2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,059,458/female 1,046,955) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 1,244,153/female 1,268,189) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 82,112/female 86,127) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Airports

17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006)

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4

total

13

under 914 m

2 (2006)

Area

land

121,320 sq km

total

121,320 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

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 in December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections. Geography Eritrea

Birth rate

34.33 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$424 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$257.6 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

15 20 N, 38 53 E

name

Asmara (Asmera)

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands

Coastline

2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)

Constitution

a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Country name

conventional long form

State of Eritrea

conventional short form

Eritrea

former

Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

local long form

Hagere Ertra

local short form

Ertra

Currency (code)

nakfa (ERN)

Currency code

ERN

Current account balance

$-440.5 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$311 million (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Scott H. DELISI

embassy

179 Alaa Street, Asmara

mailing address

P. O. Box 211, Asmara

telephone

[291] (1) 120004

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam

telephone

[1] (202) 319-1991

Disputes - international

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despite international intervention, mutual animosities, accusations, and armed posturing have prevented demarcation; Ethiopia refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until claimed technical errors made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications; in 2005 Eritrea began severely restricting the operations of the UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitoring the 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000; Sudan sustains over 110,000 Eritrean refugees and accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups

Economic aid - recipient

$77 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Since independence from Ethiopia in 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 -12.1% 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 2002-06. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, as well as the willingness to open its economy to private enterprise so that the diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.

Electricity - consumption

256.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

276.1 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Soira 3,018 m

lowest point

near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m

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, Hazardous Wastes

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Exchange rates

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 14 (2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003), 13.958 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president

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

election results

ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

elections

president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); 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)

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

Exports

$17.65 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners

Italy 36.4%, US 13.8%, Belarus 6.8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 319-1304

[291] (1) 127584

consulate(s) general

Oakland (California)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Eritrea

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 Eritrea

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

9.9%

industry

25.4%

services

64.6% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.244 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.471 billion (2005 est.)

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 39 00 E

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 People Eritrea

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 in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

6,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

60,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

IDPs

40,000-45,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2006) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners

Germany 21.3%, Italy 19.5%, France 15.3%, US 12.3%, Ireland 7.9%, Jordan 5.5% (2005)

Independence

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement, commercial ship repair

Infant mortality rate

female

40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

52.22 deaths/1,000 live births

total

46.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Internet country code

.er

Internet hosts

1,088 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (2001)

Internet users

70,000 (2005) Transportation Eritrea

Investment (gross fixed)

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

210 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

80%

industry and services

20%

Land boundaries

border countries

Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

total

1,626 km

Land use

arable land

4.78%

other

95.19% (2005)

permanent crops

0.03%

Languages

Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

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

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

60.66 years (2006 est.)

male

57.44 years

total population

59.03 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

47.6% (2003 est.) Government Eritrea

male

69.9%

total population

58.6%

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease

malaria is a high risk in some locations (2007)

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

891,662 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

893,361

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

562,426 (2005)

males age 18-49

555,553

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

49,746 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

50,156

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

18 years (2006 est.)

male

17.6 years

total

17.8 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2006)

total

6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,506 GRT/23,649 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$220.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

17.7% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Eritrea

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Nationality

adjective

Eritrean

noun

Eritrean(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

frequent droughts; locust swarms

Natural resources

gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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 (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement)); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); 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]

Population

4,786,994 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.47% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Assab, Massawa Military Eritrea

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios

345,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

306 km 0.950-m gauge (2005)

total

306 km

Religions

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$30.6 million (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

874 km

total

4,010 km

unpaved

3,136 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)

general assessment

inadequate

international

country code - 291; note - international connections exist

Telephones - main lines in use

37,700 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

58,000 (2006)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2006)

Televisions

1,000 (1997)

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

Total fertility rate

5.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%