Eritrea flag

Eritrea

History

The Aksumite kingdom traded through the Red Sea port of Adulis.
Italy proclaimed the colony of Eritrea.
The territory was federated with Ethiopia by UN resolution.
A thirty-year armed struggle for independence was fought.
Independence was confirmed by referendum on 24 May.
A border war with Ethiopia caused heavy casualties.
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CapitalAsmara
Population3.6M
Area118k km2
CurrencyEritrean nakfa

Short facts

RegionEast Africa / Horn of Africa
LanguageArabic, English
Time zoneEAT (UTC+3)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Asmara: A modernist city built in the 1930s, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Massawa: A Red Sea port of coral-stone Ottoman and Egyptian buildings.
  • Dahlak Archipelago: Reefs and near-empty islands off the Red Sea coast.

Find a city in Eritrea

Showing all cities

Asmara thumbnailAsmaraCity

Planning questions

What is Eritrea known for?Asmara, Massawa, Dahlak Archipelago.
What is the capital?Asmara.
Which language is useful?Arabic, English.
When is the national day?24 May.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Use Asmara as the first planning anchor for Eritrea, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Street food thumbnailStreet foodSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

AsmaraMassawaDahlak ArchipelagoStreet foodCoffee
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