The High Cost of a Disputed Border

A Visual Guide to the
Eritrea–Ethiopia Border Conflict

The High Cost of a Disputed Border

The High Cost of a Disputed Border

A Visual Guide to the
Eritrea–Ethiopia Border Conflict

This interactive map is part of an ongoing series examining the Eritrean refugee crisis. The plight of Eritrean refugees crossing desert and sea in search of freedom and security has been well-documented. However, the root causes that drive people to seek protection afar are not well understood. Here, we present a visual explanation of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border conflict.

Related Content

Eritrea and Ethiopia fought a border war from 1998 to 2000. Thousands died, and animosities persist to this day. When the war ended, the international community formed a boundary commission to delimit and demarcate the countries’ shared border. The commission was responsible for reconciling each side’s border claims.

Both sides agreed to abide by the 2002 ruling of the Eritrea–Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC), but Ethiopia stonewalled after the border had been defined. The border has never been demarcated, and it remains a source of tension.

Click or tap and then slide the images below to learn more about the border conflict between these East African neighbors.

Defining a Border


Eritrea and Ethiopia are located in the Horn of Africa and share a long and complicated history. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1991 after a 30-year war, and the U.N. recognized it as a country in 1993. Previously, Eritrea was colonized by Italy and federated with Ethiopia.

The EEBC Border


The border depicted here is the one the Eritrea–Ethiopia Boundary Commission delimited. Commissioners used the countries’ respective claims, along with colonial treaties from the early 1900s, to guide their decisions.

Land Eritrea Was Denied


Eritrea claimed and was denied about 880 square miles of land. This area represents about 2 percent of the country’s total geographic footprint.

Land Ethiopia Was Denied


Ethiopia claimed and was denied about 2,040 square miles of land. Ethiopia is about 10 times larger than Eritrea, so this area represents only about .5 percent of its geographic footprint.

Badme


About 72 percent of the shared border was disputed. One point of contention was a region in the west. Ethiopia claimed and was denied a large swath of land here. The town of Badme was a particularly important flashpoint. The commission ruled Badme to be part of Eritrea, but it is nonetheless now administered by Ethiopia.

Other Border Towns


Barren, uninhabited land composes much of the border region, although several small towns are in close proximity to the border that the commission defined. Special efforts were made to place inhabited areas on one or the other side of the border. For example, the border was delimited to award Tserona to Eritrea and Zalambessa to Ethiopia.

A High Cost


The Eritrea–Ethiopia border dispute involves a relatively small amount of land, much of which is barren. But the conflict has simmered for over a decade. The Eritrean government cites the border issue as a justification for indefinite national service. Both countries have been involved in border skirmishes, and the specter of renewed war persists.
Related Content

Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterShare on Google+Pin on PinterestEmail this to someone

GET IN TOUCH
Email | Twitter
 
Africa Talks welcomes feedback and suggestions for future content. Email or tweet us your questions. Let's keep the conversation going.