Eritrea
State of Eritrea
transitional governmentIndependence 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia
Eritrea as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 33 editions from 1993 to 2025.
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Geography
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and | Sudan
14 fieldsLand useshare of 121,320 sq km
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
Natural resources
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish
Environment
- current issues:
- famine;
- deforestation;
- desertification;
- soil erosion;
- overgrazing;
- loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
- natural hazards:
- frequent droughts
- international agreements:
- party to - Endangered Species; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
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
People
14 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1995 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 43% (female 763,416; male 774,922)
- 15-64 years:
- 54% (female 965,124; male 965,435)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (female 52,950; male 56,862) (July 1995 est.)
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: repatriation of up to a half million Eritrean refugees in Sudan is now underway; 100,000 are expected to return during 1995
Government
Transitional government
22 fieldsNames
- conventional long form:
- State of Eritrea
- conventional short form:
- Eritrea
- local long form:
- none
- local short form:
- none
- former:
- Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Type
transitional government
note: on 29 May 1991 ISAIAS Afworke, secretary general of the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which then served and still serves 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 result was a landslide vote for independence which was proclaimed on 27 April 1993
Administrative divisions
9 provinces; Akole Guzay, Baraka, Danakil, Hamasen, Sahil, Samhar, Senhit, Seraye, Sahil
Executive branch
- chief of state and head of government:
- President ISAIAS Afworke (since 22 May 1993)
- cabinet:
- State Council; the collective executive authority
note: election to be held before 20 May 1997
National Assembly
PFDJ Central Committee serves as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections are held (before 20 May 1997)
Political parties and leaders
People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), ISAIAS Afworke, PETROS Solomon (the only party recognized by the government)
Other political or pressure groups
- Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ);
- Islamic Militant Group;
- Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), ABDULLAH Muhammed;
- Eritrean Liberation Front - United Organization (ELF-UO), Mohammed Said NAWUD;
- Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC), Ahmed NASSER
Member of
ACP, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), ITU, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai
- chancery:
- Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 429-1991
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) 120004
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
With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea | faces the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor | African country.
18 fieldsOverview
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.
Agriculture
products - sorghum, livestock (including goats), fish, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope)
Exchange rates
1 birr (Br) per US$1 - 5.9500 (January 1995), 5.9500 (1994), 5.000 (fixed rate 1992-93); note - official rate pegged to US$
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 20 in all
Networkskm
Communications
3 fieldsDefense Forces
Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF)
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Eritrea.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/eritrea/1995.