Eritrea

Date of Independence: May 24, 1993 Capital: Asmara Languages: Afar, Tigrinya, Tigre, Arabic, English Ethnic Groups: Tigrinya, Tigre, Kunama, Afar, Saho Major Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant Currency: Nakfa Population: 4.4 million (2005) Main Exports: Livestock, hides, sorghum, textiles, salt, light manufactures

Eritrea formally declared its independence from Ethiopia in 1993, after a protracted war, but the two countries have a long intertwined history. Eritrea, along with parts of Ethiopia, was a part of the Axumite Empire from about the 4 th century A.D. In the 16 th century, the area was annexed by the Ottoman Empire, which retained control over the area for 300 years.

In 1890, during the Scramble for Africa the territory was claimed by Italy as a colony and formally named Eritrea, a name derived from the Greek word for the Red Sea, which it borders. Eritrea remained a colony until Italy was defeated in World War II, when it became a British protectorate. After the war the United Nations united Eritrea with Ethiopia as a federation, a compromise between those who sought unity with Ethiopia and those who wanted complete independence. Eritrea would have its own parliament and administration, but would be subject to Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie.

However, once in control, Haile Selassie moved immediately to dissolve the federation and by 1962, Eritrea had lost its autonomy and become a province of Ethiopia. This move on Selassie’s part immediately led to the development of an independence movement. The Eritrean Liberation Front, formed in 1958, declared an armed struggle against the Ethiopian government but was largely disorganized and unsuccessful. It was not until the late 1970s that a more disciplined and better armed resistance group emerged, the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front. The war with Ethiopia lasted until 1993. With both Soviet and Cuban support, the EPLF steadily gained the upper hand until by 1991 it had captured the capital Asmara. The EPLF was soon recognized internationally as a provisional government. In April 1993, in a national referendum, Eritreans voted almost unanimously for independence. The country was admitted to the UN almost immediately after independence, on May 28, 1993.

The leader of the EPLF, Isaias Afewerki, became Eritrea's first (and only) President. Afewerki established a one-party state with EPLF as the sole legal ruling party, later renamed to the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). Although elections were promised in 1997, they never happened. Afewerki retains a firm grip on power.

Eritrea must also contend with the fact that it is unable to produce enough food to feed its populace, nearly two-thirds of which receive some sort of food assistance. It also faces the enormous task of rebuilding its infrastructure after 20-year war and prolonged periods of drought and famine.

Although Ethiopia formally recognized Eritrea’s independence, relations between the two countries have been far from amicable. In 1998, a border dispute with Eritrea erupted into war, which led to the deaths of thousands of people in both Eritrea and Ethiopia. Tens of thousands more fled into surrounding countries seeking refuge. Many of them still remain refugees, even though a cease-fire was declared in 2000. The source of the dispute was the demarcation of the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Although the border was formally demarcated in 2004, differences over territory have kept tensions simmering.

Sources:

The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, available at : http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/er.html

Country Profile: Eritrea, BBC News, available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm

Eritrea, MSN Encarta, available at: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761576168/Eritrea.html