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

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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 in December 2000. Eritrea hosted a UN peacekeeping operation that monitored a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone (TSZ) on the border with Ethiopia. Eritrea's denial of fuel to the mission caused the UN to withdraw the mission and terminate its mandate 31 July 2008. An international commission organized to resolve the border dispute posted its findings in 2002. However both parties have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. On 30 November 2007 the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission remotely demarcated the border by coordinates and dissolved itself leaving Ethiopia still occupying several tracts of disputed territory including the town of Badme. Eritrea accepted the EEBC's 'virtual demarcation' decision and called on Ethiopia to remove its troops from the TSZ which it states is Eritrean territory. Ethiopia has not accepted the virtual demarcation decision.


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

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N 39 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 117,600 km²
Rank: 100
Land: 101,000 km²
Water: 16,600 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 1626 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 109 km; Ethiopia 912 km; Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1151 km islands in Red Sea 1083 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 Danakil Depression -75 m
Extremes 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: 210 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 6.3 km³ (2001)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms

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


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Population: 5,647,168 (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 109
Growth rate: 2.577% (2009 est.)
Growth rate rank: 29
Below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Eritrean
Adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups: Tigrinya 50% Tigre and Kunama 40% Afar 4% Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3% other 3%

Languages: Afar Arabic Tigre and Kunama Tigrinya other Cushitic languages

Religions: Muslim Coptic Christian Roman Catholic Protestant

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.8%
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 1,483,169/female 1,547,078)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 92,009/female 109,824) (2009 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 18.4 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.577% (2009 est.)
Rank: 29

Birth rate: 34.2 births/1000 population (2009 est.)
Rank: 39

Death rate: 8.43 deaths/1000 population (July 2009 est.)
Rank: 97

Net migration rate: NA

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 21% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 43.33 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 62
Male: 48.97 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 37.51 deaths/1000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.78 years
Rank: 179
Male: 59.71 years
Female: 63.9 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Rank: 35

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.3% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 48
People living with hivaids: 38,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 66
Deaths: 2,600 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 56

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria (2009)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.4% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 161

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 58.6%
Male: 69.9%
Female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 5 years
Male: 6 years
Female: 4 years (2004)

Youth unemployment


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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 were scheduled in December 2001 but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital
Name: Asmara
Geographic coordinates: 15 20 N 38 56 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

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)

Dependent areas

Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday: Independence Day 24 May (1993)

Constitution: adopted on 23 May 1997 but has not yet been fully 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; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and for civil cases involving Muslims Islamic law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki ; 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)
Cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election 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% other 5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-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 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 [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recognized by the government); note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001 but the full National Assembly has yet to debate or vote on it

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam
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
In the us consulate general: Oakland (California)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald MCMULLEN
From the us embassy: 179 Ala 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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993 Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small desperately poor country accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). 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%. Despite the fighting Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure asphalting new roads improving its ports and repairing war-damaged roads and bridges. Since the war's conclusion 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. The government strictly controls the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability. Few private enterprises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea's economy depends heavily on taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military continue to interfere with agricultural production and Eritrea's recent harvests have been unable to meet the food needs of the country. The Government continues to place its hope for additional revenue on the development of several international mining projects. Despite difficulties for international companies in working with the Eritrean Government a Canadian mining company signed a contract with the Government in 2007 and plans to begin mineral extraction in 2010. Eritrea also opened a free trade zone at the port of Massawa in 2008. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy unemployment and low skills and more importantly on the government's willingness to support a true market economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 166
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 164

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 223
Note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17.4%
Industry: 23.2%
Services: 59.4% (2008 est.)

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

Industries: food processing beverages clothing an

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2008 est.)
Rank: 103

Labor force: NA
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation industry and services: 20% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

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

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $234.6 million
Expenditures: $523.3 million (2008 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 17% (2007 est.)
Rank: 200

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $1.711 billion (31 December 2007)
Rank: 94

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$203 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 92

Exports: $12 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 209
Commodities: livestock sorghum textiles food small manufactures
Partners: Itlay 25.3% Sudan 17.2% China 15.8% India 8.8% France 6.7% Saudi Arabia 6.5% Russia 4.1% (2008)

Imports: $580 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 183
Commodities: machinery petroleum products food manufactured goods
Partners: India 28.5% Saudi Arabia 17.8% Italy 10.9% China 8.5% US 4.4% Germany 4% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $34 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Rank: 155

Debt external: $311 million (2000 est.)
Rank: 175

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.38 (2008 est.) 15.5 (2007) 15.4 (2006) 14.5 (2005) 13.788 (2004)
Note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar


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Electricity
Production: 271 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 170
Consumption: 228 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 175
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 186
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 189
Exports: 0 m³ (2008)
Exports rank: 62
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 85
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2009 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 184

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 40,400 (2008)
Main lines in use rank: 169
Mobile cellular: 108,600 (2008)
Mobile cellular rank: 181

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons
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

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .er
Hosts: 1307 (2009)
Hosts rank: 156
Users: 200,000 (2008)
Users rank: 135

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 6.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 9

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-40 years of age for male and female voluntary and compulsory military service; 16-month conscript service obligation (2006)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 14 (2009)
Rank: 147
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2009)
With unpaved runways total: 10
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Heliports: 1 (2009)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 306 km
Rank: 121
Narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 4,010 km
Rank: 157
Paved: 874 km
Unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 5
Rank: 131
By type: cargo 2 liquefied gas 1 petroleum tanker 1 roll on/roll off 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals: Assab Massawa


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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; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000 is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 32,000 (2007)

Illicit drugs