FACTBOX-Key facts on Ethiopia and Eritrea

Nov 28 (Reuters) - Tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have ratcheted up in recent weeks with the approach of Friday's deadline set by an independent border commission to physically mark their disputed frontier.

Security experts have estimated that both Horn of Africa neighbours moved at least 100,000 troops to the 1,000 km (620 mile) border.

The 1998-2000 border conflict between the two nations claimed some 70,000 lives but the dispute over the frontier was never resolved.

Here are some key facts:



WHAT HAS HAPPENED:

1952 - Eritrea, a former Italian colony and U.N. mandated territory since World War Two, is federated with Ethiopia under Emperor Haile Selassie.

1962 - Eritrea becomes a province of Ethiopia, fuelling Eritrea's independence struggle.

1993 - Eritrea gains independence after a referendum. Eritrea enjoys initially good relations with Ethiopia.

May 6, 1998 - The start of the border war. Eritrean and Ethiopian forces clash in the western border region of Badme.

June 18, 2000 - Peace agreement brokered by the Organisation of African Unity.

Nov 25, 2003 - Ethiopia accepts "in principle" the 2002 Hague-based Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission ruling that the border village of Badme belongs to Eritrea but wants more discussions.

Nov 29, 2006 - Boundary commission says it has given Ethiopia and Eritrea a year to demarcate their 620-mile (1,000-km) border.



ERITREA:

* Eritrea has rejected any diplomatic efforts that do not proceed directly to the enforcement of the border ruling.

* Eritrea has blamed the international community, and the United Nations in particular, for failing to force Ethiopia to accept their shared border.

* Eritrea dismissed the threat of U.N sanctions and at the end of 2005 ordered U.N. peacekeepers from Western countries to leave.

* Eritrea has accused Ethiopia of plotting to invade ahead of the November deadline.



ETHIOPIA:

* Ethiopia called for further dialogue in 2002 after Badme was given to Eritrea.

* Ethiopia said in December 2004 that it would accept the ruling after negotiations with Eritrea on the mechanics of how the border demarcation will take place.

* In November 2005 tensions along the frontier rose sharply as both countries moved up troops. By January 2006, Ethiopia had complied with a U.N. demand to withdraw troops.

* At a commission meeting last September, Ethiopia and Eritrea again accused each other of violating the 2000 agreement.

* Addis Ababa said Eritrea is breaking the peace agreement by deploying troops in the U.N.-patrolled security zone. (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)