Eritrea's Pristine Red Sea Islands and Coastline

Eritrean kids holding the Eritrean flag underwater

Eritrea's coastline is 2,234 km, with 1,151 km of it coming from its mainland and 1,083 km coming from it's islands on the Red Sea(CIA). It's teritorial waters extend between 12° and 18°N  and ends at the constriction of Bab el Mandab ('The Gate of Tears') and the Gulf of Aden. Eritrea has 354 islands scattered around it's coastal waters (2007, by Denison, Paice. p.157).  A total of 210 of those islands are found off the coast of Semhar, while 137 islands are found near Dankalia and 7 are found off the coast of Sahel (2007, by Denison, Paice. p.158). Due to scarce drinking water on the islands, only 10 of the 354 islands are inhabited by people (EEJ, p.3)

Islands that are regarded as small, or typically less than 1km² number around 276, or 78% of the total and account for less than 1% of the area. Medium-sized islands, which are often between 1 and 10km² in area number 63, or 17.8% of the total. Islands that are regarded large, whose area is greater than 10km², only number around 15 (2007, by Denison, Paice. p.157).

The following chart is a list of Eritrea's 15 most largest islands in area.

Name of Islands	Size (km²)
Dahlak Kibir	643
Norah	103
Halba	78
Baka	48
Howakil	41
Erwa	34
Nahaleg	31
Harmil	22
Harat	20
Isratu	18
Adjuz	14
Unnamed	14
Aucan	13
Dohul	12
Dar Dase	11

Did you know?

There are 1,4000 known fish species living in Eritrea's waters, and 17% of those fishes are found nowhere else (EEJ, p.5). There are also 250 known coral species, in which 20% of those are found only in Eritrea's Red Sea waters (EEJ, p.5). Eritrea's territoral waters consists of 60,000km², which would make it about half the size of Eritrea's total land mass (2007, by Denison, Paice. p.155). With a combined size of 2234km² of coastline, Eritrea has the 6th longest coastline in Africa, after Madagascar (4838km), Somalia (3025km), South Africa (2798km), Mozambique (2470km), and Egypt (2450km) (CIA).

Following images is of Eritrea's islands, wildlife and information. Please click the images to view larger quality.

Map of Eritrea's territorial waters, which is half the size of Eritrea 

Map showing names and location of Eritrean Islands

Infant turtles on Dahlak Kibir Island

Dolphins off the coast of Eritrea

Eritrean Fishermen

Eritrean scuba diver 

Birds off the coast of Eritrea - photo by Dawit Semere -2007

Eritrean island near Dahlak Kibir

Alasla Island, Eritrea -Photo by amani akrem

Sunrise off the Dahlak Islands

Sources to most photos is courtesy of: Eritrean Embassy to Japan (EEJ)


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