Eritrea at a glance

Population: 3.6- 4 million
Area: 124,300 sq. km.
Form of Government: Constitutional Republic
Current President: Mr. Isaias Afrwerki
Capital & largest city: Asmara (391.000)
Main Sea Ports: Massawa, Assab
International Airports: Asmara, Massawa, Assab
Other Major Towns: Keren, Dekemhare, Mendefera
Main Working Language: Tigrigna, Arabic, English
Other Languages: Afar, Bilen, Hedareb, Kunama, Nara, Saho, Tigre
Major religions: Islam, Orthodox Christianity
Literacy Rate: 53%
Red Sea Coastline: 1,151 Kms
Highest Point: Ambasoira, 3,013m.
Lowest Point: Kobar Sink, -75m.
Coordinates: 15 00N, 39 00 E
Monetary Unit: 1 Nakfa = 100 cents
GDP (2000): USD 596 Million
Agriculture: Cereals, edible oils, lentils, vegetables, cut flowers, cotton, coffee, sisal, livestock, and fish.
Industries Food processing, beverages, leather products, clothing and textiles.
Mineral Resources Salt, gold & silver, potash, zinc, copper, lead, iron ore, granite, marble, limestone.
Main Trading Partners: Sudan, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, UAE, USA, Germany
Railways: 117 km.
Roads: 6,990 km. Total 874 km. Paved.
Telephone lines (2000): 30,554 (120 people for1 Telephone Line)
Radio Station: 2 AM, 1FM, 2 short-wave
TV Stations: 1
Internet Service Providers: 4
Internet Domain: .er
Time Zone: GMT +3
International Dialing Code: ++291
Flag: The flag’s colors are green, red and blue. A gold laurel wreath and olive branch running up its center in positional in the Red portion, which is the dominant color.
Emblem: The camel encircles by Olive Wreath.
Climate Eritrea comprises three main geographical and climatic zones:
1. The Eastern Slope and Coastal Plains
2. The central Highland
3. The Western Lowlands
There are two raining seasons. The short rain in March and April. The longer rains from late June through early September

History: From 1557 the Massawa coastal area was under the rule of Ottoman Turkey until Egyptian took possession in 1865. In 1885 the Italian consolidated their control as far as the banks of the Mereb River, the traditional boundary line between Eritrea and Ethiopia to the south. Eritrea remained as an Italian colony until the Allies Forces under the leadership of the British Army defeated the Italians in 1942. Eritrea remained under the British Military Administration till 1952. In 1952 the UN decreed that Eritrea to be federated with Ethiopia, but to remain as autonomous unit. In 1962 Ethiopia dissolved the Eritrean Parliament and the Federation declaring Eritrea is one of Ethiopia’s provinces. This caused the beginning of armed struggle for independence, which ended in 1991 after 30 years of bitter struggle. The referendum was done in April 1993 and by 99.8% the people voted “YES” for an independent Eritrea. Eritrea then became the 183rd sovereign country and a member of the UN.