Eritrea

§1. Eritrea Introduction

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 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.

§2. Eritrea Geography

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 km²
  land: 121,320 km²
  water: 0 km²

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 (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, heaviest June to September);
  semiarid in western hills and lowlands

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: 4.78%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 95.19% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  220 km² (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

§3. Eritrea People

Population:
  4,786,994 (July 2006 est.)

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.)

Median age:
  total: 17.8 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.47% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 46.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 59.03 years
  male: 57.44 years
  female: 60.66 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.08 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  60,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  6,300 (2003 est.)

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 (2005)

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58.6%
  male: 69.9%
  female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

§4. Eritrea Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  local short form: Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

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)

Capital:
  Asmara

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)

Independence:
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
  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

§5. Eritrea Economy

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 2002-05. 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.471 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $1.244 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 8.7%
  industry: 26.3%
  services: 65% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $248.8 million
  expenditures: $409.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal;
  livestock, goats; fish

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, salt, cement, commercial
  ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  270.9 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  251.9 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-278.7 million (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $33.58 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners:
  Malaysia 21.4%, Italy 13.7%, Egypt 8.3%, India 7.8%, Japan 6.4%, Germany
  5.3%, China 4.1%, UK 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $676.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Ireland 25.7%, US 17.9%, Italy 16%, Turkey 6.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $32.6 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $77 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  nakfa (ERN)

Exchange rates:
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003),
  13.958 (2002), 11.31 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Eritrea Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  39,300 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  20,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate
  domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking
    international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .er

Internet hosts:
  1,047 (2005)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2005)

§7. Eritrea Transportation

Airports:
  17 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 13
  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
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Railways:
  total: 306 km
  narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 4,010 km
  paved: 874 km
  unpaved: 3,136 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,506 GRT/23,649 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
    (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Assab, Massawa

§8. Eritrea Military

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

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

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: NA (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $220.1 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  17.7% (2005 est.)

§9. Eritrea Transnational Issues

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near
    the central border region) (2005)


<Factbook 2006>
