Eritrea is an East African country. Located in the so-called Horn of Africa, it has an area of 121 320 km2. It is bathed, in the northeast and east, by the Red Sea for more than 1000 km, and is bordered by Sudan, in the northwest, Djibouti, in the southeast, and Ethiopia, in the south. The main cities are Asmara, the capital, with 407,500 residents (2004), Assab (57,600 residents), Keren (38,700 residents), Massawa (31,700 residents) and Mendefera (18,800 residents).
Climatic conditions vary due to large differences in altitude. In the coastal zone of the Red Sea, the climate is hot desert, while in the higher zones the precipitation is higher and the temperature more moderate.
Economy
Eritrea’s economy is based on pastoralism and subsistence agriculture. The crops used are potatoes, sorghum and vegetables. The existing industry is limited to food products, textiles and furs. In the 1970s and 1980s, the country was devastated by drought, famine and war. Eritrea’s main trading partners are Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Italy.
Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita, (metric tons, 1999) is 0.1.
Population
The population is 4,786,994 residents (2006), which corresponds to a population density of 37.6 residents/km2. The birth and death rates are respectively 34.33% and 9.6%. Average life expectancy is 59.03 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.446 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.434 (2001). It is estimated that, in 2025, the population will be 8 350 000 residents. Half the population is Muslim and the other half is Christian. The various ethnic groups are divided into three different linguistic groups: Tigrigna, Tigréen and Afar.
History
The region was controlled by Italy between 1890 and 1941. It was then administered by the British for eleven years, until the United Nations decided that it should federate with Ethiopia. It entered into civil war, from 1962, when Ethiopia took it under its control. In 1993 he separated from Ethiopia, subsequently living in a transitional regime in which the president governs with a legislative assembly, assisted by the State Council. For Eritrea democracy and rights, please check getzipcodes.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Eritrea, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Eritrea. Listed by popularity.
Eritrea – Graphic Maps
Take a look at a map of the African nation that borders the Red Sea. Includes a facts page with population statistics and an economic overview.
