Map - Gash-Barka Region (Gash-Barka Region)

Gash-Barka Region (Gash-Barka Region)
Gash-Barka (ጋሽ-ባርካ, Regione di Gasc-Barca) is an administrative region of Eritrea. It is situated in the south-west of the country, bordering the Anseba region to the north, and the Maekel (Central) and Debub (Southern) regions to the east; the country of Sudan lies to the west and Ethiopia to the south.

The capital of Gash-Barka is Barentu. Other towns include Agordat (the former capital), Molki, Sebderat and Teseney. As of 2005, the region had a population of 708,800 compared to a population of 625,100 in 2001. The net growth rate was 11.81 per cent. The total area of the province was 33,200 km2 and the density was 21.35 persons per km2., making up roughly one-third of Eritrea. The region is dubbed as the "breadbasket" of the country as it is rich in agriculture. The region is also rich in marble, and other important minerals, including gold. In Ougaro, there are some old mineshafts and machinery from the days when the Italians mined gold there.

It is situated in the south-west of the country, bordering the Anseba region to the north, and the Maekel (Central) and Debub (Southern) regions to the east; the country of Sudan lies to the west and Ethiopia to the south. The major crops in the region are bananas, tomatoes, cotton, onions, millet, sesame, green pepper and sweet melon. Within the entire country there existed extensive forestation as recently as 1900 AD; however, there is less than one percent forested area present in the country, and this deforestation trend has been mirrored in the region. Most of Eritrea was previously habitat for the endangered painted hunting dog, Lycaon pictus; however, this canid is now deemed extirpated from Gash-Barka and all of Eritrea due to the expanding human population in this country. The topography of the region has highland plateau, which are cooler than the regions around the coastal plains. There are two rainy seasons, the heavier one during summer and the lighter one during spring. The climate and geography of the region along with other regions of Eritrea is similar to the one of Ethiopia. The average elevation in the region is around 1800 m to 2100 m. The hottest month is May recording temperatures up to 30 °C, while the coldest month is December to February when it reaches freezing temperature. The region received around 508 mm of rainfall and the soil is conducive for agriculture.

 
Map - Gash-Barka Region (Gash-Barka Region)
Map
Country - Eritrea
Flag of Eritrea
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the south, Sudan in the west, and Djibouti in the southeast. The northeastern and eastern parts of Eritrea have an extensive coastline along the Red Sea. The nation has a total area of approximately 117600 km2, and includes the Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands.

Human remains found in Eritrea have been dated to 1 million years old and anthropological research indicates that the area may contain significant records related to the evolution of humans. Contemporary Eritrea is a multi-ethnic country with nine recognised ethnic groups. Nine different languages are spoken by the nine recognised ethnic groups, the most widely spoken language being Tigrinya, the others being Tigre, Saho, Kunama, Nara, Afar, Beja, Bilen and Arabic. Tigrinya, Arabic, and English serve as the three working languages. Most residents speak languages from the Afroasiatic family, either of the Ethiopian Semitic languages or Cushitic branches. Among these communities, the Tigrinyas make up about 55% of the population, with the Tigre people constituting around 30% of inhabitants. In addition, there are several Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic groups. Most people in the country adhere to Christianity or Islam, with a small minority adhering to traditional faiths.
Currency / Language  
ISO Currency Symbol Significant figures
ERN Eritrean nakfa Nfk 2
Neighbourhood - Country  
  •  Djibouti 
  •  Ethiopia 
  •  Sudan