Eritrea & Ethiopia Eritrea is a former colony of the country of Ethiopia. Liberated in 1991 and given independence in 19993, the State of Eritrea has become its own independent state. Located between Sudan and Ethiopia on the northeastern coast of Afica, Eritrea is populated by three million, three hundred seventeen thousand, six hundred eleven peoples of Islamic and Orthodox Christian religions. The official languages are Afar, Arabic, Blean, Hadareb, Kunarma, Saho, Tigre and Tigrina. The capital city is Asmara. Ethiopia, formally known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is located on the northeastern coast of Africa as well. Ethiopia has over seventy ethnic groups