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flag of EritreaEritrea - The Country with War Scarves

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The former Italian colony in Eastern Africa separated from Ethiopia after a long struggle for freedom in 1993. After that, the war with Yemen and later Ethiopia followed. In June 2000 fragile peace was achieved through the UN and Eritrea started to build its infrastructure and economy after 30 years of almost entire fighting. However there are still much people employed as soldiers, who do not contribute to the economy as a workforce. Two thirds of Eritrea inhabitants receive the UN food aid. The country lies on the coast of Red Sea, Asmara is the capital.

The people

Inhabitants of Eritrea divide into nine different ethnic groups, none of them being considered as the main majority.

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Full name:

Eritrea

Capital city:

Asmara

Area:

121,320 sq km

Population:

4,906,585

Major languages:

Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya

Major religions:

Christian, Islam

Why to visit
Fast Facts

Top Places - Eritrea

Nr. Place Points Rating Vote
1
 Debre-Bizen Monastery 5 5  
2
 Adi Alauti Cave 0 0  
3
 Asmara 0 0  
4
 Dahlak Kebir Island 0 0  
5
 Dankalia Desert 0 0  
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Map of Eritrea


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Nr. Place Points Rating  1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
1
Adi Alauti Cave (click for more information)
One of more caves in Eritrea that is filled with the wall paintings. There are over 100 painted figures of animals, which come from the prehistoric ages.
Adi Alauti Cave		 0 0
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2
Asmara (click for more information)
The capital of Eritrea is situated at the piedmont of the Eritrean Highlands. It is said to be the safest capital in the whole Africa. The streets are clear and architecturally striking. It is a good stop on a way from the coast to the mountains. In colonial times Italians decided to make Asmara their jewel of East Africa.
Asmara		 0 0
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3
Dahlak Kebir Island (click for more information)
The largest island of the Dahlak Archipelago situated in the Red Sea. There are archeological sights from the time of Romans including the necropolis and several cisterns, and also younger Arabic monuments. Part of the island is covered by the mangrove swamps and it offers a rich wildlife with beautiful views.
Dahlak Kebir Island		 0 0
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4
Dankalia Desert (click for more information)
The volcanic desert stretches about 50 km along the coast of the Red Sea. It reminds of a lunar country, which does not come from this world. It is known as one of the hottest and most hostile places on Earth. The Danakil people that live in Dankalia are said to be the fiercest tribe that exists at all.
Dankalia Desert		 0 0
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5
Debre-Bizen Monastery (click for more information)
The 12th century monument located in Eritrean Highlands not far from the highest mountain in Eritrea, Amba Soira (3018 m). It is hard to climb there and women are not allowed for this trip.
Debre-Bizen Monastery		 5 5
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6
Keren (click for more information)
The third largest town in Eritrea is located to the north of Asmara on a small plateau surrounded by mountains. It tries to gain the importance of the capital; however it was the scene of fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea independence troops.
Keren		 0 0
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7
Massawa Island (click for more information)
The part of the city of Massawa is the site of port and the old town. It is a bewildering blend of Egyptian, Turkish and Italian architecture; the buildings are made of coral rock with wooden screened windows mashrabewa. Massawa used to be the capital of Eritrea once.
Massawa Island		 0 0
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8
Nacfa Town (click for more information)
The town located in northern Eritrea was a base for the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front. During the war with Ethiopia every building except the mosque was destroyed by the bombing, there are also trenches surrounding the town.
Nacfa Town		 0 0
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9
Oohaito Archeological Site (click for more information)
Ruins of the towns from the times of Aksumite Kingdom already cover the area of 2,5 x 15 km, and it is still only 20% excavated. There are ruins of many temples, as the Mariam Wakiro, which is thought to be the first Christian temple in the area.
Oohaito Archeological Site		 0 0
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10
Semenawi Bahri National Park (click for more information)
It is the only national park situated in Eritrea, but it is worth seeing. It possesses rich and varied flora and the wildlife, mainly many species of birds. It is not well known for the foreign tourists, so one can enjoy the trip without any interruptions.
Semenawi Bahri National Park		 0 0
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Why to visit Eritrea


The former Italian colony in Eastern Africa separated from Ethiopia after a long struggle for freedom in 1993. After that, the war with Yemen and later Ethiopia followed. In June 2000 fragile peace was achieved through the UN and Eritrea started to build its infrastructure and economy after 30 years of almost entire fighting. However there are still much people employed as soldiers, who do not contribute to the economy as a workforce. Two thirds of Eritrea inhabitants receive the UN food aid. The country lies on the coast of Red Sea, Asmara is the capital.

The people

Inhabitants of Eritrea divide into nine different ethnic groups, none of them being considered as the main majority. As well as the ethnic groups, there are more native languages. The dominant religions are Christianity and Islam, but there are many local branches. There are five grades of education in Eritrea and the aim of the country is to provide basic education in all native languages and to maintain a self – sufficient and educated population.

The landscape

Most of the country lies in the area of sahel, but the central part is formed by the Eritrean Highlands, which differ in its climatic conditions. It is colder, moister and therefore suitable for agriculture. However the war destroyed great portion of the arable land and caused Eritrea to be insufficient in its food supplies. Northern part of the county is hot and dry, suitable just for nomadic style of life. There are two important seaports Massawa and Assab at the coast of the Red Sea.

The culture

Eritrea used to be Italian colony once and due to the ports it was a trading place; the culture is therefore influenced by many other cultures, mainly Italian. It is seen in Asmara, which possesses many small cafés in Italian style. The traditional clothes vary according to the ethnic group, but they are usually white or in bright colors with oriental designs. Although Eritrea is a maritime country, the people are not used to eat the meals prepared from fish and other sea products. The traditional dishes are made of stew with injera - flatbreads and hilbets – the spiced legume paste. The stew is usually made from beef, chicken or vegetables.

Summary

Although Eritrea has a great potential in its agricultural opportunities, natural resources and the maritime position, it is still one of the poorest countries in the world. But the people are open - hearted and very polite. They try their best in speaking Italian with foreigners and they will probably offer you a coffee with their special coffee ritual, which includes about seven cups of coffee for a foreigner. This will make you energized for hours.

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