Southwards, the coastal plain forms part of the Great East African Rift. The coast is hot but inland temperatures are much lower.
Rainfall is unreliable.
Following Italian and British colonial rule, Eritrea was incorporated into Ethiopia in 1952. Independence, approved by referendum, was gained in1993. A transitional government has set up the National Eritrean Council, chaired by the president Isaias Afwerki. Although Eritrea is still a one-party state, a constitution is being drafted for elections in 1997, and will allow other political parties to compete. The main objective has been to improve agriculture and reduce food aid.