Eritrea is a country
in northern East Africa bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the
south, and Djibouti in the southeast. The east and northeast of the country
have an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi
Arabia and Yemen. The Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands
are part of Eritrea. Eritrea was consolidated into a colony by the
Italian government on January 1, 1890. The modern state of Eritrea gained
its independence from Ethiopia following a thirty-year war which lasted
from 1961 to 1991. Eritrea's constitution adopted in 1997 stipulates that
the state is a presidential republic with a unicameral parliamentary democracy.
The constitution, however, was never ratified.
Eritrea is a multilingual
and multicultural country with two dominant religions (Sunni Islam and
Oriental Orthodox Christianity) and nine ethnic groups. The country has
no official language, but it has three working languages: Tigrinya, Arabic,
and English.
Hotel
Inter-Continental Asmara A fascinating design draws
all eyes to this unusual, innovative hotel. The interior decor is thoughtfully
undemanding with an emphasis on peace and tranquillity. A host of leisure
facilities are available while a curious but pleasing array of entertainment
venues and restaurants is designed to suit visitors from all continents.
