Country Details
Eritrea
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
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Geography
Detailed information and insights
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area
Total
117,600 sq km
Land
101,000 sq km
Water
16,600 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries
Total
1,840 km
Border countries
Djibouti 125 km; Ethiopia 1,033 km; Sudan 682 km
Coastline
2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km; islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)
Maritime claims
Territorial sea
12 nm
Climate
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands
Terrain
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Elevation
Highest point
Soira 3,018 m
Lowest point
near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m
Mean elevation
853 m
Natural resources
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Land use
Agricultural land
62.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 5.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 56.9% (2023 est.)
Forest
12% (2023 est.)
Other
25.3% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
210 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
density is highest in the center of the country, in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms
volcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life in 2011
volcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life in 2011
Geography - note
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes