Eritrea

[er-i-tree-uh, e-ree-tre-ah]

noun

1. a republic in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: Italian colony 1890–1941; province of Ethiopia 1962–93; independent since 1993. 47,076 sq. mi. (121,927 sq. km). Asmara.

Eritrea

/ ˌɛrɪˈtreɪə /

noun

1. a small country in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: became an Italian colony in 1890; federated with Ethiopia (1952–93); an independence movement was engaged in war with the Ethiopian government from 1961 until independence was gained in 1993; consists of hot and arid coastal lowlands, rising to the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands. Languages: Tigrinya, Arabic, English, Afar, and others. Religions: Muslim and Christian. Currency: nakfa. Capital: Asmara. Pop: 6 233 682 (2013 est). Area: 117 400 sq km (45 300 sq miles)

Eritrea

1. Country in northeastern Africa bordered by Sudan to the north and west, Ethiopia to the south, Djibouti to the southeast, and the Red Sea to the east. Its capital is Asmara. After a long struggle, Eritrea declared its independence from Ethiopia in 1993. A border conflict with Ethiopia flared between 1998 and 2000.

Other Word Forms

• Eritrean adjective

Example Sentences

Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of preparing to wage war against it in collusion with an opposition grouping, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between the two neighbours over control of the Red Sea.

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Tseggai’s parents emigrated from Eritrea, and she says that many Eritreans have come to see the play.

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Men from Iran, Somalia, Afghanistan and Eritrea are among those staying in Westhill - which has a population of 12,000 - as they wait for asylum claims to be processed by the Home Office.

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Eritrea dismissed his comments as "reckless sabre-rattling", amid fears that relations between the two nations - who fought a border war that killed tens of thousand of people in the late 1990s - were once again deteriorating.

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People could be detained on disused RAF bases and returned to countries like Afghanistan and Eritrea if agreements were reached.

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