Map of Eritrea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: on 29 May 1991, ISAIAS Afworke, secretary general of the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which then served as the country's legislative body, 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 referendum resulted in a landslide vote for independence which was proclaimed on 27 April 1993


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 121,320 km²
Land: 121,320 km²

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

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

Elevation

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 km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent droughts

Geography
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


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Population: 3,782,543 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.41% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Eritrean(s)

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

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

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.41% (1994 est.)

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: famine; deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Total population: NA%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: State of Eritrea
Conventional short form:
Former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government 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)

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: NA

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government:President ISSAIAS Afeworke (since 22 May 1993)

Legislative branch: Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF)
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

International organization participation: OAU, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ILO, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. HOUDEK
From the us chancery: Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20,006
From the us telephone: [291] (1) 123-720
From the us fax: (202) 429-9,004
From the us embassy: 34 Zera Yacob St., Asmara
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara
From the us FAX: [291] (1) 127-584

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $500 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

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

Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$NA

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: NA

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $NA
Commodities: NA
Partners: NA

Imports: $NA
Commodities: NA
Partners: NA

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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


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Electricity
Capacity: NA kW
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5
Usable: 5
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 2

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs