Discover Fascinating Eritrea Facts

Dive into the history, culture, and unique insights about Eritrea.

Eritrea

Background

Eritrea has an interesting history! ๐ŸŽ‰ It all started when it gained independence from Italy and went under brief UK oversight. The United Nations helped establish Eritrea as an autonomous region in the Ethiopian federation in 1952. However, things took a turn when Ethiopia annexed Eritrea, leading to a 30-year struggle for independence. ๐Ÿšฉ Finally, in 1991, Eritrea achieved independence, and in 1993, Eritreans voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to confirm their rightful place as an independent nation! ๐Ÿ—ณ๏ธ

Year of independence achieved

1991

Year of referendum for independence

1993

Duration of conflict for independence

30 years

Exports - commodities

Eritrea's economy thrives on its exports, showcasing a mix of valuable commodities! ๐ŸŒ In 2022, the country exported a variety of goods, including:

  • Zinc Ore ๐Ÿ”ง
  • Gold ๐Ÿ’ฐ
  • Copper Ore โš’๏ธ
  • Wheat ๐ŸŒพ
  • Garments ๐Ÿ‘—

These exports are crucial for Eritreaโ€™s growth and development, contributing significantly to its economy!

Main export commodities of Eritrea

Zinc Ore, Gold, Copper Ore, Wheat, Garments

Exports - partners

๐ŸŒ Eritrea's Export Partners in 2022 ๐ŸŒ
Eritrea has some interesting export partners! Hereโ€™s a look at where Eritrea sends its goods:

  • China leads the pack with a whopping 52%! ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ
  • Next up is the UAE, contributing 33%! ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช
  • South Korea is also in the mix with 9%! ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท
  • Both Japan and Madagascar make up the remaining 2% each! ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฌ

Together, these partners help shape Eritrea's economy! ๐Ÿ’ผ๐Ÿ’ฐ

Percentage of Exports to China

52%

Percentage of Exports to UAE

33%

Percentage of Exports to South Korea

9%

Percentage of Exports to Japan

2%

Percentage of Exports to Madagascar

2%

Eritrea's Export Partners - 2022

Capital

๐Ÿ’ก The capital city of Eritrea is Asmara! This beautiful city is known for its stunning architecture and rich history. Asmara sits at an elevation of nearly 2,400 meters (7,874 feet), making it one of the highest capital cities in the world! ๐Ÿž๏ธ

Imports - commodities

Eritrea imports various important commodities that help support its economy and meet its people's needs. In 2022, the country brought in a range of goods, including:

  • Ships ๐Ÿšข
  • Sorghum ๐ŸŒพ
  • Wheat ๐ŸŒพ
  • Construction Vehicles ๐Ÿšง
  • Other Foods ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ

These imports are vital for trade and food security, ensuring that the people of Eritrea have access to necessary resources.

Year of Data

2022

Types of Commodities Imported

5

Climate

Eritrea has a very interesting climate! ๐ŸŒž The country features a hot and dry desert strip along the beautiful Red Sea coast. The temperatures can soar high, making it quite warm. โ„๏ธ But wait, it gets cooler and wetter in the stunning central highlands, where rainfalls can reach up to 61 cm per year! The rainfall is heaviest from June to September. ๐ŸŒง๏ธ In the western hills and lowlands, the climate is semiarid, which means it's drier but still has some rain. This variety makes Eritrea's weather unique and vibrant! ๐ŸŒ

Annual Rainfall in Central Highlands

61 cm

Executive branch

In Eritrea, the keys to the executive branch are held tightly by President ISAIAS Afwerki. He has been the chief of state since 24 May 1993 and also serves as the head of government since 8 June 1993. This means that for many years, he has played a crucial role in leading the country! ๐ŸŒโœจ

Eritrea Flag
Not only does President Afwerki hold both titles, but he also represents the stability and consistency in governance over the long years of his leadership.

