Quick Facts
- Continental region – Eastern Africa
- Currency symbol of ERITREA –Eritrean Nakfa نافكا, ናቕፋ
- Capital City –Asmara
- Official languages –there is no official language. So, several languages are being used country-wide. Tringya and Arabic are working languages while English and Italian languages are also well understood. Other languages include Tigre, Afar, Saho, Bega, Bilen, Nara and Kunama.
- Population – 3559115 (2020)
- Country dialling code – (+291)
- Official website – ERITREA
- Top 3 biggest industries –Agriculture, Mining, Energy
- Google Maps link –ERITREA
- Where is it? –It 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 In Pictures
ERITREA History
- How did the country get its first name? –Eritrea was called Mdree-Bahree (which means Land of the Sea) by the local people.
- How did the country get its current name? – The term “Eritrea” derives from the Greek term Sinus Erythraeus, which can be translated in English as Red Sea. The name was given to the sea between the Arabian Peninsula and the Africa continent, by Greek tradesmen of the third century B.C.
- When and by whom the country was first discovered? The area has been occupied for thousands of years, and was part of the Kingdom of Aksum. Portuguese explorer Francisco Alvares was the first European to visit in 1520.
- Who were the first Inhabitants? –The first known inhabitants of Eritrea are the Kunama and Nara about 3500 B.C. The ‘Land of Punt’ is believed to be in this part of the world. Around 2000 BC the Beja people from southern Egypt entered Eritrea. The first inscriptions in Geez alphabet date from 800 B.C.
- When it was first recognized as a country? –The Republic of Eritrea was recognised 27 April 1993. Eritrea previously had been under Ethiopian sovereignty.
- Who was the first leader of the country? –Isaias Afewerki is the first and current president of independent Eritrea elected by the national assembly in 1993.
Five Significant Events
- 300-600 Kingdom of Aksum: What is now known as Eritrea forms part of the kingdom of Aksum. (https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/east-africa2/ethiopia/a/the-kingdom-of-aksum)
- 1890 Eritrea Colony of Italy: Italy proclaims colony of Eritrea. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Eritrea/Contesting-for-the-coastlands-and-beyond#ref37667)
- 1941 British Occupy Eritrea: British forces occupy Eritrea. (https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/eritrea/history-3.htm)
- 1962 Ethiopia annexes Eritrea: turning it into a province and giving impetus to the independence struggle. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/eritrea/overview.htm)
- 1993 Vote for Independence: Eritreans vote overwhelmingly for independence. (https://apnews.com/article/625cf43f79caabda548f2d1b4a1102fe)
Five Places to Visit in ERITREA
- Fiat Tagliero: The Fiat Tagliero Building in Asmara, capital city of Eritrea, is a Futurist style service station completed in 1938 and designed by the Italian engineer Giuseppe Pettazzi. (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/17/asmara-eritrea-fiat-tagliero-service-station-history-cities-50-buildings)
- DahlakKebir: DahlakKebir is the largest island of the Dahlak Archipelago. Situated in the Red Sea off of the coast of Eritrea, it was formerly called DahlakDeset. (https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/what-is-an-expensive-idyllic-resort-doing-in-eritrea/274424/)
- Khulafa al-Rashidun Mosque: The Great Mosque of Asmara is a mosque located in the centre of Asmara, the capital city of Eritrea. It is considered to be one of the three prominent edifices of the city. (https://www.beautifulmosque.com/Kulafah-Al-Rashidan-Great-Mosque-in-Asmara-Eritrea)
- Cathedral Our Lady of the Rosary: The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara is a Roman Catholic Church built in the early 1920s in Asmara, when the city was the capital of Italian Eritrea. (https://www.bbcatholic.org.au/hornsby/our-parish/special-church-features/our-lady-of-the-rosary-cathedral)
- EmbaSoira: EmbaSoira is the highest mountain in Eritrea. Rising 3,018 metres above sea level, it is part of the Eritrean Highlands, one side of the Great Rift Valley which cuts through Eritrea and joins the Red Sea. (https://mapcarta.com/13002128)
References:
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349395
- https://timelines.ws/countries/ERITREA.HTML
- https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/timeline-key-events-in-eritreas-history-1.615286
- https://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/tigrinya/eritrea_history.html#:~:text=The%20first%20known%20inhabitants%20of,alphabet%20date%20from%20800%20B.C.
- https://history.state.gov/countries/eritrea#:~:text=Eritrean%20Independence%2C%201993.-,The%20United%20States%20recognized%20the%20Republic%20of%20Eritrea%20on%20April,had%20been%20under%20Ethiopian%20sovereignty.
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaias-Afwerki
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13349076
- https://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/tigrinya/eritrea_history.html
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-biggest-industries-in-eritrea.html
- https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/eritrea-population/
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Eritrea/Contesting-for-the-coastlands-and-beyond#ref37667
- https://apnews.com/article/625cf43f79caabda548f2d1b4a1102fe
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/eritrea/overview.htm
- https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/eritrea/history-3.htm
- https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-africa/east-africa2/ethiopia/a/the-kingdom-of-aksum
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