Eritrea
State of Eritrea Eastern Africa AREA 45K mi²; 118K km² ARABLE 6% POP 6.4M (142/mi²; 54/km²) GOV’T Authoritarian CAPITAL Asmara (1.2M) GDP/CAPITA $700 UNEMPLOYMENT 6% IN POVERTY 66% % WEALTH HELD BY TOP 10% NA LIFE EXP 68 years MEDIAN AGE 22 yrs INFANT MORT 39/1K live births (29th) LITERACY 77% INTERNET USERS 20% LANGUAGES Tigrinya, Arabic, and English (all official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages RELIGIONS Eritrean Orthodox 49%, Sunni Muslim 49%, Roman Catholic & Evangelical Lutheran 2% HEALTH 4% of GDP EDUCATION NA MILITARY 10% of GDP GDP BY SECTOR Largely agrarian PCVs 1995–1998 CURRENT: 0, TTD: 85 |  Eritrea Churches, temples, and mosques worldwide are often places of artistic, cultural, and religious pride. So it is with Enda Mariam, or St. Mary’s Cathedral, in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. It is the seat of the patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo faith that dates back to the 4th century. Rebuilt in 1938 during the Italian occupation, Enda Mariam’s modernist brick and stone facade is a nod to the architecture of the ancient Aksumite Kingdom, and its magnificent seven-panel mural is a mosaic of tiny glass. |
Adult Books
An African People’s Quest for Freedom and Justice: A Political History of Eritrea, 1941–1962
By Alemseged Tesfai
Genre: Nonfiction/History
Publisher: Hurst, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 536 pages
ISBN-10: 1805265075
ISBN-13: 978-1805265078
Amazon Ratings: 4.9/5
Summary:
Eritrea’s journey towards freedom and justice is marked by a complex history of colonialism and intervention. The book explores themes of colonial legacy and struggle for independence, and of justice and self-determination that resonate across the African continent.
“This book is written with clarity, and the flow of ideas and the organization are superb.” —Solomon Gebreselassie, Borkena
Kids' Books
Filling My Pockets with Nafka in Eritrea
By Deborah Haile with Jonah Seyum, illustrated by Nejla Shojaie
Publisher: Tiny Global Footprints, 2022
Format: 52 pgs.
ISBN-10: 173785774X
ISBN-13: 978-1-73785-774-7
Age Range: 5–10 yrs.
Summary:
Jonah’s mom is taking him to a family wedding in Eritrea, his home country. Jonah can’t wait to visit his grandparents and see his beautiful country, but Grandma and Grandpa have other plans for the family that hinder Jonah’s own excitement. One of the “Jonah’s Global Footprint” book series.
“This sweet story takes you on an adventure to Eritrea, where readers will learn more about the people, history, food and celebrations of this African country.” —from a reader
Films
Film: Life is Fare
Director: Sephora Woldu
Genre: Musical
Release Date: 2018
Language: English, Tigrigna
Run Time: 57 minutes
Synopsis: An experimental musical about Eritrea and the immigrant experience that explores three wildly different diaspora perspectives living in the US. A cross-cultural analogy to challenge how patriotism and nationalism are practiced.
Reviews: “Uses different styles (drama, documentary, animation, fantasy) to construct a range of views on what it means to be Eritrean and living abroad.” —Rowan Sullivan, Film Root
Available: Moviefone.com
Music
Gebrelul Afewerki: New Eritrean Song ALENI ALNI
