Legend:  Definition  Field
Listing  Rank
Order
| Background: |
Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.
Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later
sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence
was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping
operation that is monitoring the border region until an international
commission determines and demarcates the boundary between the
two countries. |
| Location: |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and
Sudan |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
15 00 N, 39 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Africa
|
| Area: |
total:
121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 121,320
sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger than Pennsylvania |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
1,626 km
border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia
912 km, Sudan 605 km |
| Coastline: |
2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red
Sea 1,083 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
territorial
sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter
in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
June-September except in coastal desert |
| Terrain: |
dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,
descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest
to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
|
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m |
| Natural
resources: |
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas,
fish |
| Land
use: |
arable
land: 3.87%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other:
96.11% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
220 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
frequent droughts; locust swarms |
| Environment
- current issues: |
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss
of infrastructure from civil warfare |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping
lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along
the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
1993 |
| Population: |
4,362,254 (July 2003 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 44.7% (male 977,447; female 972,068)
15-64
years: 52% (male 1,121,077; female 1,147,109)
65
years and over: 3.3% (male 71,620; female 72,933) (2003
est.) |
| Median
age: |
total:
17.6 years
male: 17.4 years
female:
17.7 years (2002) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.28% (2003 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
39.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
13.23 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-13.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: UNHCR began
repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001
following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the
two countries in 2000 (2003 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at
birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total
population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
76.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.64 deaths/1,000
live births (2003 est.)
male: 83.78 deaths/1,000
live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 53.18 years
male: 51.48 years
female: 54.92 years (2003 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
2.8% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
55,000 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
350 (2001 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean |
| Ethnic
groups: |
ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red
Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3% |
| Religions: |
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant |
| Languages: |
Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
languages |
| Literacy: |
definition:
NA
total population: 58.6%
male: 69.9%
female: 47.6% (2003 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: State of Eritrea
conventional short form:
Eritrea
local long form: Hagere Ertra
former:
Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
local short form:
Ertra |
| Government
type: |
transitional government
note: following a successful
referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea
on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely
of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was
established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional
Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS
Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature;
the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect,
pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary
elections had been scheduled to take place in December 2001,
but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party
is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) |
| Capital: |
Asmara (formerly Asmera) |
| Administrative
divisions: |
6 regions (regions, singular - region); Central, Anelba, Southern
Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka |
| Independence: |
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 24 May (1993) |
| Constitution: |
the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
|
| Legal
system: |
primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;
new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated;
also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws
and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief
of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since
8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government and is head of the State Council and
National Assembly
cabinet: State Council is the
collective executive authority; members appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly;
election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain
as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election
in December 2001 as anticipated)
election results:
ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly
vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)
elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of
the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee
(the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly
to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide
elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75
of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected,
the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage,
all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret
ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled
for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely |
| Judicial
branch: |
or High Court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also
have military and special courts |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party
recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National
Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January
2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or
voted on it |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean
Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel
Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also
known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation
Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance
or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of
ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF
[ARADOM Iyob] |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
telephone:
[1] (202) 319-1991
consulate(s) general: Oakland
(California)
FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
chancery:
1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL
embassy:
Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
mailing address:
P. O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone: [291] (1) 120004
FAX: [291] (1) 127584 |
| Flag
description: |
red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the
flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green,
the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive
branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle |
| Economy
- overview: |
Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has
faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country.
Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely
based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population
involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in
1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to
zero in 1999 and to -1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive
into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage
and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and
55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's
most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%.
Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure,
asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war
damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government
has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use
of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's
development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization
of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production
well below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic
future depends upon its ability to master social problems such
as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its
economy to private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise
can foster economic growth. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
2% (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $740 (2002 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
17%
industry: 29%
services: 54% (2001
est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
53% (1993/94) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
15% (2001) |
| Labor
force: |
NA |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
NA% |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$206.4 million
expenditures: $615.7 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
220.5 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
205.1 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
NA kWh (2001) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
NA kWh (2001) |
| Oil
- production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- consumption: |
6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
| Oil
- exports: |
NA (2001) |
| Oil
- imports: |
NA (2001) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee,
sisal; livestock, goats; fish |
| Exports: |
$20 million f.o.b. (2001) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)
|
| Exports
- partners: |
Sudan 27.2%, Ethiopia 26.5%, Japan 13.2%, UAE 7.3%, Italy 5.3%
(2001) |
| Imports: |
$500 million c.i.f. (2001) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)
|
| Imports
- partners: |
Italy 17.4%, UAE 16.2%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.5%, Korea 4.4% (2001)
|
| Debt
- external: |
$311 million (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$77 million (1999) |
| Currency: |
nakfa (ERN) |
| Currency
code: |
ERN |
| Exchange
rates: |
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6 (January
1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Railways: |
total:
306 km
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge
note:
railway is being rebuilt (2002) |
| Highways: |
total:
3,850 km
paved: 810 km
unpaved: 3,040
km (2000) |
| Waterways: |
none |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa) |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT
ships
by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker
1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
18 (2002) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
2 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m:
4
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
| Disputes
- international: |
Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent boundary
commission delimitation decision, but demarcation, scheduled
to begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays and
Ethiopian concerns that the decision ignored "human geography"
and awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea;
UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitors
a 25 km wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation;
Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea
protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to
Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999 |
This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003
|