Years in office as chief of state

30 years

Years in office as head of government

30 years

Legislative branch

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ท Eritrea's Legislative Branch ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ท

As of 2024, Eritrea does not have a sitting legislative body! ๐Ÿšซ This means there's currently no formal group of lawmakers making and passing laws in the country. This is an important aspect to understand as it affects governance and political representation in Eritrea. ๐Ÿ›๏ธ

What does this mean for the people of Eritrea? ๐Ÿค” It means that decisions regarding laws and regulations are running in a different way without a traditional legislative process.

Stay tuned for more insights on Eritrean governance! ๐ŸŒ

Year with no legislative body

2024

Natural resources

Eritrea is rich in natural resources! ๐ŸŒ Hereโ€™s what you can find in this wonderful country:

  • Gold ๐Ÿ’ฐ
  • Potash โœจ
  • Zinc โš™๏ธ
  • Copper ๐Ÿ”Œ
  • Salt ๐Ÿง‚
  • Possibly Oil and Natural Gas โ›ฝ
  • Fish ๐ŸŸ

These resources contribute to the economy and help in creating jobs for the people. Isnโ€™t that exciting? ๐ŸŽ‰

Economic overview

Eritrea has a largely agrarian economy ๐ŸŒพ, which means agriculture plays a big role in its economy. But thatโ€™s not all! There's a significant mining sector ๐Ÿ’Ž which adds to the country's wealth. Thanks to tight controls, the country enjoys a substantial fiscal surplus ๐Ÿ’ฐ. This is great news! However, Eritrea also faces high and vulnerable debts โš ๏ธ, which could be a challenge in the future.

Recently, trade with Ethiopia ๐Ÿ“ˆ has increased, and they are sharing port usage. This has resulted in decreasing prices ๐Ÿ›ณ๏ธ for goods, making it easier for the people to buy what they need. However, Eritrea also has some issues with financial and economic data integrity ๐Ÿ”, which means that sometimes the economic data might not be completely reliable.

Economic focus

Agricultural and mining sectors

Fiscal condition

Substantial fiscal surplus

Debt status

High and vulnerable debts

Trade impact

Increased Ethiopian trade

Data reliability

Challenges with financial and economic data integrity

Government type

Eritrea is officially classified as a presidential republic! ๐Ÿ›๏ธ This means that the country has a president who serves as both the head of state and government, making important decisions and leading the country. It is a system that gives significant power to the president in steering the nationโ€™s policies and direction.

Ethnic groups

Eritrea is a country of rich cultures and languages! ๐ŸŒ The population is made up of various ethnic groups, each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of Eritrean society. Here's a fun breakdown of the major ethnic groups:

  • Tigrinya: 50% โœจ
  • Tigre: 30% ๐ŸŒŸ
  • Saho: 4% ๐ŸŒฟ
  • Afar: 4% ๐ŸŒŠ
  • Kunama: 4% ๐ŸŒผ
  • Bilen: 3% ๐ŸŒธ
  • Hedareb/Beja: 2% ๐Ÿœ๏ธ
  • Nara: 2% ๐Ÿ”ฝ
  • Rashaida: 1% ๐ŸŒบ

As you can see, the Tigrinya and Tigre groups are the largest, making up 80% of the population together! Each group has its own unique history and traditions, making Eritrea a truly diverse country. ๐ŸŽ‰

Total percentage of Tigrinya and Tigre

80%

Smallest ethnic group (Rashaida)

1%

Ethnic Groups in Eritrea

Religions

In Eritrea, a vibrant tapestry of faiths comes together! ๐ŸŒŸ The main religions practiced here include:

  • Eritrean Orthodox
  • Roman Catholic
  • Evangelical Lutheran
  • Sunni Muslim

These communities contribute to the rich cultural heritage of the nation, each with its unique traditions and celebrations! ๐ŸŽ‰

Languages

Eritrea is a vibrant country with a rich tapestry of languages! ๐ŸŽ‰ The official languages here are:

  • Tigrinya
  • Arabic
  • English

In addition to these, there are other languages spoken in Eritrea, including Tigre, Kunama, Afar, and several other Cushitic languages. ๐ŸŒ This diversity showcases the multicultural essence of Eritrea and the different communities that call it home.

