2017 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2017 Archive (HTML)

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Countries

268

Data Records

71,914

Eritrea

2017 Edition · 308 data fields

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Introduction

Background

After independence from Italian colonial control in 1941 and 10 years of British administrative control, the UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afworki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been highly autocratic and repressive. His government has created a highly militarized society by pursuing an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service, sometimes of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. A UN peacekeeping operation was established that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) created in April 2003 was tasked "to delimit and demarcate the colonial treaty border based on pertinent colonial treaties (1900, 1902, and 1908) and applicable international law." The EEBC on 30 November 2007 remotely demarcated the border, assigning the town of Badme to Eritrea, despite Ethiopia's maintaining forces there from the time of the 1998-2000 war. Eritrea insisted that the UN terminate its peacekeeping mission on 31 July 2008. Eritrea has accepted the EEBC's "virtual demarcation" decision and repeatedly called on Ethiopia to remove its troops. Ethiopia has not accepted the demarcation decision, and neither party has entered into meaningful dialogue to resolve the impasse. Eritrea is subject to several UN Security Council Resolutions (initially in 2009 and renewed annually) imposing an arms embargo and a travel ban and assets freeze on certain individuals, in view of evidence that it has supported armed opposition groups in the region.

Geography

Area

117,600 sq km 101,000 sq km 16,600 sq km
land: 101,000 sq km
total: 117,600 sq km
water: 16,600 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Pennsylvania

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)

Elevation

853 m lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m highest point: Soira 3,018 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: near Kulul within the Danakil Depression -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,018 m
mean elevation: 853 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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

Irrigated land

210 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

1,840 km Djibouti 125 km, Ethiopia 1,033 km, Sudan 682 km
border countries (3): Djibouti 125 km, Ethiopia 1,033 km, Sudan 682 km
total: 1,840 km

Land use

75.1% arable land 6.8%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 68.3% 15.1% 9.8% (2011 est.)
agricultural land: 75.1%
forest: 15.1%
other: 9.8% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011
volcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south

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

People and Society

Age structure

40.17% (male 1,195,210/female 1,182,603) 19.57% (male 576,315/female 582,143) 32.63% (male 950,121/female 981,163) 3.7% (male 94,767/female 124,528) 3.92% (male 97,530/female 134,539) (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 40.17% (male 1,195,210/female 1,182,603)
15-24 years: 19.57% (male 576,315/female 582,143)
25-54 years: 32.63% (male 950,121/female 981,163)
55-64 years: 3.7% (male 94,767/female 124,528)
65 years and over: 3.92% (male 97,530/female 134,539) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

29.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

38.8% (2010)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

8.4% (2010)

Death rate

7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Demographic profile

Eritrea is a persistently poor country that has made progress in some socioeconomic categories but not in others. Education and human capital formation are national priorities for facilitating economic development and eradicating poverty. To this end, Eritrea has made great strides in improving adult literacy – doubling the literacy rate over the last 20 years – in large part because of its successful adult education programs. The overall literacy rate was estimated to be almost 74% in 2015; more work needs to be done to raise female literacy and school attendance among nomadic and rural communities. Subsistence farming fails to meet the needs of Eritrea’s growing population because of repeated droughts, dwindling arable land, overgrazing, soil erosion, and a shortage of farmers due to conscription and displacement. The government’s emphasis on spending on defense over agriculture and its lack of foreign exchange to import food also contribute to food insecurity. Eritrea has been a leading refugee source country since at least the 1960s, when its 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia began. Since gaining independence in 1993, Eritreans have continued migrating to Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Egypt, or Israel because of a lack of basic human rights or political freedom, educational and job opportunities, or to seek asylum because of militarization. Eritrea’s large diaspora has been a source of vital remittances, funding its war for independence and providing 30% of the country’s GDP annually since it became independent. In the last few years, Eritreans have increasingly been trafficked and held hostage by Bedouins in the Sinai Desert, where they are victims of organ harvesting, rape, extortion, and torture. Some Eritrean trafficking victims are kidnapped after being smuggled to Sudan or Ethiopia, while others are kidnapped from within or around refugee camps or crossing Eritrea’s borders. Eritreans composed approximately 90% of the conservatively estimated 25,000-30,000 victims of Sinai trafficking from 2009-2013, according to a 2013 consultancy firm report.

