The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. Eritrea, a port on the Red Sea. Agreements with Eritrea have given Ethiopia continued access to its port facilities. Major industries include meat processing and the production of cement and salt.
Fishing is also important to the economy.
In 1577 it was captured by the Ottoman Turks, who in 1868 transferred it to Egyptian control. In 1885, Massawa was taken by Italy, and from 1889 to 1900 it was the capital of the Italian colony of Eritrea. Until Etritrean independence it was the main base of the Ethiopian navy, which had a naval training school there. The secessionist Eritrean movement was involved in fighting against the Ethiopian government in the city. Massawa's port was especially important for receiving arms shipments and the city was heavily damaged during the 30-year war of independence.