% of the GDP. As of 2020, remittances from abroad were estimated to account for 12% of gross domestic product.
Mining
Mining accounts for about 20% of GDP in 2021. In 2013, the pickup in growth had been attributed to the commencement of full operations in the gold and silver Bisha Mine by Canadian Nevsun Resources (now Chinese Zijin Mining), the production of cement from the cement factory in Massawa, and investment in Eritrea's copper, zinc, and Colluli potash mining operations by Australian and Chinese mining companies.
Agriculture
This section is an excerpt from Agriculture in Eritrea. Agriculture is one of the main economic activities in Eritrea. Agriculture made up 20% of the country its GDP in 2021. Eritrea has 565,000 hectares (1,396,000 acres) of arable land and permanent crops. 70% of the Eritrean workforce is employed in agriculture, accounting for roughly one-third of the economy. Eritrea's main agricultural products include sorghum, millet, barley, wheat, legumes, vegetables, fruits, sesame, linseed, cattle, sheep, goats, and camels.Since independence, Eritrea has constructed 187 dams, each with a capacity of over 50,000 m3 and the biggest ones with a capacity of 350 million m3 in size. These have been built to combat drought, for agriculture, fishing, and energy purposes. In addition, 600 micro-dams have been built.
Energy
Annual consumption of petroleum in 2001 was estimated at 370,000 tons. Eritrea has no domestic petroleum production; the Eritrean Petroleum Corporation conducts purchases through international competitive tender. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, opportunities exist for both on- and offshore oil and natural gas exploration; however, these prospects have yet to come to fruition. The use of wind energy, solar power, hydropower has slightly increased, due to the growth of solar power manufacturing companies in the country. The Eritrean government has expressed interest in developing alternative energy sources, including geothermal, solar, and wind power.
Tourism
Tourists on a steam railway excursion from AsmaraSteam train above the clouds, between Asmara and Massawa, on the Eritrean RailwayTourism made up 2% of Eritrea's economy up to 1997. After 1998, revenue from the industry fell to one-quarter of 1997 levels. In 2006, it made up less than 1% of the country's GDP.
Eritrea is a member of World Tourism Organization which calculated that the country's international tourism receipts in 2002 were US$73 million. Sources from 2015 state that most tourists are members of the Eritrean diaspora. Overall visitors have steadily increased in recent years and annual visitors were 142,000 as of 2016.
Tourism in Eritrea has seen increased attention in later years. For instance, in 2019, the country was added to National Geographic's Cool List. Highlighted areas included the capital, Asmara, known for its art deco architecture; the Dahlak Islands; and the country's wilderness areas. Lonely Planet also lists the capital Asmara, the Dahlak Islands, the city of Massawa and archeological sites as top attractions.
The nation's flag carrier, Eritrean Airlines, had no scheduled service as of July 2023. International visitors rely on alternatives such as Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines, to get to the country.
The government has started a twenty-year tourism development plan entitled "the 2020 Eritrea Tourism Development Plan" to develop the country's tourist industry, aiming to enhance the rich cultural and natural resources of the country. The country is a participant in many tourism trade fairs to promote the tourism of the country.
Transportation
Main article: Transport in EritreaTransport in Eritrea includes highways, airports, railways, and seaports, in addition to various forms of public and private vehicular, maritime, and aerial transportation.
The Eritrean highway system is named according to the road classification. The three levels of classification are: primary (P), secondary (S), and tertiary (T). The lowest level road is tertiary and serves local interests. Typically, the tertiary ones are improved earth roads that occasionally are paved. During the wet seasons, these roads typically become impassable.
The next higher-level road is a secondary road and typically is a single-layered asphalt road that connects district capitals and those to the regional capitals. Roads that are considered primary roads are those that are fully constructed of asphalt (throughout their entire length) and in general, they carry traffic between all the major cities and towns in Eritrea.