Dependency ratios

78.3 6.8 14.8 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.8
potential support ratio: 14.8 (2015 est.)
total dependency ratio: 85
youth dependency ratio: 78.3

Drinking water source

urban: 73.2% of population rural: 53.3% of population total: 57.8% of population urban: 26.8% of population rural: 46.7% of population total: 42.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 46.7% of population
total: 42.2% of population (2015 est.)
urban: 26.8% of population

Ethnic groups

nine recognized ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.)
nine recognized ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.)

Health expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.6% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

15,000 (2016 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

45 deaths/1,000 live births 52 deaths/1,000 live births 37.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
female: 37.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 45 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages

Life expectancy at birth

65.2 years 62.7 years 67.8 years (2017 est.)
female: 67.8 years (2017 est.)
male: 62.7 years
total population: 65.2 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 73.8% 82.4% 65.5% (2015 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 65.5% (2015 est.)
male: 82.4%
total population: 73.8%

Major infectious diseases

high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever malaria and dengue fever (2016)
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever (2016)

Major urban areas - population

ASMARA (capital) 804,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

501 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

19.7 years 19.2 years 20.1 years (2017 est.)
female: 20.1 years (2017 est.)
male: 19.2 years
total: 19.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.3 years median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2010 est.)

Nationality

Eritrean(s) Eritrean
adjective: Eritrean
noun: Eritrean(s)

Net migration rate

-13.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5% (2016)

Population

5,918,919 (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south

Population growth rate

0.85% (2017 est.)

Religions

Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Sanitation facility access

urban: 44.5% of population rural: 7.3% of population total: 15.7% of population urban: 55.5% of population rural: 92.7% of population total: 84.3% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 92.7% of population
total: 84.3% of population (2015 est.)
urban: 55.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

5 years 6 years 5 years (2014)
female: 5 years (2014)
male: 6 years
total: 5 years

Sex ratio

1.03 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.97 male(s)/female 0.74 male(s)/female 0.75 male(s)/female 0.97 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.74 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.99 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Urbanization

23.6% of total population (2017) 4.72% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
rate of urbanization: 4.72% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
urban population: 23.6% of total population (2017)

Government

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Asmara (Asmera) 15 20 N, 38 56 E UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 56 E
name: Asmara (Asmera)
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea no 20 years
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 20 years

Constitution

ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (not fully implemented); note - drafting of a new constitution, which began in 2014, continued into 2017 proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one-half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly (2017)
amendments: proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one-half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly (2017)
history: ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (not fully implemented); note - drafting of a new constitution, which began in 2014, continued into 2017

Country name

State of Eritrea Eritrea Hagere Ertra Ertra Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia the country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation "Erythra Thalassa" meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country
conventional long form: State of Eritrea
conventional short form: Eritrea
etymology: the country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation "Erythra Thalassa" meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country
former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
local long form: Hagere Ertra
local short form: Ertra

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natalie E. BROWN (since September 2016) 179 Ala Street, Asmara P.O. Box 211, Asmara [291] (1) 120004 [291] (1) 127584
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Natalie E. BROWN (since September 2016)
embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara
FAX: [291] (1) 127584
mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone: [291] (1) 120004

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires BERHANE Gebrehiwet Solomon (since 15 March 2011) 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 [1] (202) 319-1991 [1] (202) 319-1304
chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires BERHANE Gebrehiwet Solomon (since 15 March 2011)
FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991

Executive branch

President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993) State Council appointed by the president president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the only election was held on 8 June 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next election postponed indefinitely) ISAIAS Afworki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5%
cabinet: State Council appointed by the president
chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5%
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); the only election was held on 8 June 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next election postponed indefinitely)
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993)

