Geography


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


Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World


Area:
total area 121,320 sq km
land area 121,320 sq km
comparative area slightly larger than Pennsylvania


Land boundaries: total 1,630 km, Djibouti 113 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km


Coastline: 1,151 km (land and island coastline is 2,234 km)


Maritime claims:
territorial sea 12 nm


International disputes: none


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 on coast desert


Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plan, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains


Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil, fish


Land use:
arable land 3%
permanent crops 2% (coffee)
meadows and pastures 40%
forest and woodland 5%
other 50%


Irrigated land: NA sq km


Environment:
current issues famine; deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
natural hazards frequent droughts
international agreements NA


Note: strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields, Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993


People


Population: 3,782,543 (July 1994 est.)


Population growth rate: 3.41% (1994 est.)


Nationality:
noun Eritrean(s)
adjective Eritrean


Ethnic divisions: ethnic Tigrays 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%


Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant


Languages: Tigre and Kunama, Cushitic dialects, Tigre, Nora Bana, Arabic


Literacy:
total population NA%
male NA%
female NA%


Labor force: NA


Government


Names:
conventional long form State of Eritrea
conventional short form Eritrea
local long form none
local short form none
former Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia


Digraph: ER


Type: transitional government
note on 29 May 1991 ISSAIAS Afeworke, secretary general of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), announced the formation of the Provisional Government in Eritrea (PGE), in preparation for the 23-25 April 1993 referendum on independence for the autonomous region of Eritrea; the result was a landslide vote for independence that was announced on 27 April 1993


Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)


Administrative divisions: 7 provinces; Akale Guzay, Baraka, Denakil, Hamasen, Samhar, Seraye, Sahil (1993)


Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)


National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)


Constitution: transitional "constitution" decreed 19 May 1993


Legal system: NA


Suffrage: NA


Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government President ISSAIAS Afeworke (since 22 May 1993)
cabinet State Council; the collective executive authority
note election to be held before 20 May 1997


Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly EPLF Central Committee serves as the country's legislative body until multinational elections are held (before 20 May 1997)


Judicial branch: Judiciary


Political parties and leaders: Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) (Christian Muslim), ISSAIAS Aferworke, PETROS Solomon; Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) (Muslim), ABDULLAH Muhammed; Eritrean Liberation Front - United Organization (ELF-UO), Mohammed Said NAWUD; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC), Ahmed NASSER


Other political or pressure groups: Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ); Islamic Militant Group


Member of: OAU, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ILO, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WMO


Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission Ambassador-designate Hagos GEBREHIWOT
chancery Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20006
telephone (202) 429-1991
FAX (202) 429-9004


US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission Ambassador Robert G. HOUDEK
embassy 34 Zera Yacob St., Asmara
mailing address P.O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone [291] (1) 123-720
FAX [291] (1) 127-584


Flag: 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: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faces the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population will continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Eritrea has inherited the entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore oil, offshore fishing and tourism. For the time being, Ethiopia will be largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign trade.


National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $1.7 billion (1993 est.)


National product real growth rate: NA%


National product per capita: $500 (1993 est.)


Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%


Unemployment rate: NA%


Budget:
revenues $NA
expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA


Exports: $NA
commodities NA
partners NA


Imports: $NA
commodities NA
partners NA


External debt: $NA


Industrial production: growth rate NA%


Electricity:
capacity NA kW
production NA kWh
consumption per capita NA kWh


Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles


Agriculture: products - sorghum, livestock (including goats), fish, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope)


Economic aid: $NA


Currency: 1 birr (Br) = 100 cents; at present, Ethiopian currency used


Exchange rates: 1 birr (Br) per US$1 - 5.000 (fixed rate since 1992)


Fiscal year: NA


Communications


Railroads: 307 km total; 307 km 1.000-meter gauge; 307 km 0.950-meter gauge (nonoperational) linking Ak'ordat and Asmara (formerly Asmera) with the port of Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa; 1993 est.)


Highways:
total 3,845 km
paved 807 km
unpaved gravel 840 km; improved earth 402 km; unimproved earth 1,796 km


Ports: Assab (formerly Aseb), Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa)


Merchant marine: none


Airports:
total 5
usable 5
with permanent-surface runways 2
with runways over 3,659 m 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m 2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m 2


Telecommunications: NA


Defense Forces


Branches: Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF)


Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP