Statistical information Eritrea 1998

Eritrea in the World
top of pageBackground: On 29 May 1991, ISAIAS Afworki, secretary general of the People's 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.
top of pageLocation: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 121,320 km²
Land: 121,320 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundariesTotal: 1,630 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 113 km;
, Ethiopia 912 km;
, Sudan 605 kmCoastline: 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km
Maritime claims: NA
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 coastal desert
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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Kobar Sink -75 m
Extremes highest point: Soira 3,013 m
Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil and natural gas (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish
Land useArable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 48%
Forests and woodland: 20%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 280 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: frequent droughts
GeographyNote: 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 27 April 1993
top of pagePopulation: 3,842,436 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 3.39% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Eritrean(s)
Adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%
Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor ethnic group languages
Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 43% (male 826,686; female 818,323)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,026,922; female 1,042,156)
65 years and over: 3% (male 66,222; female 62,127) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.39% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 42.52 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.57 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Note: it is estimated that between 200,000 and 350,000 Eritrean refugees were still living in Sudan in mid-1997
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 1.06 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 78.51 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 55.31 years
Male: 53.19 years
Female: 57.51 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: NA
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 Peoples' 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
Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions: 8 provinces (singular_awraja); Akele Guzay, Barka, Denkel, Hamasen, Sahil, Semhar, Senhit, Seraye
Note: in May 1995 the National Assembly adopted a resolution stating that the administrative structure of Eritrea, which had been established by former colonial powers, would consist of only six provinces when the new constitution, then being drafted, would go into effect some time in 1998; the new provinces, the names of which had not been recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for recognition by the US government, pending acceptable definition of the boundaries, were:Anseba, Debub, Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Gash-Barka, Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri; more recently, it has been reported that these provinces have been redesignated regions and renamed Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Southern, and Central
Dependent areasIndependence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)
National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)
Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution that was promulgated in May 1997
Legal system: NA
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: NA; note_the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did not provide rules for suffrage, but it seems likely that the final version of the constitution, which may be promulgated some time in 1998, will follow the example set in the referendum of 1993 and extend suffrage to all persons 18 years of age or older
Executive branchChief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority
Note: the president is head of the State Council and National Assembly
Elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next to be held NA)
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 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 country-wide elections to a National Assembly are held in 1998; only 75 members will be elected to the National Assembly_the other 75 will be members of the Central Committee of the PFDJ
Judicial branch: Judiciary the Supreme Court; 10 provincial courts; 29 district courts
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Semere RUSSOM
In the us chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
In the us fax: [1] (202) 319-1304
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador-designate William CLARK
From the us embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara
From the us telephone: [291] (1) 120,004
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faced the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. The economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with over 70% of the population involved in farming and herding. The small industrial sector consists mainly of light industries with outmoded technologies. Domestic output (GDP) is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and taxes on income and sales. Road construction is a top domestic priority. Eritrea has inherited the entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore oil fields, offshore fishing, and tourism. Eritrea's economic future depends on its ability to master fundamental social and economic problems, e.g., overcoming illiteracy, promoting job creation, expanding technical training, attracting foreign investment, and streamlining the bureaucracy.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 6.8% (1996 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $600 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 18%
Industry: 20%
Services: 62% (1995 est.)
Agriculture products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope; livestock (including goats; fish
Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $226 million
Expenditures: $453 million, including capital expenditures of $88 million (1996 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$71 million (1996 est.)
Commodoties: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Partners: Ethiopia 67%, Sudan 10%, Saudi Arabia 4%, US 3%, Italy, Yemen (1996)
Imports: total value:$499 million (1996 est.)
Commodoties: processed goods, machinery, petroleum products
Partners: Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, United Arab Emirates
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $162 million (1995 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: nakfa per US$1 = 7.2 (March 1998 est.)
Note: following independence from Ethiopia, Eritrea continued to use Ethiopian currency until late in 1997 when Eritrea issued its own currency, the nakfa, at approximately the same rate as the birr, i.e., 7.2 nakfa per US$1
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 73,000 kW (1995)
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: NA
Telephone systemDomestic: very inadequate; about 4 telephones per 100 families, most of which are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system
International: NA
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $40 million (1995)
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirportsWith unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysTotal: 307 km
Narrow gauge: 307 km 0.950-m gauge (1995 est.)
Note: nonoperational since 1978 except for about a 5 km stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994; rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock is under way; links Ak'ordat and Asmara (formerly Asmera) with the port of Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa)
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marinePorts and terminalsEritrea - Transnational issues 1998
top of pageDisputes international: a dispute with Yemen over sovereignty of the Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to arbitration under the auspices of the ICJ; a decision on the Islands is expected in mid-1998
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs