History of Eritrea

Eritrea is an ancient name, associated in the past with its Greek form Erythraia, , and its derived Latin form Erythra. This name relates to that of the Red Sea, then called the Erythran Sea, from the Greek for "red", , erythros. But earlier Eritrea was called Mdre Bahri. The Italians created the colony of Eritrea in the 19th century around Asmara and named it with its current name. After World War II, Eritrea was annexed to Ethiopia. Following the communist Ethiopian government's defeat in 1991 by the coalition created by armed groups notably the EPLF, Eritrea declared its independence. Eritrea officially celebrated its 1st anniversary of independence on 24 May 1993.