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; green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red signifies the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue symbolizes the bounty of the sea; the wreath-olive branch symbol is similar to that on the first flag of Eritrea from 1952; the shape of the red triangle broadly mimics the shape of the country one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu
note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections) High Court judges appointed by the president regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts
highest court(s): High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections)
judge selection and term of office: High Court judges appointed by the president
subordinate courts: regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Hagerawi Baito (150 seats; 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party and 75 directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) 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, which 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 form 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 due to the war with Ethiopia
description: unicameral National Assembly or Hagerawi Baito (150 seats; 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party and 75 directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
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, which 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 form 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 due to the war with Ethiopia

National anthem

"Ertra, Ertra, Ertra" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea) SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia
lyrics/music: SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion
name: "Ertra, Ertra, Ertra" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea)
note: adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 May (1991)

National symbol(s)

camel; national colors: green, red, blue
camel; national colors: green, red, blue

Political parties and leaders

People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Eritrean Kunama or DMLEK Eritrean Democratic Alliance or EDA Eritrean Islamic Party for Justice and Development or EIPJD (includes the Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ), Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM), Eritrean Islamic Salvation, and the Eritrean Islamic Foundation) Eritrean National Congress for Democratic Change or ENCDC Eritrean National Salvation Front or ENSF Eritrean People's Democratic Party or EPDP Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization or RSADO

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$1.554 billion $2.166 billion (2016 est.)
expenditures: $2.166 billion (2016 est.)
revenues: $1.554 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-11.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA%

Current account balance

$-3 million (2016 est.) $-250.3 million (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$875.6 million (31 December 2016 est.) $873.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Economy - overview

Since formal independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced many economic problems, including lack of financial resources and chronic drought, which have been exacerbated by restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice. Like the economies of many African nations, a large share of the population - nearly 80% in Eritrea - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but the sector only produces a small share of the country's total output. Since the conclusion of the Ethiopia-Eritrea war in 2000, the government has expanded military- and party-owned businesses to complete President ISAIAS's development agenda. The government has strictly controlled the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability; new regulations in 2013 aimed at relaxing currency controls have had little economic effect. Few large private enterprises exist in Eritrea and most operate in conjunction with government partners, including a number of large international mining ventures, which began production in 2013. In late 2015, the Government of Eritrea introduced a new currency, retaining the name nakfa, and restricted the amount of hard currency individuals could withdraw from banks per month. The changeover has resulted in exchange fluctuations and the scarcity of hard currency available in the market. While reliable statistics on Eritrea are difficult to obtain, erratic rainfall and the percentage of the labor force tied up in national service continue to interfere with agricultural production and economic development. Eritrea's harvests generally cannot meet the food needs of the country without supplemental grain purchases. Copper, potash, and gold production are likely to continue to drive economic growth and government revenue over the next few years, but military spending will continue to compete with development and investment plans.

Exchange rates

nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.375 (2016 est.) 15.375 (2015 est.) 15.375 (2014 est.) 15.375 (2013 est.) 15.375 (2012 est.)

Exports

$485.4 million (2016 est.) $415.4 million (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold and other minerals, livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small industry manufactures

Exports - partners

China 57.7%, India 21.9%, South Korea 4.9%, Serbia 4.2% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

81% 23.6% 9.1% 0.1% 9.8% -23.5% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services: 9.8%
government consumption: 23.6%
household consumption: 81%
imports of goods and services: -23.5% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 9.1%
investment in inventories: 0.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

12.1% 29.5% 58.5% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 29.5%
services: 58.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,400 (2016 est.) $1,400 (2015 est.) $1,400 (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars
note: data are in 2016 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.7% (2016 est.) 4.8% (2015 est.) 5% (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.352 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$9.167 billion (2016 est.) $8.731 billion (2015 est.) $8.244 billion (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars
note: data are in 2016 dollars

Gross national saving

4% of GDP (2016 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2015 est.) 4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

NA% NA%
highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.049 billion (2016 est.) $1.025 billion (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

China 18.1%, UAE 15.4%, Saudi Arabia 13.7%, Italy 6.5%, Turkey 5.9%, Brazil 5.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

12.2% (2016 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9% (2016 est.) 9.8% (2015 est.)

Labor force

2.623 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

80% 20% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2004 est.)

Public debt

120.9% of GDP (2016 est.) 121.8% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$218.4 million (31 December 2016 est.) $209.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money

$5.993 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $5.221 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$5.236 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.676 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$2.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $2.386 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29% of GDP (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

8.6% (2013 est.) 10% (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

government controls broadcast media with private ownership prohibited; 1 state-owned TV station; state-owned radio operates 2 networks; purchases of satellite dishes and subscriptions to international broadcast media are permitted (2007)

Internet country code

.er

Internet users

69,095 1.2% (July 2016 est.)
percent of population: 1.2% (July 2016 est.)
total: 69,095

Telephone system

woefully inadequate service provided by state-owned telecom monopoly; most fixed-line telephones are in Asmara; cell phone use only slowly increasing throughout the country; no data service combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is less than 10 per 100 persons country code - 291 (2016)
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is less than 10 per 100 persons
general assessment: woefully inadequate service provided by state-owned telecom monopoly; most fixed-line telephones are in Asmara; cell phone use only slowly increasing throughout the country; no data service
international: country code - 291 (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

66,086 1 (July 2016 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (July 2016 est.)
total subscriptions: 66,086

Telephones - mobile cellular

506,000 9 (July 2016 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (July 2016 est.)
total: 506,000

Transportation

Airports

13 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 2
total: 4

Airports - with unpaved runways

2 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
over 3,047 m: 1
total: 9

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

E3 (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2010)
by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2010)
total: 4

National air transport system

1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
number of registered air carriers: 1

Ports and terminals

Assab, Massawa
major seaport(s): Assab, Massawa

Railways

306 km 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2014)
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2014)
total: 306 km

Roadways

4,010 km 874 km 3,136 km (2000)
paved: 874 km
total: 4,010 km
unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)

Military and Security

Military branches

Eritrean Armed Forces: Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2011)
Eritrean Armed Forces: Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2012)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but neither party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups; in 2008, Eritrean troops moved across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupied Doumera Island with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea

Trafficking in persons

Eritrea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor domestically and, to a lesser extent, sex and labor trafficking abroad; the country’s national service program is often abused, with conscripts detained indefinitely and subjected to forced labor; Eritrean migrants, often fleeing national service, face strict exit control procedures and limited access to passports and visas, making them vulnerable to trafficking; Eritrean secondary school children are required to take part in public works projects during their summer breaks and must attend military and educational camp in their final year to obtain a high school graduation certificate and to gain access to higher education and some jobs; some Eritreans living in or near refugee camps, particularly in Sudan, are kidnapped by criminal groups and held for ransom in the Sinai Peninsula and Libya, where they are subjected to forced labor and abuse Tier 3 – Eritrea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to investigate or prosecute any trafficking offenses or to identify or protect any victims; while the government continued to warn citizens of the dangers of human trafficking through awareness-raising events and poster campaigns, authorities lacked an understanding of the crime, conflating trafficking with transnational migration; Eritrea is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2015)
current situation: Eritrea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor domestically and, to a lesser extent, sex and labor trafficking abroad; the country’s national service program is often abused, with conscripts detained indefinitely and subjected to forced labor; Eritrean migrants, often fleeing national service, face strict exit control procedures and limited access to passports and visas, making them vulnerable to trafficking; Eritrean secondary school children are required to take part in public works projects during their summer breaks and must attend military and educational camp in their final year to obtain a high school graduation certificate and to gain access to higher education and some jobs; some Eritreans living in or near refugee camps, particularly in Sudan, are kidnapped by criminal groups and held for ransom in the Sinai Peninsula and Libya, where they are subjected to forced labor and abuse
tier rating: Tier 3 – Eritrea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to investigate or prosecute any trafficking offenses or to identify or protect any victims; while the government continued to warn citizens of the dangers of human trafficking through awareness-raising events and poster campaigns, authorities lacked an understanding of the crime, conflating trafficking with transnational migration; Eritrea is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2015)