How the Eritrean administrative regions evolved

How the Eritrean administrative regions evolved

Italian administrative divisions went through a number of iterations, beginning with four divisions: Massawa (then the capital), Asmara (Central Highlands), Keren (north west), and Assab (Denkel). In 1903, Ferdinando Martini (Author of Nell’Affrica Italiane’ 1890) and First civilian Italian Administrator, established seven Commissariati or  provincial divisions, Akle Guzai, Assab, Barca, Hamasien, Keren, Massawa and Seraye, with Gash-Setit added in 1909 and three Residenze or autonomous districts (Mereb, Sahel, Shimezana). Those units were reduced to six Commissariati in 1931: Akle Guzai (Adi Keih), Bassopiano Occidentale (western lowlands, Agordat), Bassopiano orientale (Eastern lowlands, Massawa), Hamasein (Asmara and surroundings), Keren and Seraye (Mendefera).

 In 1936, Eritrea was enlarged to include Tigray, which was divided into six additional Commissariati, including that of Denkalia, administered from Assab. In 1941, the British Military Administration returned Eritrea to its previous borders and returned Assab into the Eastern Lowlands Division. In 1947 Keren and Agordat divisons were merged into the western Province as part of the British plan to partition Eritrea between Sudan and Ethiopia.

Under the Federation (1952 – 1962), those divisions were maintained and staffed by autonomous Eritrean Administrators, appointed and controlled by the Chief Executive. After 1962, when Eritrea was annexed to Ethiopia as the 14^th Province, those divisions became Awrajas and the administration was placed under Ethiopia and was under the control of an Ethiopian Governor General, until a military administration was imposed in 1970.

In 1965, The Eastern lowlands or the Red Sea Awraja, was divided into Semhar and Dankalia. About the same time, the Sahel District of the Keren Division (Senhit) was detached as a separate Awraja.  When the Derg took power in 1974, it continued the military administration. The Western or Barca Awraja, had its autonoums district Gash-Setit detached as a separate Awraja. Asmara was also made into Awraja.

After independence, the Eritrean Government maintained those divisions as provinces. On May 1995, the provinces were re-arranged and six administrative regions, called Zobas were established and those were divided into 55 sub-regions.

Source: Mainly “The Historical Dictionary of Eritrea”