Eritrea facts
Capital: Asmara
Language: Arabic, Afar Tigrinya and other Cushitic languages.
People: Tigrinya, Tigre and Kunama, Afar and other indigenous groups.
Religion: Islam and Christianity.
Size (sq km): 121,144.
Population: 4,906,585.
Population density/sq km: 40.5
Dress modestly as a tourist, business people should wear suits. Smoking is unpopular with traditional and elderly Eritreans. Shoes must be taken off in churches and mosques.
Eritrean Orthodox crucifixes in pewter or silver, incense burners, woodcarvings, leather items, spears, drums, carpets, and wicker goods.
Staple foods include kitcha, a thin bread made from wheat, and injera, a spongy pancake. Local specialities are often spicy. Massawa is renown for excellent seafood, particularly lobster and prawns. Italian cuisine dominates in restaurants in larger cities.Tea and espresso are drunk without milk, but a lot of sugar, coffee comes with ginger or black pepper and sugar. Exotic fruit juices available.
International Airports in Eritrea
Asmara (ASM) 6 km from the city.
Internal travel in Eritrea
Internal flights between Asmara and Assab. Reasonable roads between main towns. Usually two buses a day between large towns and one a day between smaller towns. There are no timetables and they will leave when full. The railway between Asmara and Massawa accommodates chartered trips for tourists. Car hire available through the Eritrean Tour Service in Asmara.
Eritrea visas
(UK/US) Required.
Eritrea vaccinations
BCG, Diphtheria, Hep. A, Hep. B, Malaria, Meningitis ACWY, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid, Y. Fever2.
Eritrea driving requirements
International Driving Permit.
Eritrea reps in UK/US
UK: 96 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF, tel (020) 7713 0096, fax (020) 7713 0161. US: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20009, tel (202) 319 1991, fax (202) 319 1304, email embassyeritrea@embassyeritrea.org.
UK/US reps in Eritrea
UK: 66-68 Mariam Ghimbi Street, PO Box 5584, Asmara, tel (1) 120 145, fax (1) 120 104, email asmara.enquiries@fco.gov.uk. US: 179 Ala Street, PO Box 211, Asmara, tel (1) 120 004, fax (1) 127 584, email usembassyasmara@state.gov.
Eritrea currency
Nakfa (ERN) = 100 cents.
Eritrea finance
Credit cards accepted on a limited basis, traveller's cheques are generally accepted.
Eritrea business hours
0830-1300, 1430-2030 Monday-Saturday.
Eritrea safety information
Relatively safe with low levels of crime. Tensions remain following years of war with neighbouring Ethiopia. War has also left a low-level of infrastructure. Borders with Ethiopia and Sudan are closed. Landmines are prevalent on the Ethiopian border. A permit is needed to travel outside of the capital, Asmara. The latest advice should be sought before travelling.
Eritrea life expectancy
Life expectancy: M 57.88, F 61.28.
Useful websites for travel to Eritrea
www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/eritrea/ http://eritrea.usembassy.gov/ http://eritrea.embassyhomepage.com/
Local media in Eritrea
No privately owned news media. Eritrea Profile (weekly) is published in English, Hadas Eritrea (three times a week) is printed in English, Arabic and Tigrinya. One TV station, two radio stations, all state-controlled.
Eritrea tourist boards
n/a.
Temperatures see little seasonal change. The north is kept cool by coastal breezes while the south is always very hot. Rainfall is highest in the highlands June to August and this is also when the eastern lowlands are hottest. The best time to visit is October to March.
GMT +3
Nakfa (ERN) = 100 cents.
Get foreign currency online
