Eritrea — Capital, Flag and Country Facts

Explore Eritrea: capital Asmara, population, flag, geography, languages, history and culture.

Eritrea is in Africa. Its capital is Asmara.

Climate

Hot, dry desert along the coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands; semi-arid in the west

Highland plateau descending on the east to a coastal desert plain; western lowlands; Dahlak Archipelago in the Red Sea

Asmara is known as "Little Rome" for its Italian colonial Art Deco architecture.

Eritrea's capital Asmara was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017 for its modernist architecture.

Eritrea has no official languages by law; Tigrinya, Arabic, and English are the working languages.

1890: Italy establishes the colony of Eritrea

1941: British forces defeat the Italians and administer Eritrea

1962: Ethiopia annexes Eritrea, sparking the 30-year war of independence

1991: Eritrean People's Liberation Front defeats Ethiopian forces

1993: Eritrea formally gains independence after a referendum

2018: Peace agreement signed with Ethiopia, ending decades of conflict