Eritrea

Eritrea is a small country in the Horn of Africa, located just south of Ethiopia. It has a long and complex
history, having been colonized by various powers throughout its existence. Today, it is known for its
unique culture and cuisine, as well as its current president Isaias Afwerki.
Eritrea has been inhabited since ancient times; archaeological evidence suggests that humans have lived
in the region for more than 125,000 years. The area was home to several distinct cultures in the
centuries before European colonization. The most powerful was the Kingdom of Aksum, which
dominated much of what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea from roughly 1 AD until 940 AD. During this time
period, Christianity spread throughout the kingdom and many structures were built such as churches
and palaces.
In 1890, Italy annexed much of present-day Eritrea after signing a treaty with Great Britain. During this
time period, Italian settlers moved into the country and began to establish plantations and businesses.
The Italians also constructed many buildings including roads, bridges, churches and government offices.
However, they were met with resistance from local residents who did not want to give up their lands or
accept Italian rule. By 1941, Italian control had eroded due to both World War II and increased
resistance from locals who wanted independence.
In 1952, a United Nations plebiscite gave Eritreans an opportunity to vote on whether or not they
wanted independence from Ethiopia or union with it (as proposed by Emperor Haile Selassie). After an
overwhelming majority voted for independence (nearly 99%), a provisional government was established
in 1961 led by President Mohamed Ahmed Nassir. He served as president until 1977 when he stepped
down due to ill health. He was succeeded by his Vice President Isaias Afwerki who has served as
president ever since (with no term limits).
The flag of Eritrea features three horizontal stripes—green at the top (symbolizing fertility), blue in the
middle (representing sea) and red at the bottom (signifying blood shed during liberation struggles). At
the center is a yellow triangle with a wreath inside that contains thirty stars representing each district in
the country’s capital city Asmara. The flag was adopted on December 5th 1995 when Eritrea gained full
independence from Ethiopia following more than 30 years of civil war between them both countries.
Eritrea’s long history can be traced back thousands of years ago before European colonization took hold
in 1890 with Italy annexing much of present day Eritrea signing a treaty with Great Britain. Since then, it
has gone through tumultuous times such as civil wars, famine, political strife but still manages to remain
an independent state today. Its current leader Isaias Afwerki has been serving as president since 1977,
continuing his legacy started by Mohamed Ahmed Nassir. Alongside all this, it’s rich culture, traditions,
cuisine & flag have made it one of Africa’s most unique nations despite all it’s hardships. Despite all
these hard times that have come across over decades, there are signs that things are improving slowly
but surely & hopefully things will get better going forward for people living here. All in all, it’s
remarkable how far Eritrea has come since gaining full independence & through understanding &
appreciating their culture & history we can only hope that they continue their journey towards peace
prosperity & stability going forward.