Massawa

Massawa, port city, Eritrea, in the Bay of Massawa on the Red Sea. It is connected to Asmara, the national capital, on the hinterland plateau (40 miles [64 km] west-southwest) by road, railroad, air, and aerial tramway. The town rests on the islands of Tawlad (Taulud) and Massawa (the site of the modern harbour) and on the Gerar and Abdel Kader peninsulas, which are linked to each other by causeways. Massawa is one of the world’s hottest places, with an annual average temperature of 86° F (30° C). It was an Ethiopian port in the 16th century and came under Ottoman control in 1557. It changed hands intermittently for the next 300 years and became an Italian possession in 1885, functioning as the capital of Eritrea colony until 1900. Conquered by British forces in 1941, Massawa remained under British administration until the federation of Eritrea with Ethiopia in 1952. The city was badly damaged in 1990, during the war for Eritrean independence.

The port exports agricultural products (chiefly oilseeds, nuts, hides, and coffee), salt, fish, and pearls and imports industrial goods. Local industries include a saltworks, fish- and meat-processing enterprises, a cement plant, and an ice factory. Massawa is a significant tourist centre whose architecture shows both Italian and Arab influence. Most of the inhabitants are Muslim. Pop. (2002 est.) 23,100.