This authoritative overview serves as a comprehensive resource on Eritrea's history, politics, economy, society, and culture.

There are few countries as misunderstood, or even as unknown, as Eritrea. The beleaguered nation encapsulates some of the region's most pressing issues: it has an undemocratic power structure, a low level of socioeconomic development, a highly militarized political system given increasingly to armed adventurism, and the tendency to disregard international opinion in the search for local solutions. Yet Eritrea is becoming increasingly important to the stability of sub-Saharan Africa. This volume brings together the insights of international analysts and scholars in an effort to understand the nature of Eritrea's foreign relations, both regionally and in the wider international arena.