As of 1999, there is a total of 317 kilometres of 950 mm (3 ft 1+3⁄8 in) (narrow gauge) rail line in Eritrea. The Eritrean Railway was built between 1887 and 1932. Badly damaged during World War II and in later fighting, it was closed section by section, with the final closure coming in 1978. After independence, a rebuilding effort commenced, and the first rebuilt section was reopened in 2003. As of 2009, the section from Massawa to Asmara was fully rebuilt and available for service.
Rehabilitation of the remainder and the rolling stock has occurred in recent years. Current service is very limited due to the extreme age of most of the railway equipment and its limited availability. Further rebuilding is planned. The railway linking Agordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa had been inoperative since 1978 except for an approximately 5-kilometre stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994. A railway formerly ran from Massawa to Bishia via Asmara and is under reconstruction.
Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure by asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war-damaged roads and bridges as a part of the Wefri Warsay Yika'alo program. The most significant of these projects was the construction of a coastal highway of more than 500 km connecting Massawa with Asseb, as well as the rehabilitation of the Eritrean Railway. The rail line has been restored between the port of Massawa and the capital Asmara, although services are sporadic. Steam locomotives are sometimes used for groups of enthusiasts.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of EritreaSources disagree as to the current population of Eritrea, with some proposing numbers as low as 3.6 million and others as high as 6.7 million. Eritrea has never conducted an official government census. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2020 was 41.1%, 54.3% were between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.5% were 65 or older.
In 2015, there was a major outflow of emigrants from Eritrea. The Guardian attributed the emigration to Eritrea being "a totalitarian state where most citizens fear arrest at any moment and dare not speak to their neighbours, gather in groups or linger long outside their homes", with a major factor being the conditions and long durations of conscription in the Eritrean Army. At the end of 2018, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that about 507,300 Eritreans were refugees who had fled Eritrea.
Urbanization
Largest cities or towns in Eritrea Geonames | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name | Region | Pop. | ||||||
Asmara Keren |
1 | Asmara | Maekel | 963,000 | Dekemhare Massawa | ||||
2 | Keren | Anseba | 120,000 | ||||||
3 | Dekemhare | Debub | 120,000 | ||||||
4 | Massawa | Semienawi Keyih Bahri | 54,090 | ||||||
5 | Mendefera | Debub | 53,000 | ||||||
6 | Assab | Debubawi Keyih Bahri | 28,000 | ||||||
7 | Barentu | Gash-Barka | 15,891 | ||||||
8 | Adi Keyh | Debub | 13,061 | ||||||
9 | Edd | Southern Red Sea | 11,259 | ||||||
10 | Ak'ordat | Gash-Barka | 8,857 |
Ethnic composition
There are nine recognized ethnic groups according to the government of Eritrea. An independent census has yet to be conducted, but the Tigrinya people make up approximately 55% and Tigre people make up approximately 30% of the population. A majority of the remaining ethnic groups belong to Afroasiatic-speaking communities of the Cushitic branch, such as the Saho, Hedareb, Afar, and Bilen. There are also several Nilotic ethnic groups, who are represented in Eritrea by the Kunama and Nara. Each ethnicity speaks a different native tongue but, typically, many of the minorities speak more than one language.
The Arabic Rashaida people represent approximately 2% of Eritrea's population. They reside in the northern coastal lowlands of Eritrea as well as the eastern coasts of Sudan. The Rashaida first came to Eritrea in the nineteenth century from the Hejaz region.
In addition, there exist Italian Eritrean (concentrated in Asmara) and Ethiopian Tigrayan communities. Neither is generally given citizenship unless through marriage or, more rarely, by having it conferred upon them by the state. In 1941, Eritrea had approximately 760,000 inhabitants, including 70,000 Italians. Most Italians left after Eritrea became independent from Italy. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 Eritreans are of Italian descent.
