Eritrea: Where in the World is it?

Have you ever heard of Eritrea?  I haven't either if you are one us poor Americans who didn't pay attention in Geography class.  It is in Africa, located in the horn of Africa to be exact. Asmara is the capital of this tiny country and the largest city in Eritrea with beautiful Italian-style architecture and fascinating historical sites for sightseeing. Asmara has breathtaking scenery and excellent opportunities for trekking. It is also the only place to visit in Eritrea that does not require a travel permit to travel in. Islam is the primary religion along with Eritrean Orthodox and Roman Catholicism.  There are about 650,000 people that inhabit this small country and only 59 % are literate. 


Street Scene in Asmara


The desert areas along the coast of the Red Sea is hot and dry. The highlands have a Mediterranean-style climate. The best time to visit Eritrea is from October to March when the weather in Eritrea is dry and pleasant. 


Wedding in Eritrea

Eritrea has been inhabited for at least 8,000 years by African tribes that had strong trading relations with the neighboring areas. Eritrea is a former Italian colony and the Eritrean culture, cuisine and architecture has been influenced by the Italian culture.


A house in Asmara

Colonized by Italy in 1890, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, after a 30-year struggle of independence from the Ethiopian rule. The traditional Eritrean way of life can be experienced in the tribal villages where people live by farming and herding.  Isn't this the best way to get to know a country by visiting the country folk? 

I am currently reading a book called, The Consequences of Love by Sulaiman Addonia who is from Eritrea and I will be giving a book review very soon.