Editing Geography of Eritrea (section)

== Data ==
[[File:Eritrea Topography.png|thumb|Topography of Eritrea]]
'''Location:'''
Eastern [[Africa]], bordering the [[Red Sea]], between [[Djibouti]] and [[Sudan]], also bordering [[Ethiopia]].

'''Geographic coordinates:''' {{coord|15|00|N|39|00|E|type:country}}

'''Continent:'''
Africa

;Area:
:*total: 117,600&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
:**''country rank in the world:'' 99th
:*land: 101,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
:*water: 16,600&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>

;Area — comparative:
:*slightly smaller than [[Malawi]]
:* Australia comparative: slightly more than half the size of [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]
:* Canada comparative: approximately twice the size of [[Nova Scotia]]
:* United Kingdom comparative: slightly less than half the size of the United Kingdom
:* United States comparative: approximately the size of [[Ohio]]
:* [[European Union|EU]] comparative: slightly more than twice the size of [[Croatia]]

;Land boundaries:
:*total: {{convert|1,840|km|0}}
;border countries:
:*[[Djibouti]] {{convert|125|km|0}}
:*[[Eritrea–Ethiopia border|Ethiopia]] {{convert|1,033|km|0}}
:*[[Eritrea–Sudan border|Sudan]] {{convert|682|km|0}}

Note that the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia is disputed.
[[File:Dahlak Islands.jpg|alt=The Dahlak Islands|thumb|The [[Dahlak Archipelago|Dahlak Islands]] near [[Massawa]], as seen from space.]]
;Coastline:
:*{{convert|2,234|km|mi nmi}} total
:**mainland on Red Sea {{convert|1,151|km|mi nmi}}
:**islands in Red Sea {{convert|1,083|km|mi nmi}}

;Maritime claims:
:*territorial sea: {{convert|12|nmi|km|0|disp=or}}

;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

;Ecoregions:
Most of Eritrea's coast is part of the [[Ethiopian xeric grasslands and shrublands]] semi-desert [[ecoregion]]. The southern part of the Red Sea coast, along with the Red Sea coast of Djibouti, has been described as the [[Eritrean coastal desert]], a harsh sand and gravel coastal strip covered in dune grasses and shrubs that is important as a channel for the mass migration of birds of prey.

;Elevation extremes:
:*lowest point:
:**near [[Lake Kulul]] within the [[Afar Depression]] {{convert|&minus;75|m|ft|0|disp=or}}
:*highest point:
:**[[Amba Soira]] {{convert|3,018|m|ft|0|disp=or}}

;Natural resources:
:*[[gold]], [[potash]], [[zinc]], [[copper]], [[salt]], possibly [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]], [[fish]]

;Land use:
:*arable land: 6.83%
:*permanent crops: 0.02%
:*other: 93.15% (2012 est.)

;Irrigated land:
:*{{convert|215.9|sqkm|sqmi|1}} (2003)

;Total renewable water resources:
:*{{convert|6.3|km3|cumi}}

;Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
:*total: {{convert|0.58|km3|cumi}}/yr (5%/0%/95%)
:*per capita: {{convert|121.3|m3|cuft}}/yr (2004)

;Natural hazards:
:*frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanic activity, and [[locust]] storms

;Environment — current issues:
:*[[deforestation]]; [[desertification]]; [[soil erosion]]; [[overgrazing]]; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare;

;Environment — international agreements:
:*party to:
:**[[Biodiversity]], Climate Change, [[Desertification]], Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection

;Geography — note:
:*strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon ''de jure'' independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993.