Languages
Main article: Languages of EritreaEritrea is a multilingual country. The nation has no official language, as the Constitution establishes the "equality of all Eritrean languages". Eritrea has nine national languages which are Tigrinya, Tigre, Afar, Beja, Bilen, Kunama, Nara, and Saho. Tigrinya, Arabic, and English serve as de facto working languages, with English used in university education and many technical fields. While Italian, the former colonial language, holds no government-recognised status in Eritrea, it is spoken by a few monolinguals and Asmara had the Scuola Italiana di Asmara, an Italian government-operated school that was shut down in 2020. Also, native Eritreans assimilated the language of the Italian Eritreans and spoke a version of Italian mixed with many Tigrinya words: Eritrean Italian.
Most of the languages spoken in Eritrea belong to the Ethiopian Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic family. Other Afroasiatic languages belonging to the Cushitic branch are also widely spoken in the country. The latter include Afar, Beja, Blin, and Saho. In addition, Nilo-Saharan languages (Kunama and Nara) are spoken as a native language by the Nilotic Kunama and Nara ethnic groups that live in the western and northwestern part of the country.
Smaller groups speak other Afroasiatic languages, such as the newly recognized Dahlik and Arabic (the Hejazi and Hadhrami dialects spoken by the Rashaida and Hadhrami, respectively).
Religion
Main article: Religion in EritreaReligion | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Percent | ||||
Pew Research Center 2020 | ||||
Christianity | 63% | |||
Islam | 36% | |||
Others | 1% | |||
U.S. Department of State 2019 |
||||
Christianity | 49% | |||
Islam | 49% | |||
Others | 2% |
The two main religions followed in Eritrea are Christianity and Islam. However, the number of adherents of each faith is subject to debate. According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2020, 62.9% of the population of Eritrea adhered to Christianity, 36.6% followed Islam, and 0.4% practiced traditional African religions. The remainder observed Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, other faiths (<0.1% each), or were religiously unaffiliated (0.1%). The U.S. Department of State estimated that as of 2019, 49% of the population of Eritrea adhered to Christianity, 49% followed Islam, and 2% observed other religions, including traditional faiths and animism. The World Religion Database reports that in 2020, 47% of the population were Christian and 51% were Muslim. Christianity is the oldest world religion practiced in the country, and the first Christian monastery Debre Sina was built during the fourth century.
Since May 2002, the government of Eritrea has officially recognized the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church (Oriental Orthodox), Sunni Islam, the Eritrean Catholic Church (a Metropolitanate sui juris), and the Evangelical Lutheran church. All other faiths and denominations are required to undergo a registration process. Among other things, the government registration system requires religious groups to submit personal information on their membership to be allowed to worship.
The Eritrean government is against what it deems as "reformed" or "radical" versions of its established religions. Therefore, alleged radical forms of Islam and Christianity, Jehovah's Witnesses, and numerous other Protestant Evangelical denominations are not registered and cannot worship freely. Three named Jehovah's Witnesses are known to have been imprisoned since 1994 along with 51 others. The government treats Jehovah's Witnesses especially harshly, denying them ration cards and work permits. Jehovah's Witnesses were stripped of their citizenship and basic civil rights by presidential decree in October 1994.
In its 2017 religious freedom report, the U.S. State Department named Eritrea a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Health
Main article: Health in EritreaEritrea has achieved significant improvements in health care and is one of the few countries to be on target to meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for health, in particular child health. Life expectancy at birth increased from 39.1 years in 1960 to 66.44 years in 2020; maternal and child mortality rates dropped dramatically and the health infrastructure expanded.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2008 found average life expectancy to be slightly less than 63 years, a number that has increased to 66.44 in 2020. Immunisation and child nutrition have been tackled by working closely with schools in a multi-sectoral approach; the number of children vaccinated against measles almost doubled in seven years, from 40.7% to 78.5% and the prevalence of underweight children decreased by 12% from 1995 to 2002 (severe underweight prevalence by 28%). The National Malaria Protection Unit of the Ministry of Health registered reductions in malarial mortality by as much as 85% and in the number of cases by 92% between 1998 and 2006. The Eritrean government has banned female genital mutilation (FGM), saying the practice was painful and put women at risk of life-threatening health problems.
