Geography & environment — Eritrea
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Eritrea: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
15 00 N, 39 00 E
- Total Area
45,405 Square Miles 117,600 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
38,996 Square Miles 101,000 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
6,409 Square Miles 16,600 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
1,010 Miles 1,626 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
- Coastline
1,388 Miles 2,234 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
Dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
- Highest Point
3,018 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Soira 3,018 m
- Lowest Point
-75 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
- Natural Resources
Gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
- Irrigated Land
83 Square Miles 215 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
The climate in the central highlands, including Asmara, is near perfection, usually in the 70’s or 80’s during the day, cooling off to the 50’s at night. There is little humidity and it seldom rains except during the July/August rainy season when daily afternoon showers are the norm. Asmara receives about 21 inches of rain each year. April, May and June are the warmest months on the plateau, with the cooler season stretching from November to March. Temperatures in the lowlands can be scorchingly hot, typically ranging from 105°F to 120°F, sometimes more, in August. Along the coast, including in the port cities of Massawa and Assab, high humidity often accompanies the heat. Winter highs here are around 90, with evening temperatures in the 70s.
- Terrain
Dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
- Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
- Total Area
45,405 Square Miles 117,600 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
Deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
- Environment - International Agreements
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements