Eritrea
 

to 6 Feb 1885                  5 Jul 1882 - 5 May 1941                         5 May 1941 - 15 Sep 1952                      15 Sep 1952 - 24 May 1993               15 Sep 1952 - 23 Dec 1958               29 May 1993 - 5 Dec 1995                         Adopted 5 Dec 1995 Map of Eritrea Hear National Anthem "Ertära, Ertära, Ertära" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea) Text of National Anthem Adopted 19 May 1993 Constitution (23 May 1997) Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera) (Massawa 1890-1935) Currency: Nakfa (ERN)  National Holiday: 24 May (1993) Independence Day Population: 5,502,026 (2008) GDP: $3.94 billion (2008) Exports: $14 million (2008) Imports: $601 million (2008) Ethnic groups: Tigrinya (Tigray) 50%, Tigré 31.4%, Afar 5%, Saho 5%, Beja 2.5%, Bilen 2.1%, other 4% (2004)  Total Active Armed Forces: 201,750 (2006) Merchant marine: 5 ships (2008) Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 50%, Christian 48% (of which  Eritrean Orthodox 40%, Roman Catholic 5%, Protestant 2%),  traditional beliefs 2% (2004)  International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, AfDB, AL (observer), APM, AU, CEN-SAD, COMESA, CTBT, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISA (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, KP, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Eritrea Index Chronology 1557                       Massawa (Habesh) part of Ottoman Empire. Dec 1813 - 1826            Occupied by Egypt (both nominally part of Ottoman                               Empire). 1826                       Direct Ottoman rule restored (1826-1848 Na'ibs of                              Arkiko largely independent), Red Sea province. 1865 - Dec 1882            Egyptian rule (nominally part of Ottoman Empire),                              as Red Sea province (or Massawa). 15 Nov 1869                Port of Assab purchased by the Italian Società di                              Navigazione Rubattino company. 1879 - 1890                Asmara under Ethiopian rule.  5 Jul 1882                Port of Assab is taken over by the Italian                               government.  6 Feb 1885                Port of Massawa is taken over by Italy; expansion                              into the hinterland follows.  9 Dec 1888                Italian Assab Protectorate (Assab, Massawa and                              the Danakil hinterland).  1 Jan 1890                Italian colony (Eritrea).   1 Jun 1936                Part of Italian East Africa (province of Eritrea,                              formed by the merger of the colony and the                               Ethiopian region of Tigre)(see Ethiopia). Feb 1941                   British occupation. 19 May 1941                Italian administration ends. 19 Feb 1951                United Nations supervision, under British rule. 15 Sep 1952                Federated with Ethiopia under the sovereignty of                              the Ethiopian crown (Eritrean Autonomous State). 14 Nov 1962                Integral part of Ethiopia; autonomy revoked                               (Eritrea province). 29 May 1991                Provisional government established (de facto                               independence). 24 May 1993                Independence (State of Eritrea). Eritrean Orthodox Church

