Eritrea Has Had Only One President Since Independence

They include the Tigrinya, Tigre, Afar and Saho, and Eritrea has several languages in daily use.

The long coastline runs along the strategic route to the Suez Canal.

The islands sit off Eritrea's Red Sea coast, and many are uninhabited.

A referendum in April 1993 followed a war of independence that lasted about 30 years.