Map of Eritrea
Location and geography
Eritrean history
Border conflict with Ethiopia
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Eritrean anthem
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Asmara (Asmera)
Agordat (Akordat)
Assab (Asseb)
Barentu
Dahlak islands
Dekemhare (Decemhare)
Ghinda (Ginda)
Keren (Cheren)
Massawa (Massauwa)
Mendefera (Adi Ugri)
Nakfa (Nacfa)
Semenawi Bahri (Filfil)
Tessenei (Teseney)

 

Location & Geography of Eritrea

 

Eritrea is located in North East Africa (between 12° and 18° north, and 36° and 44° east) and includes the Dahlak Archipelago and other islands along the Red Sea coast. It is bordered by Sudan to the north and west, Ethiopia to the south, Djibouti to the south-east and the Red Sea to the north and north-east.

With a land area of about 125.000 km2, Eritrea is about the size of England, or the state of Pennsylvania in the USA. The coastline measures around 1.200 km and off it there are over 350 islands, of which 210 comprise the area of the Dahlak Archipelago.

 

 

Sea floor spreading occurs in the Red Sea, creating new land, and in the Afar triangle, only one of the two places on earth were it occurs on dry land (the other being Iceland). Many of the mountains in Eritrea are remnants of when Africa was joined to the Arabian peninsula, millions of years ago.

Eritrea was known at times as Mareb Mellash ("This side of the Mareb River") or Bahrmeder ("Sealand"). The name "Eritrea" is of foreign origin and has been attributed to a derivative of the ancient Greek cartographic designation, Mare Erythrean ("Red Sea"), fragment 67 of Aeschylus:

There the sacred waters of the Erythrean Sea break upon a bright red strand, and at no great distance from the ocean lies a copper-tinted lake - the lake that is the jewel of Ethiopia - where the all-pervading sun returns again and again to plunge his immortal form, and finds solace for his weary round in gentle ripples that are but warm caress.

It was not until the arrival of the Italians in the 19th century however that the country was officially called Eritrea.

Eritrea looks like a funnel; wide in the northwest and tapering to a narrow strip in the south-east. Topographically, the country consists of three regions:

• The first region is a narrow eastern lowland desert strip along the Red Sea coast that accounts for around 33% of the land area coast. The land in this area is mostly infertile due to the high salt content and a year round average temperature of 25 Celsius.
  
• The second region is the northern extension of the Ethiopian Plateau in the north-central region which is dissected by the valleys of westward flowing rivers, which runs Eritrea's border with Ethiopia. This area is the most fertile area of the country, receiving up to 900 mm of rain per year; the area has been the site of the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia for 40 years. Elevation of up to 3000 meters above sea level makes the climate more moderate in this area than in the coastal region.
  
• The third geographical region is the western plains, which occupy the vast area extending to Eritrea's western border  with Sudan. This is the most arid area in the country, receiving only 200 mm of rain per year.

The major rivers in Eritrea are the Anseba and Barka river flowing north; the Gash and Tekeze rivers on the border with Ethiopia flowing west into Sudan. The upper course of the Gash river is known as the Mereb river. These rivers are not year round rivers. They do not run on a regular basis, but fed by seasonal rains called azmera and kremti.

The highest point is the mountain called Emba Soira (9,880 feet or 3,010 meter). The lowest point is the Kobar Sink in the Danakil Depression (380 feet or 116 meter below sea level).

Eritrea is three hours ahead of GMT. There is a two hour time difference between continental Europe and Eritrea, except when Europe is on Summer time. Then the difference is only one hour (ahead). There is an eight hour time difference (ahead) between USA Eastern Standard Time and Eritrea, which is reduced to seven during Daylight Savings Time.

 

Land boundaries	1,630 km
Djibouti	113 km
Ethiopia	912 km
Sudan	605 km
Coastline	1,200 km
Land + island coastline	2,234 km

 

Eritrea - regions and provinces

 

immediately after the EPLF took over Eritrea, ten provinces were established - based on the eight regions existing under the Italian administrative model, but with Gash Setit separated from Barka and Asmara split from Hamasien.  

 

Former administrative regions (until 1995)
Province	Capital	Est. pop. (city)
Akule Guzai	Adi Qayeh (Adekeieh)	23,000
Asmara (Asmera)	Asmara (Asmera)	500,600
Barka	Agordat (Akordat)	25,000
Denkalia	Assab (Asseb)	21,300
Gash Setit	Barentu	16,200
Hamasien	Asmara (Asmera)	500,600
Sahel	Nacfa (Nakfa)	25.000
Semhar	Massawa (Mitsiwa)	23,100
Senhit	Keren (Cheren)	74,800
Seraye	Mendefera (Adi Ugri)	17,500

On April 15th 1996, Eritrea's ten colonial-era provinces were consolidated into six new regions (zobas) and regional administrative levels were cut from four to three.

Current administrative regions (since 15-04-1996)
Province	Capital	Surface km2	Est. pop. (city)
Gash-Barka	Agordat (Akordat)	33,200	25,000
Debubawi Kayih Bahri	Assab (Asseb)	27,600	21,300
Maakel	Asmara (Asmera)	1,300	500,600
Semenani Kayih Bahri	Massawa (Mitsiwa)	27,800	23,100
Anseba	Keren (Cheren)	23,200	74,800
Debub	Adi Ugri (Mendefera)	8,000	25,800
Total Eritrea	Asmara (Asmera)	121,100	500,600
2002 Population data: Ministry of local Government Eritrea

The provinces Semenawi Keyih Bahri and Debubawi Keyih Bahri
are also known as the Northern Red Sea Zone and Southern Red
Sea Zone, where the Maakel region is also known as Central Zone.

 

Eritrea - major towns