Eritrea is a
country in the
Horn of Africa. Eritrea is the
Italian form of the
Greek name Ἐρυθραίᾱ (Erythraíā), meaning "red [land]". With its capital at
Asmara, it is bordered by
Sudan in the west,
Ethiopia in the south, and
Djibouti in the southeast. The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the
Red Sea, directly across from
Saudi Arabia and
Yemen. The nation has a total area of approximately 117,600 km2 (45,406 sq mi), and includes the
Dahlak Archipelago and several of the
Hanish Islands.
Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country, with nine recognized ethnic groups. It has a population of around six million inhabitants. Most residents speak
Afro-Asiatic languages, either of the
Semitic or
Cushitic branches. Among these communities, the
Biher-Tigrinya make up about 55% of the population, with the
Tigre constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are a number of
Nilo-Saharan-speaking
Nilotic ethnic minorities. Most people in the territory adhere to
Christianity or
Islam.[1]