That country has no bank cards or internet access
Eritrea stands out with its daily life shaped by strict state control, the necessity of using cash, and tight travel restrictions. While foreigners wishing to travel outside the capital, Asmara, must obtain special permits, there are no ATM or credit card systems in the country.
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Located on the western coast of the Red Sea in East Africa, Eritrea is governed by a system completely removed from today's developing digital economies and widespread internet access. In the country, which has been ruled by a single-party regime under President Isaias Afwerki since 1993, the daily lives of citizens and foreigners are surrounded by strict rules.
Financial transactions in Eritrea are carried out almost entirely using cash. There are no ATMs anywhere in the country, and credit cards are not accepted for any commercial activity. Visitors arriving in the country are required to bring foreign currency with them and exchange it for the local currency only at state-approved exchange offices. International digital services, including global shipping or courier services, do not operate in the country.
STRICT CONTROL IN THE CAPITAL ASMARA
Controls in the country are not limited to finance. For foreigners entering Eritrea, traveling more than 25 kilometers outside the Asmara city center requires a serious bureaucratic process. Tourists are required to obtain written permission from the government for every trip outside the capital. Furthermore, since public transportation in regions outside the capital is not suitable for tourist use, travel is mostly possible only via private taxi or car rental.
In Eritrea, which is internationally described as the "North Korea of Africa," the media is entirely under state control. Independent journalism has been banned since 2001. According to reports by human rights organizations, the pressure applied to information and communication is one of the leading reasons for people fleeing the country. Indefinite military service, meanwhile, creates unhappiness and a tendency to migrate among large segments of society.
The country is also quite far behind in terms of internet usage. Internet access is possible only in a few hotels and a small number of internet cafes in Asmara, with low speeds and frequent outages. Thanks to heavy restrictions placed on social media usage, the circulation of information has been reduced to a minimum. For this reason, communication in the country continues to be conducted face-to-face, in the streets, and in marketplaces.
Asmara, however, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List thanks to its modernist architecture. The cafe culture and structural fabric inherited from the Italian colonial period attract the few travelers who come to Eritrea. Although it remains far from the possibilities of the digital world, Asmara continues to be a center of attention with its historical atmosphere and unique architecture.