However, Eritrea still faces many challenges. Although the number of physicians increased from only 0.2 in 1993 to 0.5 in 2004 per 1000 people, this is still very low. Malaria and tuberculosis are common. HIV prevalence for ages 15 to 49 years exceeds 2%. The fertility rate is about 4.1 births per woman. Maternal mortality dropped by more than half from 1995 to 2002 but is still high. Similarly, the number of births attended by skilled health personnel doubled from 1995 to 2002 but still is only 28.3%. A major cause of death in newborns is severe infection. Per-capita expenditure on health is low.
Education
Main article: Education in EritreaThere are five levels of education in Eritrea: pre-primary, primary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary. There are nearly 1,270,000 students in the primary, middle, and secondary levels of education. There are approximately 824 schools, two universities, (the University of Asmara and the Eritrea Institute of Technology), and several smaller colleges and technical schools.
The Eritrea Institute of Technology "EIT" is a technological institute located near the town of Himbrti, Mai Nefhi outside Asmara. The institute has three colleges: Science, Engineering and Technology, and Education. The institute began with approximately 5,500 students during the 2003–2004 academic year. The EIT was opened after the University of Asmara was reorganized. According to the Ministry of Education, the institution was established, as one of many efforts to achieve equal distribution of higher learning in areas outside the capital city, Asmara. Accordingly, several similar colleges have also been established in other parts of the country. The Eritrea Institute of Technology is the main local institute of higher studies in science, engineering, and education. The University of Asmara is the oldest in the country and was opened in 1958. It is currently not in operation.
As of 2018, the overall adult literacy rate in Eritrea is 76.6% (84.4% for men and 68.9% for women). For youth 15–24, the overall literacy rate is 93.3% (93.8% for men and 92.7% for women).
Education in Eritrea is officially compulsory for children aged 6 to 13 years. Statistics vary at the elementary level, suggesting that 70% to 90% of school-aged children attend primary school; approximately 61% attend secondary school. Student-teacher ratios are high: 45:1 at the elementary level and 54:1 at the secondary level. Class sizes average 63 and 97 students per classroom at the elementary and secondary school levels, respectively.
Barriers to education in Eritrea include traditional taboos, school fees (for registration and materials), and the opportunity costs of low-income households.
Culture
Main article: Culture of EritreaThe culture of Eritrea is the collective cultural heritage of the various populations native to Eritrea and its rich cultural heritage inherited through its long history. Modern-day Eritrea is also defined by the struggle for independence. The nation has a rich oral and literary tradition which ranges across all nine ethnic groups, it includes a wealth of poetry and proverbs, songs and chants, folk tales, histories and legends. It also has a rich history in theatre and painting, often colourful and depicting a reflection of the Eritrean people's history.
One of the most recognizable parts of Eritrean culture is the coffee ceremony. Coffee (Ge'ez ቡን būn) is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. During the coffee ceremony, some traditions are upheld. The coffee is served in three rounds: the first brew or round is called awel in Tigrinya (meaning "first"), the second round is called kalaay (meaning "second"), and the third round is called bereka (meaning "to be blessed").
Traditional Eritrean attire is quite varied among the ethnic groups of Eritrea. In the larger cities, most people dress in Western casual dress such as jeans and shirts. In offices, both men and women often dress in suits. A common traditional clothing for Christian Tigrinya highlanders consists of bright white gowns called zurias for the women, and a white shirt accompanied by white pants for the men. In Muslim communities in the Eritrean lowlands, the women traditionally dress in brightly colored clothes. Besides convergent culinary tastes, Eritreans share an appreciation for similar music and lyrics, jewelry and fragrances, and tapestry and fabrics, as many other populations in the region.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
On 8 July 2017, the entire capital city of Asmara was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the inscription taking place during the 41st World Heritage Committee Session.
