The UN awarded Eritrea 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 that it states is Eritrean
territory. Ethiopia has not accepted the virtual demarcation decision.
Geography ::Eritrea
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 39 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 117,600 sq km
00
land:
101,000 sq km
water:
16,600 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 1,626 km
border countries:
Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Coastline:
2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
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
highest point:
Soira 3,018 m
Natural resources:
gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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
65 years and over:
3.6% (male 94,366/female 114,356) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.5 years
male:
18.2 years
female:
18.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.522% (2010 est.)
9
Birth rate:
33.48 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Death rate:
8.25 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
00
Net migration rate:
NA
Urbanization:
urban population: 21% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
5.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.82 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 42.33 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 64
male:
47.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
36.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.15 years
8
male:
60.06 years
female:
64.3 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.6 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
38,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,600 (2007 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:
malaria (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective:
Eritrean
Ethnic groups:
Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Religions:
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages:
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
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)
Education expenditures:
2.4% of GDP (2006)
61
Government ::Eritrea
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 (Asmera)
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 (South), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern
Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern
Red Sea)
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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 and is head of the State Council
and National Assembly
head of government:
President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993)
cabinet:
State Council 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 on 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
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Eritrean Democratic Party
(EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin]; Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (includes Eritrean
Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM also known as the Abu Sihel Movement);
Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement);
Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National
Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of
ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM
Iyob]
chancery:
1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 319-1991
FAX:
[1] (202) 319-1304
consulate(s) general:
Oakland (California)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald MCMULLEN
embassy:
179 Ala Street, Asmara
mailing address:
P. O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone:
[291] (1) 120004
FAX:
[291] (1) 127584
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; green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red
signifies the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue symbolizes
the bounty of the sea; the wreath-olive branch symbol is similar to that
on the first flag of Eritrea from 1952; the shape of the red triangle
broadly mimics the shape of the country
Economy ::Eritrea
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, a large share of the
population - nearly 80% - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but
they produce only a small share of total output. 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'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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.198 billion (2009 est.)
65
$4.096 billion (2008 est.)
$4.016 billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.714 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2009 est.)
2% (2008 est.)
1.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2009 est.)
21
$700 (2008 est.)
$700 (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.3%
industry:
23.2%
services:
59.5% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
1.935 million NA
21
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services:
20% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
50% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
10.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
47
Budget:
revenues: $373.2 million
expenditures:
$738.7 million (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
20% (2009 est.)
19
19.9% (2008 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA%
Stock of money:
$896.2 million (31 December 2008)
16
$749.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.053 billion (31 December 2008)
16
$932.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.851 billion (31 December 2008)
02
$1.711 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Industries:
food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Electricity - production:
271 million kWh (2007 est.)
2
Electricity - consumption:
228 million kWh (2007 est.)
7
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
88
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
1
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
99
Oil - imports:
4,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)
59
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
84
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
03
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
89
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
83
Current account balance:
-$246 million (2009 est.)
-$168 million (2008 est.)
Exports:
$17 million (2009 est.)
07
$14 million (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Exports - partners:
India 25.3%, Italy 20.7%, Sudan 14.1%, China 12.9%, France 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.4% (2008)
Saudi Arabia 20.7%, India 13.6%, Italy 12.6%, China 9.9%, US 5.1%, Germany 4.6% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$36 million (31 December 2009 est.)
56
$58 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$311 million (2000 est.)
69
Exchange rates:
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.5 (2009), 15.38 (2008), 15.5 (2007), 15.4 (2006), 14.5 (2005)
note:the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar
Communications ::Eritrea
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,400 (2008)
69
Telephones - mobile cellular:
108,600 (2008)
81
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
domestic:
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2008)
international:
country code - 291; note - international connections exist
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2006)
Internet country code:
.er
Internet hosts:
1,307 (2009)
56
Internet users:
200,000 (2008)
35
Transportation ::Eritrea
Airports:
14 (2009)
47
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m:
2
2,438 to 3,047 m:
2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
3
914 to 1,523 m:
3
under 914 m:
2 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Railways:
total: 306 km
21
narrow gauge:
306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 4,010 km
57
paved:
874 km
unpaved:
3,136 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 5
31
by type:
cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Assab, Massawa
Military ::Eritrea
Military branches:
Eritrean Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (2010)
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)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,307,012
females age 16-49:
1,319,682 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 864,608
females age 16-49:
920,104 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 64,489
female:
64,476 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues ::Eritrea
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; Sudan accuses Eritrea of
supporting eastern Sudanese rebel groups; in 2008 Eritrean troops move
across the border on Ras Doumera peninsula and occupy Doumera Island
with undefined sovereignty in the Red Sea
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Eritrea
is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the
purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; each year,
large numbers of migrant workers depart Eritrea in search of work,
particularly in the Gulf States, where some likely become victims of
forced labor, including in domestic servitude, or commercial sexual
exploitation; thousands of Eritreans flee the country illegally, mostly
to Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya where their illegal status makes them
vulnerable to situations of human trafficking; the government remains
complicit in conscripting children into military service
tier rating:
the
Government of Eritrea does not fully comply with the minimum standards
for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts
to do so; the Eritrean government does not operate with transparency
and published neither data nor statistics regarding its efforts to
combat human trafficking; it did not respond to requests to provide
information for this report; the government made no known progress in
prosecuting and punishing trafficking crimes over the reporting period
and did not appear to provide any significant assistance to victims of
trafficking during the reporting period (2009)
