Part of: AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaHorn of AfricaAfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEast Africa10/40 Window
Discover
The identity of the nation
Tucked into the Horn of Africa, Eritrea is a young nation, born of one of the continent’s longest wars of independence. It won its sovereignty in 1993, after decades of struggle against Ethiopia. Its capital, Asmara, sits on a plateau more than 2,000 meters above sea level and holds a rare collection of modernist architecture, a legacy of the Italian colonial period now recognized as a World Heritage Site.
The Eritrean people are divided among nine main ethnic groups, including the Tigrinya of the highlands and the Tigre, Afar, Saho, Bilen, Kunama, Nara, Hedareb and Rashaida of the lowlands and coast. This diversity is reflected in faith: the population is split almost evenly between Islam, predominant in the plains and along the Red Sea coast, and Christianity, concentrated in the highlands, where the ancient Tewahedo Orthodox Church has been rooted for centuries.
Daily life is marked by scarcity, by a state that controls nearly everything, and by military service that can stretch on for years with no fixed end, driving many young people to flee the country. Eritrea is one of the nations with the highest rates of emigration, and a vast diaspora is scattered across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
Spiritually, Eritrea is a field of extremes. Alongside the ancient, deep faith of Orthodox Christianity, recent decades have seen the growth of an evangelical and renewal church movement, precisely the group that suffers the most severe persecution. The government officially recognizes only four religious expressions, and anything outside them is treated as a threat.
Even under pressure, the church in Eritrea perseveres with quiet, steady faith. This is a nation in need of prayer: for those imprisoned for their faith, for families separated by emigration, for the peoples of the lowlands who still have little access to the gospel, and for an entire generation marked by the hope of freedom.
- Ancient kingdoms and the Kingdom of Aksum leave deep Christian roots in the highlands from the 4th century onward.
- 1890 Italy officially proclaims the colony of Eritrea, giving the territory its name and borders.
- 1941 British forces take Eritrea from the Italians during the Second World War.
- 1952 Eritrea is federated with Ethiopia by decision of the United Nations.
- 1962 Ethiopia dissolves the federation and annexes Eritrea, sparking a 30-year war of independence.
- 1991 Eritrean forces defeat the Ethiopian army and establish a provisional government.
- 1993 A UN-monitored referendum approves independence; Eritrea becomes a sovereign nation on May 24.
- 1998 A new border war with Ethiopia breaks out, lasting until 2000 and leaving tens of thousands dead.
- 2018 A historic peace agreement with Ethiopia ends two decades of hostility.
- Today A nation divided between Islam and Christianity, under a closed government and with a strong exodus of young people.
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Tigrinyamost widely spoken, dominant in the highlands and institutions
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Arabicofficial working language, common along the coast and among Muslim communities
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Tigrespoken by one of the largest lowland groups
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Englishused in education and administration
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Ethnic languagesAfar, Saho, Bilen, Kunama, Nara and others among the country's nine groups
Eritrea occupies the northeastern Horn of Africa, with about 2,000 kilometers of coastline along the Red Sea. Its territory divides into three distinct bands: the elevated central highlands, where Asmara sits, the western lowlands, and the narrow, hot and arid coastal plain.
Major cities
- AsmaraCapital and largest city, on the highland plateau, with protected modernist architecture
- MassawaMain port on the Red Sea, intense heat and humidity
- KerenSecond largest city, hub of the lowlands and traditional markets
- AssabSouthern port, near the border with Djibouti
- MendeferaHighland city south of Asmara
Climate and temperature
Injera
A flat, spongy fermented teff bread that forms the base of the meal and is used to scoop up stews.
Tsebhi (zigni)
A spicy meat stew seasoned with berbere, served over injera.
Berbere
A blend of spices and chili peppers that gives Eritrean cooking its color and heat.
Kitcha fitfit
Shredded flatbread mixed with clarified butter and berbere, common at breakfast.