The city has thousands of Art Deco, futurist, modernist, and rationalist buildings, constructed during the period of Italian Eritrea. Asmara, a small town in the nineteenth century, started to grow quickly during 1889. The city also became a place "to experiment with radical new designs", mainly futuristic and art deco inspired. Even though city planners, architects, and engineers were largely European, members of the indigenous population were largely used as construction workers, Asmarinos still identify with their city's legacy.
Eritrean national museum in AsmaraThe Fiat Tagliero Building, Futurist-style service station designed by Giuseppe Pettazzi during the Italian colonial eraThe city shows off most early twentieth-century architectural styles. Some buildings are neo-Romanesque, such as the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Art Deco influences are found throughout the city. Essences of Cubism may be found on the Africa Pension Building and on a small collection of buildings. The Fiat Tagliero Building shows almost the height of futurism, just as it was becoming fashionable in Italy. In recent times, some buildings have been functionally built, which sometimes can spoil the atmosphere of some cities, but they fit into Asmara as it is such a modern city.
Many buildings such as opera houses, hotels, and cinemas were built during this period. Some notable buildings include the Art Deco Cinema Impero (opened in 1937 and considered by the experts one of the world's finest examples of Art Déco style building), Cubist Africa Pension, eclectic Eritrean Orthodox Enda Mariam Cathedral and Asmara Opera, the futurist Fiat Tagliero Building, the neoclassical Asmara city hall.
A statement from UNESCO read:
It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the beginning of the 20th century and its application in an African context.
— UNESCO
Music
Main article: Music of EritreaEritrea's ethnic groups each have their distinct styles of music and accompanying dances. Amongst the Tigrinya, the best-known traditional musical genre is the guaila. Traditional instruments of Eritrean folk music include the strung krar, kebero, begena, masenqo, and the wata (a distant/rudimentary cousin of the violin). A popular Eritrean artist is the Tigrinya singer Helen Meles, who is noted for her powerful voice and wide singing range. Other prominent local musicians include the Kunama singer Dehab Faytinga, Ruth Abraha, Bereket Mengisteab, the late Yemane Ghebremichael and the late Abraham Afewerki.
Dancing plays an important role in Eritrean society. The nine ethnic groups have many exuberant dances. The dancing styles differ amongst the ethnic groups; for instance the Bilen and Tigre ethnicities shake their shoulders, while standing rotating in a circle towards the end of the dance, which differs from the Tigrinya who first dance rotating anti-clockwise but later change it to fast-paced dancing and at the same breaking the circular rotation. Kunama ethnic group have dances that include rituals, these are - "tuka (rites of passage); indoda (prayers for rain); sangga-nena (peaceful mediation); and shatta (showcases of endurance and courage)". They are often fast-paced in their character and are accompanied by drum beats.
Media
Main article: Mass media in EritreaThere are no current independent mass media in Eritrea. All media outlets in Eritrea are from the Ministry of Information, a government source.
Cuisine
Main article: Eritrean cuisineA typical traditional Eritrean dish consists of injera accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, chicken, lamb, or fish. Overall, Eritrean cuisine strongly resembles that of neighboring Ethiopia, though Eritrean cooking tends to feature more seafood than Ethiopian cuisine on account of their coastal location. Eritrean dishes are also frequently "lighter" in texture than Ethiopian meals. They likewise tend to employ less seasoned butter and spices and more tomatoes, as in the tsebhi dorho delicacy.
Additionally, owing to its colonial history, cuisine in Eritrea features more Italian influences than are present in Ethiopian cooking, including more pasta and greater use of curry powders and cumin. Italian Eritrean cuisine started to be practiced during the colonial times of the Kingdom of Italy, when a large number of Italians moved to Eritrea. They brought the use of pasta to Italian Eritrea, and it is one of the main foods eaten in present-day Asmara. An Italian Eritrean cuisine emerged, and common dishes are "pasta al sugo e berbere" (pasta with tomato sauce and berbere spice), lasagna, and "cotoletta alla Milanese" (veal Milanese).
In addition to coffee, local alcoholic beverages are enjoyed. These include sowa, a bitter drink made from fermented barley, and mies, a fermented honey wine.
