Eritrea: Overview

Red Sea pleasures and a warm local welcome.

Eritrea is a heartbreaker. It was once heralded as a good place for travelling and, with a bit of luck, it could soon be so again. But as long as the country is at odds with its neighbour Ethiopia (again!), its sworn enemy, tourism development won't be a priority.

Travel Warning: Landmines - Military Aggression - Border Issues - Permits

Landmines are a major problem, particularly in border regions with Ethiopia and the areas west, south and southeast of Barentu. Avoid travel along the Agordat-Hawashayt road and north of Afabet.

The US has condemned Eritrea's military for allegedly carrying out attacks on the Djibouti border. Nine people were killed and 60 injured in clashes in July.

The border with Ethiopia is permanently closed, and passage between the countries is not possible, while the border with Sudan is closed intermittently and has been subject to bomb attacks.

Government permits are required by anyone wishing to travel outside Asmara. This can cause delays to travel plans and assistance.

severity: High-level alert

Fast Facts

Country Full Name

Eritrea

Population

4,400,000

Currency

Name: Nakfa
Code: ERN
Symbol: nfa

Electrical Plugs

European plug with two circular metal pins
230V 50Hz

Languages Spoken

Official: Tigrinya, Arabic

Time Zones

GMT/UTC +3 

Country Dialing Code

+291

Weights & Measures

Metric

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Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.

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