International in Seattle: Communities & Representations

Eritrean in Seattle

COUNTRY:

Eritrea

Nationality

Eritrean

# of Sister Cities in WA

None

Consulate in Seattle

Honorary Consul in Seattle

Companies from this nation operating in Seattle region

To be confirmed

Nearest Consulate General

Washington DC

Chamber of Commerce in PNW

Historical, Cultural & Community Groups, including places of worship.

Yes

Local Immigrant Population*

5000

*Immigrant Population is an estimated sum of the number of naturalized Americans from this country and citizens from this country living in the Seattle Metro Area under any sort of immigration visa. It does not count the American offspring or descendants of immigrants from this country, which can go back many generations and account for large numbers of people. 1,000 is the default number when we don’t have a better count.

Languages

Tigrigna, Arabic and English are the de facto official languages. Eritrean government policy is that all languages are equal. About half the Eritrean population speaks Tigrignia, which is the most common of any local language.

Find Eritrean culture in WA state

It might surprise some people to learn that most Eritreans speak two or three languages with a high rate of literacy. The country was part of Ethiopia until independence in 1991. Conflict on the Horn of Africa drove many Eritreans out of the country. Imagine that journey and the culture shock when they arrived.

The Seattle region has been fortunate to become the ultimate landing spot for many Eritreans who left the palm trees and sand of the Red Sea for the evergreens and snow capped mountains of Washington State. Descendants from this part of the world date their histories back in millennia. Their traditions of music, dance, fashion, and food are alive and well here for anyone who wants to learn about and experience them.

Local Contact for this Nation:

Director at the ECSV at:

https://www.ericommunity.org/