Sport
Main article: Sport in EritreaFootball and cycling are the most popular sports in Eritrea.
Cycling has a long tradition in Eritrea and was first introduced during the colonial period. The Tour of Eritrea, a multi-stage cycling event, was first held in 1946 and most recently held in 2017.
The national cycling teams of both men and women are ranked first on the African continent, with the men's team ranked 16th in the world as of February 2023. The Eritrean national cycling team has experienced much success, winning the African Continental cycling championship several years in a row. In 2013, the women's team won the gold medal in the African Continental Cycling Championships for the first time, and for the second time in 2015 and third time in 2019. The men's team has won gold eight times in the last 12 years in the African Continental cycling championships, between 2010 and 2022.
Eritrea has more than 500 elite cyclist riders (men and women) within the country. More than 20 Eritrean riders from Eritrea have signed professional contracts to international cycling teams Daniel Teklehaimanot and Merhawi Kudus became the first cyclists from Africa to compete in the Tour de France in the 2015 edition of the race. In 2022, Biniam Girmay was the first African rider to win both the Gent-Wevelgem and a stage in one of the Grand Tours during Giro d'Italia. Multiple African female champion Mosana Debesay became the first African female cyclist to compete in an Olympics, representing Eritrea in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics All these accomplishments from Eritrean cyclists, have helped push Eritrea into the top of global rankings in cycling.
Eritrean athletes have also seen increasing success in the international arena in other sports. Zersenay Tadese, an Eritrean athlete, formerly held the world record in the half marathon. Ghirmay Ghebreslassie became the first Eritrean to win a gold medal at a World Championships in Athletics for his country when he took the marathon at the 2015 World Championships. Eritrea made its Winter Olympic debut 25 February 2018, when they competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea 2018. Eritrea's team was represented by their flagbearer Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda who competed as alpine skier.
Neither the Eritrean national men or women's national football team currently have a world ranking despite being a member association of global governing body FIFA.
See also
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Further reading
- Beretekeab, R. (2000); Eritrea: The Making of a Nation 1890–1991. Thesis. Uppsala University, Uppsala. ISBN 978-91-506-1387-2. OCLC 632423867.
- Cliffe, Lionel; Connell, Dan; Davidson, Basil (2005), Taking on the Superpowers: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1976–1982). Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-188-0
- Cliffe, Lionel & Davidson, Basil (1988), The Long Struggle of Eritrea for Independence and Constructive Peace. Spokesman Press, ISBN 0-85124-463-7
- Connell, Dan (1997), Against All Odds: A Chronicle of the Eritrean Revolution With a New Afterword on the Postwar Transition. Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-046-9
- Connell, Dan (2001), Rethinking Revolution: New Strategies for Democracy & Social Justice: The Experiences of Eritrea, South Africa, Palestine & Nicaragua. Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-145-7
- Connell, Dan (2004), Conversations with Eritrean Political Prisoners. Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-235-6
- Connell, Dan (2005), Building a New Nation: Collected Articles on the Eritrean Revolution (1983–2002). Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-198-8
- Firebrace, James & Holand, Stuart (1985), Never Kneel Down: Drought, Development and Liberation in Eritrea. Red Sea Press, ISBN 0-932415-00-8
- Drudi, Emilio (2021). Una storia eritrea. Beyan, Adam, Amr. Calamaro Edizioni. ISBN 978-88-944639-2-7
- Gebre-Medhin, Jordan (1989), Peasants and Nationalism in Eritrea. Red Sea Press, ISBN 0-932415-38-5
- Hatem Elliesie: Decentralisation of Higher Education in Eritrea, Afrika Spectrum, Vol. 43 (2008) No. 1, p. 115–120.
