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'''Eritrea''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɛr|ɪ|ˈ|t|r|eɪ|ə|,_|ˌ|ɛr|ɪ|ˈ|t|r|iː|ə}}<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eritrea |title=Merriam-Webster Online |publisher=Merriam-webster.com |date=25 April 2007 |access-date=2 May 2010}}</ref> {{IPA audio link|Ertra.ogg}}),<ref>[http://www.iso.org/iso/nl_vi-13_name_change_for_eritrea.pdf ISO 3166-1 Newsletter VI-13] International Organization for Standardization</ref> officially the '''State of Eritrea''', is a country in [[East Africa|Eastern Africa]], with its capital at [[Asmara]]. It is bordered by [[Ethiopia]] in the south, [[Sudan]] in the west, and [[Djibouti]] in the southeast. The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the [[Red Sea]]. The nation has a total area of approximately {{Convert|117600|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}, and includes the [[Dahlak Archipelago]] and several of the [[Hanish Islands]].
Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country with nine recognized ethnic groups in its population of around three and a half million (2021<ref name="Eritrea population (2020) live Countrymeters" /><ref name="statista.com" />) or six and a half million (2021<ref name="cia factbook" />). Eritrea has nine national languages, which are [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], [[Tigre language|Tigre]], [[Afar language|Afar]], [[Beja language|Beja]], [[Bilen language|Bilen]], [[Kunama language|Kunama]], [[Nara language|Nara]], [[Saho language|Saho]]. [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], [[Arabic]], and [[English language|English]] serve as the three working languages.<ref name="MOI Eritrea" /> Most residents speak languages from the [[Afroasiatic languages|Afroasiatic]] family, either of the [[Ethiopian Semitic languages]] or [[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]] branches. Among these communities, the [[Tigrigni|Tigrinyas]] make up about 55% of the population, with the [[Tigre people]] constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are several [[Nilo-Saharan languages|Nilo-Saharan]]-speaking [[Nilotic]] ethnic groups. Most people in the territory adhere to [[Christianity]] or [[Islam]], with a small minority adhering to [[Traditional African religions|traditional faiths]].<ref name="CIA">[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/eritrea/ Eritrea]. ''[[The World Factbook]]''. [[Central Intelligence Agency]].</ref>
The [[Kingdom of Aksum]], covering much of modern-day Eritrea and [[Tigray Region|northern Ethiopia]], was established during the first or second century AD.<ref name="Munro-Hay57">Munro-Hay, Stuart (1991) [http://www.dskmariam.org/artsandlitreature/litreature/pdf/aksum.pdf Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity]. Edinburgh: University Press, p. 57 {{ISBN|0-7486-0106-6}}.</ref><ref name="Paul B. Henze 2005">Henze, Paul B. (2005) ''Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia'', {{ISBN|1-85065-522-7}}.</ref> It adopted [[Eritrean Orthodox Church|Christianity]] around the middle of the fourth century.<ref>[http://workmall.com/wfb2001/ethiopia/ethiopia_history_ethiopia_and_the_early_islamic_period.html Aksumite Ethiopia]. Workmall.com (24 March 2007). Retrieved 3 March 2012.</ref> In medieval times much of Eritrea fell under the [[Medri Bahri]] kingdom, with a smaller region being part of [[Hamasien]]. The creation of modern-day Eritrea is a result of the incorporation of independent, distinct kingdoms (for example, [[Medri Bahri]] and the [[Sultanate of Aussa]]) eventually resulting in the formation of [[Italian Eritrea]]. After the defeat of the Italian colonial army in 1942, Eritrea was administered by the [[British Military Administration (Eritrea)|British Military Administration]] until 1952. Following the UN General Assembly decision in 1952, Eritrea would govern itself with a local Eritrean parliament, but for foreign affairs and defense, it would enter into a federal status with Ethiopia for ten years. However, in 1962, the government of Ethiopia annulled the Eritrean parliament and formally annexed Eritrea. The Eritrean secessionist movement organized the [[Eritrean Liberation Front]] in 1961 and fought the [[Eritrean War of Independence]] until Eritrea gained ''de facto'' independence in 1991. Eritrea gained ''de jure'' independence in 1993 after [[1993 Eritrean independence referendum|an independence referendum]].
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