Eritrea - Tourism and Travel

The State of Eritrea is located in northeast Africa, on the coast of the Red Sea.

It has an area of 45,328 square miles (117,400 square kilometers).

There is a coastal plain that becomes wider toward the south.

In the north, there is a high plateau.

The climate is hot along the coast. It is cooler in the interior.

Rainfall is erratic.

The capital of Eritrea is Asmara.

5,073,000 people live in Eritrea.

55% are Tigrinya, 30% are Tigre, 4% are Saho, 2% are Kunama, 2% are Rashaida and 2% are Bilen.

Tigrinya, Arabic and English are official languages. Other languages spoken include Tigre, Kunama, Nara, Saho, Hadareb and Bilen.

45% of the people are Christian and 45% are Muslim.

The economy is based on agriculture.

Eritrea is one of the world's least developed countries.

It suffers from drought.

In addition, a three-decade war for independence from Ethiopia, which began in the early 1960s, has ravished the country.

Since it became independent in 1993, Eritrea has been governed by a transitional government.

The official currency of Eritrea is the nafka, which equals 100 cents.