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

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 121,320 km²
Land: 121,320 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 1,630 km
Border countries: (3) Djibouti 113 km; , Ethiopia 912 km; , Sudan 605 km

Coastline: 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Kobar Sink -75 m
Extremes highest point: Soira 3,013 m

Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish

Land use
Arable land: 12%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 48%
Forests and woodland: 20%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 280 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent droughts

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 27 April 1993

Population: 3,589,687 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 6.35% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: 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, Italian, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor tribal languages

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 781,169; female 770,497)
15-64 years: 54% (male 963,542; female 966,083)
65 years and over: 3% (male 55,811; female 52,585) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 6.35% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 43.96 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 15.26 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 34.82 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)
Note: it is estimated that between 200,000 and 350,000 Eritrean refugees were still living in Sudan in mid-1997

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 117.2 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.61 years
Male: 48.85 years
Female: 52.42 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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 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 pending the promulgation of a constitution and popular elections

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 sometime in 1998; the new provinces, which have not been recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for recognition by the US government, pending acceptable definition of the boundaries, are:Anseba, Debub, Debubawi, Gash-Barka, Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri

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; the promulgation of a draft constitution is expected in 1998

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 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, to 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 branch
Chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head 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 1997)
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 pending new constitution)
Elections: 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF) and 75 directly elected members serve as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections are held in 1997

Judicial branch: Judiciary

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai
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 John HICKS
From the us embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., 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

Economy overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faced the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population must continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output (GDP) is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Road construction is a top domestic priority. Shortages persist in housing, education, and health care. 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. Ethiopia is largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign commerce.

Real gdp growth rate: 3.9% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $570 (1995 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 19%
Industry: 18%
Services: 63% (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%

Budget
Revenues: $214 million
Expenditures: $397 million, including capital expenditures of $78 million (1995 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports
Total value: $81 million (1995 est.)
Commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles
Partners: Ethiopia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UK, US, Yemen

Imports
Total value: $404 million (1995 est.)
Commodities: processed goods, machinery, petroleum products
Partners: Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, United Arab Emirates

Debt external: $162 million (1995 est.)

Exchange rates: birr (Br) per US$1 (end of the period) - 6.4260 (December 1996), 6.4260 (1996), 6.3200 (1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.000 (fixed rate 1992-93); note - following independence from Ethiopia, Eritrea continued to use Ethiopian currency
Note: since May 1993, the birr market rate has been determined in an interbank market supported by weekly wholesale auction; prior to that date, the official rate was pegged to US$1 = 5.000 birr

Electricity
Capacity: 73,000 kW (1995)
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh

Telephones: NA

Telephone system
Domestic: 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

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $40 million (1995)
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 14 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
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: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (1996 est.)

Railways
Total: 307 km
Narrow gauge: 307 km 0.950-m gauge (1995 est.)
Note: nonoperational since 1978 except for an about 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)

Merchant marine: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,573 GRT/13,593 DWT (1996 est.)

Disputes 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