Eritrea is a country that gained its independence as a result of the Thirty Years' war of national liberation. The State of Eritrea had been preceded by the creation of a new national identity and its own unique culture. It was a kind of a by-product of Italian colonialism. Italians created the industry which employed the people of Eritrea, they introduced education and health care, and enabled the social advancement of its people.
Owing to the changes during the Second World War, the British government, which took the territory of Eritrea, has introduced a democratic system which enabled the creation of political parties and the rise of the independence movement. The international situation during the Cold War led to not taking into account independence expectations of the former colonies citizens.
As a result of creating a fictional federation, Eritrea became subordinate to the Empire of Ethiopia, and then absorbed as its province. This led to the formation of guerrilla movements that liberated the country militarily defeating the powerful forces of Ethiopia. During one generation, Eritreans were able to create a new national identity and to win their independence, which is a unique phenomenon in the world.
The knowledge of historical and social conditionings is an important part of perception of modern Eritrea. It has an impact on the reception and understanding of its current situation, including in the context of tourist visits. In the last part of the article the authors analyze the tourist potential of Eritrea and try to pinpoint opportunities for tourism development in the area of one of the youngest countries in the world
