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| Geography |
| 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 |
| Location: | Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan |
| Geographic coordinates: | 15 00 N, 39 00 E |
| Area: | total: 117,600 sq km land: 101,000 sq km water: 16,600 sq km
Size comparison: 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: | 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 |
| Land use: | arable land: 4.78% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.19% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 210 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms volcanism: Dubbi (elev. 1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011 |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People |
| Population: | 6,233,682 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 41.3% (male 1,292,544/female 1,279,523) 15-24 years: 20% (male 623,797/female 625,527) 25-54 years: 31.2% (male 963,635/female 982,786) 55-64 years: 3.8% (male 99,755/female 136,557) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 100,332/female 129,226) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 18.9 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.2 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.418% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 32.1 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 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: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 40.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 62.86 years male: 60.73 years female: 65.06 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.25 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.8% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 25,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 1,700 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean |
| Ethnic groups: | nine recognized ethnic groups: Tigrinya 55%, Tigre 30%, Saho 4%, Kunama 2%, Rashaida 2%, Bilen 2%, other (Afar, Beni Amir, Nera) 5% (2010 est.) |
| Religions: | Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant |
| Languages: | Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.8% male: 78.7% female: 57.5% (2010 est.) |
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| Government |
| 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 and a Constitutional Commission was established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was named 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 PFDJ is the sole legal party and controls all national, regional, and local political offices |
| 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 23 May 1997, but never fully implemented |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law |
| 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 exercises executive authority; members appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election was 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 by the transitional National Assembly; 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: | Supreme Court; Regional, subregional, and village 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 never debated or voted on it |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Eritrean Kunama (DMLEK); Eritrean Democratic Alliance (EDA); Eritrean National Congress for Democratic Change (ENCDC); Eritrean National Salvation Front (ENSF); Eritrean Islamic Party for Justice and Development (EIPJD) (includes the Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ), Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (EIJM), Eritrean Islamic Salvation, and the Eritrean Islamic Foundation); Eritrean People's Democratic Party (EPDP); Red Sea Afar Democratic Organization (RSADO) |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires BERHANE Gebrehiwet Solomon chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sue BREMNER embassy: 179 Ala Street, Asmara mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584 |
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| Economy |
| Since independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, poor country, facing chronic drought. These have been exacerbated by 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. That sector only produces a small share of the country's total output. Since the conclusion of the Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 2000, the government has expanded use of military and party-owned businesses to complete President ISAIAS's development agenda. The government strictly controls the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability. Few large private enterprises exist in Eritrea and most operate in conjunction with government partners, although recently a number of large international mining ventures have opened. Eritrea's national income also relies in part on taxes paid by members of the Diaspora. While reliable statistics on food security are difficult to obtain, erratic rainfall and the percentage of the labor force tied up in national service continue to interfere with agricultural production and economic development. Eritrea's harvests generally cannot meet the food needs of the country without supplemental grain purchases. Copper and gold production is likely to drive economic growth over the next few years, but military spending will continue to compete with development and investment plans. Eritrea's economic future will depend on market reform and success at addressing social problems such as illiteracy and low skills. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.412 billion (2012 est.) $4.103 billion (2011 est.) $3.774 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $3.108 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 7.5% (2012 est.) 8.7% (2011 est.) 2.2% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $800 (2012 est.) $700 (2011 est.) $700 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 11.6% industry: 30.6% services: 57.8% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.935 million (2007) |
| 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% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17% (2012 est.) 20% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 27.5% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $838.8 million expenditures: $1.19 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 118% of GDP (2012 est.) 118.5% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish |
| Industries: | food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufacturing, salt, cement
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| Industrial production growth rate: | 8% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 277 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 173 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 242 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$271.5 million (2012 est.) -$127.8 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $304.5 million (2012 est.) $415.4 million (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures |
| Imports: | $939.7 million (2012 est.) $899.9 million (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $171.2 million (31 December 2012 est.) $114.8 million (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $1.026 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.013 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.38 (2012 est.) 15.375 (2011 est.) 15.375 (2010 est.) 15.375 (2009) 15.38 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 58,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 159 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 241,900 (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: inadequate; most fixed-line telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system; cell phones in increasing use throughout the country domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is less than 5 per 100 persons international: country code - 291 (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .er |
| Internet hosts: | 701 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 200,000 (2008) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 13 (2012) country comparison to the world: 152 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Railways: | total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 4,010 km paved: 874 km unpaved: 3,136 km (2000) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 4 by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Assab, Massawa |
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| Military |
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| Military branches: | Eritrean Armed Forces: Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2011) |
| 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: 1,350,446 females age 16-49: 1,362,575 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 896,096 females age 16-49: 953,757 (2010 est.) |
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