Eritrea
15 00 N, 39 00 E
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m
total: 1,626 km
border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
frequent droughts; locust swarms
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
arable land: 4.78%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 95.19% (2005)
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Summer months (April to August) can be hot with temperatures reaching up to 40°C (100 ºF) on the western plateau. Although temperatures rarely drop below 18°C (64 ºF) along the coast, winters in the central and western plateau regions (December to February) can be freezing with dramatic temperature differences between day and night. The short rainy season is usually between March to April and a longer one from late June to the beginning of September.
Required clothing
Lightweight and mediumweight clothing is recommended but warm clothes may be needed because the temperature drops at night. An umbrella and a raincoat are recommended during the rainy season.
time difference: UTC+3
