Eritrea became an Italian colony in the late 19th century after which it was incorporated into Ethiopia. It was not until 24th May 1993 that Eritrea was formally declared independent.
Interesting facts about Eritrea:
– The women of Eritrea have been known to fight alongside their men as far back as 1810 AD. Women picked up arms to help their counterparts fight off the Italians and later on the Ethiopians.
– The port city of Adulis is one of the ancient African cities that was established during the time of the kingdom of Aksum (100AD to 940AD), centered in the present-day Tigray Region, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Aksum was the leading player in the trade route between Ancient India and the Roman Empire.
– Eritrea has no official language.
– The name of the Eritrean capital city ‘’Asmara’’ means ‘’They Made Them Unite’’. Initially, there were 4 clans in the present-day Asmara area. These clans were always being attacked by other communities. Therefore the women of these clans decided to unite against their common enemies and preserve their peace.
– Eritrea’s government is described as a single party presidential republic where the President serves as both the head of government and head of state.
– Eritrea, after Egypt, has the second highest archaeological historical discoveries in Africa. The number of archaeological sites in the country, which was 45,000 previously, has now increased to 80,000.
– A million years old skull with traits associated with both the Homo Sapien and Homo erectus was found in the Afar region in Eritrea.
– It is the world’s first country to allocate an entire coastline as a reserve. The Dahlak group of islands is world-renowned for their pearl production and are largely uninhabited.
– There are 14,000 known fish species living in Eritrea’s waters, and 17% of those fishes are found nowhere else. Having a long Red Sea coastline with warm waters, Eritrea is an attraction zone for rare species of fish.
– Eritrean is known for their traditional coffee ceremony, where coffee is brewed by roasting the beans over hot coals in an instrument known as a brazier.
Happy independence day Eritrea
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