Historical Dictionary of Eritrea, 3rd Edition
In 1991, Eritrea won a 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia after more than a century of colonization by the Ottomans, Egypt, Italy, and Britain that ended with federation to Ethiopia under a U.S.-backed UN decision in 1953. Each occupier left a mark while fostering a deep distrust of outsiders.
Less than a decade after securing sovereignty, the new nation went back to war with Ethiopia over a border dispute and then slipped into a chronic state of “no-peace, no-war” for nearly 20 years. A 2018 change in government in Ethiopia led to a peace pact that raised hopes for reform in Eritrea and stability in the region, only to lead instead to a reshuffling of alignments and yet another war.
The Dictionary covers the individuals, organizations, events and trends that shaped Eritrea from its prehistory to its truncated efforts at nation-building and its slide into repressive, one-party rule through more than 600 alphabetized and cross-referenced entries. Includes a detailed chronology, maps, appendices and an extensive bibliography.