Eritrea

ERITREA the nation in East Africa

Introduction

Location North East Africa

Area (sq.km) About 125,000 km2

Coastline (km) About 2,234 km

Population Around 6 million

Capital Asmara

Major Language Tigrigna, Tigre, Arabic, English

Major Religion Christianity & Islam

Society 9 Ethnic groups

The Nine Ethnic Groups

Tigrigna � This is the largest ethnic group in Eritrea and it occupies southern,

central and northern highlands of the country. Tigrinya speaks Tigrinya language and they are mostly farmers.

TIGRIYNA LADY

COFFEE CEREMONY

TIGRIYNA DANCE

Tigre � The Tigre are traditionally nomadic shepherds who occupy only part of

the north Eastern Eritrea. Majority of them are Muslims.

TIGRE LADY

TIGRE FAMILY

TIGRE DANCE

Afar � The Afar people are found in the East African countries of Somalia, Djibouti,

Ethiopia and Eritrea. Just like the Tigre, most Afar people are nomads, with milk and meat being the major components in their diet.

AFAR LADY

AFAR DANCE

AFAR MAN

Nara The Nara depend on agriculture and farming for their existence. They live in the north of Gash River, which is in the South Western part of Eritrea. They are Muslim.

NARA LADY NARA MAN

NARA DANCE

Saho They occupy the territory on the south-eastern slopes of the highlands as far as the coastal plains south of Massawa. They are small scale farmers who emphasize in bee-keeping. They are Muslims and Christians.

SAHO LADY

SAHO DANCE

SAHO BOYS

Rashaida � The Rashaida, who originated from Saudi Arabia, have a living style

similar to the Arabians and most of them are Muslims. The dressing code for women from a young age involves veils that cover their faces so that men can not see them unless the men are their own husbands.

� They are predominantly nomadic people who live along the Northern Red Sea coast. They are Muslim.

RASHIDA LADY RASHIDA FAMILY

Kunama � The Kunama mainly reside in Gash Barka region in the border villages.

Their language has the same name as the tribe just like the other communities except the Rashaida who speak Arabic.

KUNAMA MEN

KUNAMA DANCE

KUNAMA LADY

Bilen � The Bilen practice both Islam and Christianity. They have close ties with

the neighbouring Tigrinya with whom they intermingle freely.

BILEN LADY BILEN DANCE

BILEN FAMILY

Hidareb Semi nomadic pastoralists specializing in raising camels and cattle. They are found in the western lowlands.

HEDAREB LADY

HEDAREB BOY

HEDAREB DANCE

Climate and Weather

� Eritrea can be classified into three major climatic regions:

- The highlands(cooler and wetter)

- The coastal area of the Red Sea(hot and

dry desert strip)and,

- The western lowlands(semi-arid).

� Asmara, in central Eritrea, has a pleasant climate year-round, with an average annual temperature of 60°F (16°C), with most rain falling between June and September.

Lifestyle

� Agriculture and pastoralism are the main livelihoods for 80 per cent of Eritreans.

� 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas. � Most Eritreans live in an extended family that includes

parents, uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents. � The elderly have a special place in Eritrean society,

where they are treated with great respect and often asked for advice.

� Family usually desire elders approval for any major decisions. Elders also settle household conflicts.

� In Eritrea, relatives and good friends visit each other often and without invitation.

Food � The injera is commonly eaten in the rural areas.

It is a pancake-like bread that is eaten together with a sause. The sause may be of a hot and spicy meat variety,or vegetable based.

� In the urban pasta is also served as the strong influence of Italian cuisine from colonization.

� In the lowlands a porridge made of sorghum is mainly served.

� All traditional foods are eaten using the right hand only and without the use of silverware. The left hand is considered impure.

¾ To begin each meal, the oldest man takes a piece of bread, blesses it, and offers some to each person. Food are eaten with the right hand from a large communal tray set on a low table. Each person eats only the portion directly in front of him or her.

Porridge

Injera

Gender Roles

� Rural Areas: Division of Labor by Gender, -Men/Boys: Agricultureal tasks(plowing and sowing) and animal herding. - Women/girls: Fetching water and firewood for the household

In urban areas they practice gender equality.

Marriage

� Customary rules of marriage vary among the ethnic groups. Generally, girls marry at an early age, sometimes as young as fourteen.

� A large share of the marriages in the rural areas are still arranged by the family groups of concern.

� In cities, He/she will have completed secondary school before getting married and he/ she can choose him/her self whom to marry.

Health Care

� Since independence in 1991, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has made significant progress in ensuring access to health care services.

� Currently, the MOH is operating 27 hospitals, 55 health centers, and 187 health stations.

� The medical doctor population ratio is 1:16,000 while the ratio between nurses and the population is about 1:3,500 and that of health assistants is 1:1,600.

� An approximate of 75% of Eritreans now has an access to healthcare provision with in 10km proximity.

(Source: Ministry of Health Eritrea 2014)

� Maternity and child care are high priorities of the Primary Health Care Programme (PHCP).

� Eritrea has consistently reduced child mortality by four per cent annually in the last decade.

� The infant mortality rate (IMR) has dropped to 42

deaths per 1,000 live births in 2010 (a reduction from 72/1000 live births in 1995), and under-five mortality (U5MR) is 65 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2010 (a reduction from136 /1000 live births in 1995). Source unicef report 2010

Safe drinking water

� As with many other countries inside the Horn of Africa, access to safe water in a major issue in Eritrea, particularly in rural communities. The country has only one river that flows all year, the Setit River, so most are reliant on boreholes.

� According to a 2011 national survey, 39 per cent of the population remain without safe drinking water access and,

� 72 per cent are without access to a basic sanitation facility.

HIV/AIDS

� Whilst AIDS infection rates in Eritrea are low compared with other African countries, (0.8% of the population, compared with 0.2% in the UK and 30% in Lesotho).

� one of the lowest in Africa, and records less than 500 new infections annually (UNAIDS 2013).

Condom

Education

� Eritrea’s education system is rural areas is not yet extensive, and few children are able to attend school. Of those who do attend, less than one-quarter finish grade six. Few graduate from secondary school. Nevertheless, education is highly valued.

� For the first several years, students are taught in their native tongue but can study English and Arabic or Tigrinya. From the sixth grade on, instruction is in English.

� Adult literacy and education classes are available for adults who wish to finish elementary and secondary school.

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