Coffee ceremony
A ritual of roasting, grinding and serving coffee over three rounds, a central moment of hospitality.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Hospitality and coffee
Welcoming guests is central; the coffee ceremony, held over three rounds, seals friendship and respect.
Ethnic diversity
Nine groups live together in the country, each with its own language, dress and traditions.
Rooted faith
Both Orthodox Christianity and Islam shape the calendar, food and rhythm of life.
Resilience and pride
The long struggle for independence forged a strong sense of identity and perseverance.
Communal life
Meals shared from a common plate and close family ties sustain everyday life.
- Discussing politics openly The environment is closely watched; conversations about the government can put people at risk.
- Photographing officials, soldiers or bridges It is forbidden and can lead to serious trouble.
- Refusing shared food Turning down injera or offered coffee comes across as rejecting hospitality.
- Ignoring religious differences Christians and Muslims live side by side; respect the customs, fasts and holy days of both.
- Treating the people with pity The dignity and resilience of Eritreans call for respect, not pity.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
The state decides who may believe and how, stifling freedom of faith.
A climate of distrust breaks down trust between neighbors and even within families.
Open-ended national service consumes youth and delays dreams and families.
Mass flight empties the country of its new generation and separates homes.
Part of the ancient Christian faith risks becoming tradition without life or relationship with God.
In some communities, ancestral practices blend with professed faith.
Closure to the outside world, born of the trauma of war, makes openness to the new difficult.
Differences between the Christian highlands and the Muslim lowlands can breed distrust.
Years of scarcity and control fuel discouragement and the desire to leave.
Eritrea is among the countries where being a Christian costs the most. The regime officially recognizes only four expressions of faith: the Tewahedo Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church and Sunni Islam. Any religious activity outside these bounds is treated as a crime against the state.
Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians, along with Muslims considered outside the norm and even dissident Orthodox believers, suffer imprisonment without trial, under brutal conditions. The country is notorious for holding prisoners in metal shipping containers in the desert, scorching by day and freezing by night, where people have died.
Hundreds of Christians are estimated to remain imprisoned solely because of their faith, some for more than twenty years, with no formal charge or prospect of release. House churches are raided, and new believers are arrested in groups.
Even so, the church has not disappeared: it gathers in silence, prays in secret and grows under pressure. The perseverance of these brothers and sisters is one of the strongest reasons for intercession for this nation.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Eritrea is home to nine main ethnic groups, divided between the mostly Christian highlands and the mostly Muslim lowlands and coast. Several of these lowland peoples, such as the Tigre, Saho, Afar, Kunama, Nara, Bilen, Hedareb and Rashaida, still have little access to the gospel in their own language and culture, adding to a set of unreached or least-reached peoples in the country.
- 45% Unreached (1.6M)
- 4.4% Minimally reached (155K)
- 3.3% Superficially reached (116K)
- 47.3% Partially reached (1.7M)
- 0% Significantly reached (0)
- 66.7% Unreached (10)
- 13.3% Minimally reached (2)
- 6.7% Superficially reached (1)
- 13.3% Partially reached (2)
- 0% Significantly reached (0)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Yemeni Arab Frontier
Saho Irob
Eritrean Tigre Frontier
Dahalik Frontier
Afar
Palestinian Arab
Beja Beni Amer Frontier
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
- 28.6% With complete Bible (4)
- 64.3% Only portions of the Bible (9)
- 7.1% With no translation at all (1)
Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.
Saho
Bilen
Bedawiyet
Nara
Hijazi Arabic
Ta’izzi-Adeni Arabic
Sudanese Arabic
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
access to goods and services is limited by scarcity
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Get permits and clearances in advance: traveling outside Asmara generally requires authorization.
- Exercise total discretion on matters of faith and politics: the environment is monitored and can put people at risk.
- Bring cash: cards and international banking barely function in the country.
- Respect restrictions on photography: official buildings, military sites and infrastructure must not be photographed.
- Prepare for scarcity and limited internet: network access is among the lowest in the world.