Walis (governors) of Massawa
bf.1687 -  ....            Musa, Na'ib of Arkiko
16.. - 1694                Mehmed Pasha
16.. - c.1694              Abaza Mustafa Pasha
16.. - c.1695              Misirli Mehmed Pasha
c.1695 - ....              Gümrükçü Siyavus Pasha
.... - ....                Süleyman Pasha?
.... - c.1793              ....
c.1793                     Ahmad, Na'ib of Arkiko
1805 - 1826                Idris Utman, Na'ib of Arkiko
Na'ibs of Arkiko
1826 - 1844                Yahya                              (d. 1844)
1832 - 1833                Turkci Bilmaz (in rebellion)
1844 - 1845                Hasan
1845 - 1846                Muhammad 
1846 - 1848                Isma'il Hakki Pasha
Walis of Massawa
1848 - 1861                ....
1861 - 1863                Muhammad Rasih Bey                 (b. c.1834 - d. 1883)
1863 - 1867                ....
1866 - 1867                Hasan Bey Rifat
1867 - 1871                Ali Mumtaz Pasha
1871                       Aladdin Pasha Siddiq               (d. 1882/83)
1871 - 1874                Johann Alber Werner                (b. 1832 - d. 1875)
                             Munzinger Pasha
1874 - 1875                Arakil Bey Nubar                   (d. 1875)
1875 - 1876                Mohammed Ratib Pasha
1876 - 1877                Osman Rifqi (Uthman Rifki)
1877 - 1882                Ala'el-Din Pasha Siddiq
1882 - Dec 1882            Hursid Bey Pertev
1883 - 1884                Muhammad Muhtar PAsha              (b. 1835 - d. 1897)
1884                       Mason Bey
1884 - 1885                Izzet Bey
1884 - 1885                Chermside (acting for Izzet Bey)
Ethiopian Governors in Asmara
1875 - 1879                Wolde Mikael
1879 - 1890                Ras Alula                          (b. 1847 - d. 1897)
Italian Civil Commissioners of Assab
Feb 1870 -  9 Jan 1881     Giuseppe Sapeto (commercial agent) (b. 1811 - d. 1895) 
 9 Jan 1881 - 1884         Giovanni Branchi                   (b. 1846 - d. 1936) 
Commandants of Assab
Dec 1879 - Jul 1880        Carlo De Amezaga
 5 Jul 1880 - 1884         Giovanni Galeazzo Frigerio         (b. 1841 - d. 1921)
1884 - 1890                Giulio Pestalozza                  (b. 1850 - d. 1930)
Commandants of Massawa
1885                       Alessandro Caimi
 5 Feb 1885 - 13 Nov 1885  Saletta Tancredi (1st time)        (b. 1843 - d. 1909)
13 Nov 1885 - 23 Apr 1887  Carlo Gené (superior commandant)   (b. 1836 - d. 1890)
23 Apr 1887 -  9 Nov 1887  Saletta Tancredi (2nd time)        (s.a.)
 9 Nov 1887 -  2 May 1888  Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano  (b. 1830 - d. 1906)
 3 May 1888 - 24 Dec 1889  Antonio Baldissera                 (b. 1838 - d. 1917)
24 Dec 1889 -  4 Jun 1890  Baldassare Orero                   (b. 1832 - d. 1914)
Governors
 4 Jun 1890 - 28 Feb 1892  Antonio Gandolfi                   (b. 1835 - d. 1902)
28 Feb 1892 -  3 Mar 1896  Oreste Baratieri                   (b. 1841 - d. 1901)
 4 Mar 1896 - 21 Mar 1897  Antonio Baldissera                 (s.a.)
21 Mar 1897 - 16 Dec 1897  Giuseppe Ettore Viganò (acting)    (b. 1842 - d. 1933)
16 Dec 1897 - 25 Mar 1907  Ferdinando Martini (commissioner)  (b. 1841 - d. 1928)
25 Mar 1907 - 16 Aug 1915  Giuseppe Salvago Raggi             (b. 1866 - d. 1946)
17 Aug 1915 - 15 Sep 1916  Giovanni Cerrina Feroni
                             (1st time)(acting)
16 Sep 1916 -  1 Jul 1919  Giacomo De Martino                 (b. 1849 - d. 1921)
 2 Jul 1919 - 19 Nov 1920  Camillo De Camillis
20 Nov 1920 - 13 Apr 1921  Ludovico Pollera Orsucci
14 Apr 1921 -  1 Jun 1923  Giovanni Cerrina Feroni 
                             (2nd time)
 1 Jun 1923 -  1 Jun 1928  Jacopo Gasparini                   (b. 1879 - d. 1941)
 1 Jun 1928 - 16 Jul 1930  Corrado Zoli                       (b. 1877 - d. 1951)
16 Jul 1930 - 15 Jan 1935  Riccardo Astuto dei Duchi di       (b. 1882 - d. 1952)
                             Lucchesi
15 Jan 1935 - 18 Jan 1935  Ottone Gabelli (acting)
18 Jan 1935 - 27 Nov 1935  Emilio Giuseppe Gaspar             (b. 1866 - d. 1944)
                             Giovanni De Bono 
28 Nov 1935 - 31 May 1936  Pietro Badoglio                    (b. 1871 - d. 1956)
 1 Jun 1936 -  1 Apr 1937  Alfredo Guzzoni                    (b. 1877 - d. 1965)
 1 Apr 1937 - 15 Dec 1937  Vincenzo De Feo                    (b. 1876 - d. 19..)
15 Dec 1937 -  2 Jun 1940  Giuseppe Daodice
 2 Jun 1940 - 19 May 1941  Luigi Frusci (acting)              (b. 1879 - d. 1949)
Military administrator
1941 - 1942                Brian Kennedy-Cooke                (b. 1894 - d. 1963)
Administrators
 5 Feb 1941 -  4 May 1942  Sir William Platt                  (b. 1885 - d. 1975)
 4 May 1942 -  9 Nov 1944  Stephen Hemsley Longrigg           (b. 1893 - d. 1979)
 9 Nov 1944 - 14 Aug 1945  C.D. McCarthy
14 Aug 1945 -  1 Nov 1946  John Meredith Benoy                (b. 1896 - d. 1977)
 1 Nov 1946 - 19 Feb 1951  Francis Greville Drew              (b. 1892 - d. 1962)
UN High Commissioner
19 Feb 1951 - 15 Sep 1952  Eduardo Anze Matienzo (Bolivia)    (b. 1902 - d. 1979)
Chief Administrator
19 Feb 1951 - 15 Sep 1952  Duncan Cameron Cumming             (b. 1903 - d. 1979)
Chief Executives
15 Sep 1952 - 29 Jul 1955  Ato Tedla Bairu                    (b. 1914 - d. 1981)
 8 Aug 1955 - Dec 1959     Asfaha Woldemikael                 (b. 1914 - d. ....)
Dec 1959 - 14 Nov 1962     Abiye Abebe                        (b. 1918 - d. 1974)
                             (from 20 May 1960, Chief Administrator)
Governors-general
14 Nov 1962 - 1964         Abiye Abebe                        (s.a.)
1964 - Dec 1970            Ras Asrata-Medhin Kassa            (b. 1922 - d. 1974)
Dec 1970 - Aug 1974        Debebe Haile Mariam                (d. 1974)
29 Aug 1974 - 29 May 1991  Amanuel Amde-Mikael
Secretary-general of the Provisional Government
29 May 1991 - 24 May 1993  Isaias Afewerki                    (b. 1946)         EPLF;1993 PFDJ
President
24 May 1993 -              Isaias Afewerki                    (s.a.)                PFDJ 
 

      EPLF flag  1970-1993

Party abbreviation: PFDJ = People's Front for Democracy and Justice (authoritarian, government party, former EPLF);
- Former parties: EPLF = Eritrean People's Liberation Front (Eritrean nationalist, nominally marxist, armed separatist 1970-93, from 1993 EPFJ)