Northern Red Sea Region 3.26

The Northern Red Sea Region of Eritrea is one of the country's six regions. It lies along the northern three quarters of the Red Sea, and includes the Dahlak Archipelago and the coastal city of Massawa.As of 2005, the region had a population of 653,300 compared to a population of 576,200 in 2001. The net growth rate was 11.80 per cent. The total area of the province was 27800.00 sq. km and the density was 23.50 persons per sq. km.The People’s Front for Democracy and Justice , an authoritarian government, rules the country and the region. The regional and local elections are conducted on a periodic basis on a restricted framework. All men and women of any ethnic or religious background are eligible to vote. No parties or groups other than PFDJ are allowed to contest and the elections are presided by representatives from PDFJ.GeographyThe Northern Red Sea Region borders the Anseba, Maekel (Central) and Debub (Southern) regions to the west, and the Southern Red Sea Region to the east. It has an area of around 27,800 km². The lowest point in Eritrea, Lake Kulul, is in this region. The topography of the region has coastal plains, which are hotter than the regions around the highland plateau. There are two rainy seasons, the heavier one during summer and the lighter one during spring. The climate and geography of the region along with other regions of Eritrea is similar to the one of Ethiopia. The hottest month is May recording temperatures up to 30°C, while the coldest month is December to February when it reaches freezing temperature. The region received around 508mm of rainfall and the soil is salty and not conducive for agriculture.