27/10/2025
Was Eritrea once part of Ethiopia?
Yes, Eritrea was once part of a federation with Ethiopia and was subsequently annexed before it gained its independence. After decades of Italian colonial rule, the United Nations decided in 1950 to federate Eritrea with Ethiopia. However, the arrangement did not last.
Here are the key events regarding the relationship between Eritrea and Ethiopia:
Italian Colonial Rule (1890–1941): Italy officially declared Eritrea a colony in 1890, after gradually acquiring territory along the Red Sea coast.
British Administration (1941–1952): Following Italy's defeat in World War II, the British administered Eritrea for about a decade.
Federation with Ethiopia (1952): The UN voted for Eritrea to be federated with Ethiopia, which was meant to grant Eritrea a degree of autonomy.
Ethiopian Annexation (1962): Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie unilaterally dissolved the federation and annexed Eritrea as a province.
War of Independence (1961–1991): Eritrea's armed struggle for independence began in 1961 and continued for 30 years against both the Ethiopian Empire and the later Marxist Derg regime.
Eritrean Independence (1993): After winning the war, Eritrea held a referendum in which voters chose overwhelmingly for independence. Eritrea was officially recognized as a sovereign nation later that year.
Was Eritrea ever an independent country before it was part of Ethiopia?
No, Eritrea was not an independent country before it became part of Ethiopia. The territory went through periods of colonial and administrative rule before it was federated with and later annexed by Ethiopia.
Timeline of Eritrea's status before its 1993 independence:
Italian colony (1890–1941): Italy formally established the colony of Eritrea in 1890 and ruled it until Italian forces were defeated by the Allies in 1941.
British administration (1941–1952): Following the Italian defeat, Eritrea was placed under British military administration.
Federation with Ethiopia (1952–1962): A 1950 United Nations resolution linked Eritrea with Ethiopia in a federation, granting Eritrea some autonomy. This resolution ignored popular Eritrean calls for full independence.
Annexation by Ethiopia (1962): Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie unilaterally dissolved the Eritrean parliament and annexed Eritrea, making it a province of Ethiopia.
Independence (1993): After decades of fighting in a war for independence, Eritrea gained its official international recognition in 1993, following a referendum.
“With the blessing of Almighty God, Our just efforts and struggles came to fruition, just 10 years ago, in Eritrea’s federation with the rest of Ethiopia – although this particular form of association was not that for which We had struggled, and it had been requested by no one.”
Kedamawi Haile Selassie
(Haile Selassie I)
💚💛❤️
The federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia was formally established on September 11, 1952, when Emperor Haile Selassie ratified the Federal Act, which is the final stage of implementation of the UN resolution federating the two countries. The ratification ceremony took place in the Throne Room of the Imperial Palace in Addis Ababa.
This picture shows Emperor Haile Selassie (centre) with Ato Tedla Bairu, Chief Executive of Eritrea. At left, the Empress of Ethiopia.
