Eritrea’s environment suffers from frequent droughts and from the effects of the nation’s decades-long war of freedom. Only 22 % (1990-1998) of the people in Eritrea have access to safe drinking water. Much of the nation’s highland forests have been destroyed for fuelwood, and only 2.8 % (1995) of Eritrea’s total land area is forested. Marginal lands have been cultivated and overgrazed, leading to soil erosion and desertification.