Interesting Facts about Eritrea

Did You Know?

17 curious facts about Eritrea.

• The name Eritrea comes from the Greek word erythrea, meaning red. The word is referred to in a famous shipping manual called Periplus of the Erythrean Sea. The name Erythrean or Red Sea refers to the way that the water's turquoise colour changes to scarlet when algae form at certain times.
• The camel is the national emblem of Eritrea. During Eritrea's war of independence from Ethiopia, the camel was the main mode of transportation for moving food supplies, arms, ammunition and people across the country.
• The Red Sea is a unique body of water. Because no rivers flow into it, the sea has a higher salt content than most oceans. Volcanic activity beneath the surface causes water temperatures to be generally high. Over 1,000 species and subspecies of marine life live in the sea, approximately 15% of which are unique to this area.
• In 1995, one of the oldest human fossils ever found was discovered in Eritrea, leading experts to speculate that Eritrea may well be the cradle of our species. The fossil is estimated to be over one million years old.