Official Languages

3

Other Languages

4

Imports - partners

๐ŸŒ Eritrea's Import Partners! In 2022, Eritrea sourced its imports from various countries, each contributing a significant percentage to the total imports. Here's a breakdown of the key partners:

  • China: 34% ๐Ÿ“ฆ
  • United Arab Emirates (UAE): 26% ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช
  • Turkey: 12% ๐Ÿฆƒ
  • United States: 7% ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
  • India: 4% ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ

This colorful chart highlights the main contributors to Eritrea's imports, showcasing a vibrant mix of global trade partners! ๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿ’ผ

Total Import Percentage from Top Five Partners

83%

Percentage from China

34%

Percentage from UAE

26%

Percentage from Turkey

12%

Percentage from US

7%

Percentage from India

4%

Eritrea's Import Partners in 2022

Population

๐Ÿ‘ฅ Eritrea has a total population of 6,343,956 people! That's quite a vibrant community of individuals making up this beautiful country. ๐ŸŒ

Total Population

6,343,956

Area

๐ŸŒ Let's dive into the land and water of Eritrea! Did you know that the total area of Eritrea is 117,600 sq km? This is made up of 101,000 sq km of land and 16,600 sq km of water. That's a lot of space for beautiful landscapes and amazing marine life! ๐ŸŒŠ๐Ÿž๏ธ

Total Area

117600 sq km

Land Area

101000 sq km

Water Area

16600 sq km

Eritrea's Area Distribution

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

๐ŸŒ Let's take a look at the Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) of Eritrea over the past few years! This number helps us understand how much the country's economy is producing, adjusted for prices. Here are the estimates for the past few years:

  • 2015: $8.791 billion ๐Ÿ“…
  • 2016: $8.953 billion ๐Ÿ“…
  • 2017: $9.702 billion ๐Ÿ“…

As we can see, Eritrea's economy has been growing! ๐Ÿ“ˆ The GDP has increased steadily each year, showing that more goods and services are being made in the country.

Let's visualize this growth!

Real GDP in 2015

8.791 billion USD

Real GDP in 2016

8.953 billion USD

Real GDP in 2017

9.702 billion USD

Eritrea's Real GDP Growth (PPP)

Real GDP per capita

๐Ÿ“ˆ Let's take a peek at Eritrea's Real GDP per capita over the past few years! This is like seeing how much money each person would have if all the money in the country were shared equally. ๐Ÿ’ฐ

  • 2015: $1,500
  • 2016: $1,500
  • 2017: $1,600

It's great to see that from 2016 to 2017, the GDP per capita went up by $100! ๐ŸŽ‰ That shows some positive growth in the economy. Keep it up, Eritrea!

GDP per capita in 2017

$1,600

GDP per capita in 2016

$1,500

GDP per capita in 2015

$1,500

Eritrea's Real GDP per Capita (2015-2017)

Imports

๐ŸŒ Let's explore the imports of Eritrea! In 2017, Eritrea imported goods worth $1.127 billion. The previous year, 2016, saw imports totaling $1.048 billion. ๐Ÿ“ˆ This shows an upward trend in imports, which might indicate growing trade activity! ๐Ÿ“Š

Import Value in 2016

$1.048 billion

Import Value in 2017

$1.127 billion

Eritrea Imports Over Time

Exports

Eritrea's exports have seen some fluctuations in recent years. ๐Ÿ’ฐ In 2016, the country exported goods worth $485.4 million, but this number rose to $624.3 million in 2017! ๐Ÿ“ˆ This increase shows a significant growth in their export market. ๐ŸŒ

Export Value in 2016

485.4 million USD

Export Value in 2017

624.3 million USD

Eritrea's Exports Over Time

Population growth rate

๐ŸŒ The population growth rate of Eritrea is projected to be 1.12% in 2024! This means that the number of people living in Eritrea is expected to increase, making for a vibrant and growing community. Keep an eye on those numbers, as a growing population can bring both exciting opportunities and challenges. ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Population growth rate for Eritrea in 2024

1.12%