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Keren, Eritrea

Coordinates: 15°46′40″N 38°27′29″E / 15.77778°N 38.45806°E / 15.77778; 38.45806
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"Cheren" redirects here. For the character in Pokémon Black and White, see List of Pokémon characters § Rivals.
Keren
ከረን
City
Gallery of Keren
Keren is located in Eritrea
Keren
Keren
Location in Eritrea
Coordinates: 15°46′40″N 38°27′29″E / 15.77778°N 38.45806°E / 15.77778; 38.45806
CountryEritrea
RegionAnseba
DistrictKeren
Elevation
1,590 m (5,220 ft)
Population
 (2016)
 • City
120,000[1]
 • Metro
146,483

Keren (Tigrinya and Tigre: ከረን, Italian: Cheren), historically known as Sanhit,[2] is the second-largest city in Eritrea. It is situated around 91 kilometres (57 mi) northwest of Asmara at an elevation of 1,590 metres (5,220 ft) above sea-level. The city sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all sides. It serves as the capital of the Anseba Region, and is home to a number of ethnic groups including the Bilen people and Tigre people.

History

Indian troops stand next to a Cheren (Keren) signpost, May 1941

Keren grew around the Eritrean Railway to Asmara. The railway was later dismantled because of the war, although there are plans to rebuild it. It is an important commercial centre and was the scene of regular battles in both World War II and the Eritrean War of Independence. Keren was the site of a key battle between Italian and British troops in February – March 1941.

Demographics

As of 2016, Keren has a population of around 120,000 inhabitants. Residents belong to various, mainly Afroasiatic-speaking ethnic groups, of which the Tigre people, Bilen people and Tigrinya people.

City scenery in Keren

Climate

Keren has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh), with two main seasons. There is a short monsoonal wet season from June to September and a length dry season covering the rest of the year. Vis-à-vis most hot semi-arid climates in northern Africa like those of Niamey or N'Djamena, Keren's climate is much less extreme due to the city's higher altitude. Nonetheless, in the period between March and mid-June immediately before the wet season begins, afternoon temperatures still average over 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) for around four months. Following the wet season, temperatures remain very warm to hot during the day, but the mornings become comfortably cool.

Climate data for Keren (1991–2021)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.5
(77.9) 		27.4
(81.3) 		29.2
(84.6) 		30.5
(86.9) 		31.5
(88.7) 		29.8
(85.6) 		25.8
(78.4) 		24.3
(75.7) 		27.1
(80.8) 		27.8
(82.0) 		26.6
(79.9) 		25.4
(77.7) 		27.6
(81.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.1
(55.6) 		13.6
(56.5) 		14.7
(58.5) 		16.3
(61.3) 		17.5
(63.5) 		18.6
(65.5) 		17.2
(63.0) 		16.9
(62.4) 		16.3
(61.3) 		14.0
(57.2) 		14.1
(57.4) 		13.4
(56.1) 		15.5
(59.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 1
(0.0) 		1
(0.0) 		6
(0.2) 		13
(0.5) 		21
(0.8) 		44
(1.7) 		94
(3.7) 		199
(7.8) 		123
(4.8) 		7
(0.3) 		4
(0.2) 		1
(0.0) 		514
(20)
Average precipitation days 0 0 0 1 4 8 16 21 12 1 1 0 64
Average relative humidity (%) 59 56 50 46 39 44 71 83 64 55 60 62 57
Mean monthly sunshine hours 296.7 346.4 335.4 363.3 376.5 357.9 274.1 219.3 313.3 332.2 316.6 290.3 3,822
Source: Climate-Data[3]

Attractions

Madonna of the Baobab. In 1941 Italian soldiers took refuge in the tree from British planes. The tree was hit but the Italians and the shrine survived. It is a popular tourist attraction.

Attractions in the city include the nineteenth century Tigu fort, the St Maryam Deari chapel, lying in a baobab tree, the 1920s former railway station, the old mosque, Sayed Bakri Mausoleum, British Army and Italian Army cemeteries and local markets. The nearby sixth century Debre Sina monastery is also known for its cave dwellings.

Blacksmith shop in Keren

Districts

The town's outlying subregions include:

References

  1. ^ "Everyday Eritrea: Resilience in the face of repression".
  2. ^ Shinn, David & al. "Hewitt Treaty" in the Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia, p. 214.
  3. ^ "Climate-Data : Eritrea". Retrieved 10 July 2023.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Keren.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Keren.
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