Population: 4,786,994  The Geography of EritreaTotal Size: 121,320 square kmSize Comparison: slightly larger than Pennsylvania Geographical Coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E World Region: Africa General Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains Geographical Low Point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m Geographical High Point: Soira 3,018 m Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands The People of EritreaType of Government: transitional governmentLanguages Spoken: Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) National Holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993) Nationality: Eritrean(s) Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant Economy of EritreaMajor Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, salt, cement, commercial ship repairAgricultural Products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish Natural Resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish Major Exports: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000) Major Imports: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000) Currency: nakfa (ERN) National GDP: $4,471,000,000 Total Export Revenue: $33,580,000 Brief History of Eritrea:The land that is now Eritrea was ruled by various powers around the Red Sea area for most of history. In 1885, the Italians took control and made Eritrea a colony. They tried to use the land as a base to take over Ethiopia. They failed. After World War II, Italy lost the land to Great Britain and in 1952 the land was combined with Ethiopia into a single country. The Eritreans wanted their own country as they felt they would not be treated fairly by the Ethiopians. They were denied, however.The Eritreans rebelled and struggled for their freedom for thirty years. They finally achieved their independence in 1993. They still have hostilities with Ethiopia and a dispute over the border between the two countries.
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