- Hedberg, I. (1996), van der Maesen, L. J. G.; van der Burgt, X. M.; van Medenbach de Rooy, J. M. (eds.), "Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea", The Biodiversity of African Plants: Proceedings XIVth AETFAT Congress 22–27 August 1994, Wageningen, The Netherlands, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 802–804, doi:10.1007/978-94-009-0285-5_104, ISBN 978-94-009-0285-5, retrieved 21 March 2024
- Hill, Justin (2002), Ciao Asmara, A classic account of contemporary Africa. Little, Brown, ISBN 978-0-349-11526-9
- Iyob, Ruth (1997), The Eritrean Struggle for Independence: Domination, Resistance, Nationalism, 1941–1993. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-59591-6
- Jacquin-Berdal, Dominique; Plaut, Martin (2004), Unfinished Business: Ethiopia and Eritrea at War. Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-217-8
- Johns, Michael (1992), "Does Democracy Have a Chance", Congressional Record, 6 May 1992 Archived 23 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- Keneally, Thomas (1990), To Asmara ISBN 0-446-39171-9
- Kendie, Daniel (2005), The Five Dimensions of the Eritrean Conflict 1941–2004: Deciphering the Geo-Political Puzzle. Signature Book Printing, ISBN 1-932433-47-3
- Killion, Tom (1998), Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. Scarecrow Press, ISBN 0-8108-3437-5
- Mauri, Arnaldo (2004), "Eritrea's Early Stages in Monetary and Banking Development", International Review of Economics, Vol. LI, n. 4.
- Mauri, Arnaldo (1998), "The First Monetary and Banking Experiences in Eritrea", African Review of Money, Finance and Banking, n. 1–2.
- Miran, Jonathan (2009), Red Sea Citizens: Cosmopolitan Society and Cultural Change in Massawa. Indiana University Press, ISBN 978-0-253-22079-0
- Müller, Tanja R.: Bare life and the developmental State: the Militarization of Higher Education in Eritrea, Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 46 (2008), No. 1, p. 1–21.
- Negash T. (1987); Italian Colonisation in Eritrea: Policies, Praxis and Impact, Uppsala Univwersity, Uppsala.
- Ogbaselassie, G (10 January 2006). "Response to remarks by Mr. David Triesman, Britain's parliamentary under-secretary of state with responsibility for Africa". Archived from the original on 16 November 2006. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
- Pateman, Roy (1998), Eritrea: Even the Stones Are Burning. Red Sea Press, ISBN 1-56902-057-4
- Phillipson, David W. (1998), Ancient Ethiopia.
- Reid, Richard. (2011). Frontiers of Violence in North-East Africa: Genealogies of Conflict Since c. 1800. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-921188-3
- Wrong, Michela (2005), I Didn't Do It For You: How the World Betrayed a Small African Nation. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-078092-4
External links
Scholia has a topic profile for Eritrea.Government
- Ministry of Information of Eritrea Archived 22 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine (official government website).
- EriTV News, Music, Movie and Comedy from Eritrea Television
- Eritrea. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
- Eritrea web resources provided by GovPubs at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
- Wikimedia Atlas of Eritrea
Others
- Eritrea profile from BBC News.
- Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, United Nations Human Rights Council Report, 8 June 2015
- HRCE – Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
- Documentary on Women's liberation in Eritrea
- Tigrinya online learning with numbers, alphabet and history (Eritrea and north Ethiopia (Tigray-Province)).
- Ferrovia Eritrea Eritrean Railway (in Italian)
- Atlas of Eritrea
- About Eritrea (in Italian)
- Key Development Forecasts for Eritrea from International Futures.
Magazines
- Special section about Eritrea from Espresso online magazine (in Italian)
- History of Eritrea: First recordings – Munzinger – exploitation by colonialism and fight against colonialism (Italy, England, Ethiopia, Soviet Union, USA, Israel) – independence Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
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15°N 39°E / 15°N 39°E / 15; 39
Categories:- Eritrea
- 1993 establishments in Eritrea
- 1993 establishments in Africa
- Countries in Africa
- East African countries
- Former Italian colonies
- Horn African countries
- Least developed countries
- Member states of the African Union
- Member states of the United Nations
- One-party states
- States and territories established in 1993
- Totalitarian states