1.
[syn: Eritrea, State of Eritrea]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Eritrea \Eritrea\ n.
1. a province of N Ethiopia on the Red Sea.
[WordNet 1.5]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Eritrea
n 1: an African country to the north of Ethiopia on the Red Sea;
achieved independence from Ethiopia in 1993 [syn:
Eritrea, State of Eritrea]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Eritrea
Introduction Eritrea
--------------------
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 on 12 December 2000.
Eritrea currently hosts a UN
peacekeeping operation that will
monitor the border region until an
international commission determines
and demarcates the boundary between
the two countries.
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: 121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 121,320 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 total; 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); semiarid in
western hills and lowlands; rainfall
heaviest during June-September
except in 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: near Kulul within the
Denakil 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: 3.87%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 96.11% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms
Environment - current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil
erosion; overgrazing; loss of
infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species
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
People Eritrea
--------------
Population: 4,465,651 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 958,564;
female 955,625)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,192,454;
female 1,213,313)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male
73,017; female 72,678) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.8% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 42.25 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: UNHCR began repatriating about
150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan
in 2001 following the restoration of
diplomatic relations between the two
countries in 2000 (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 73.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.57 years
female: 59.13 years (2002 est.)
male: 54.09 years
Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 2.87% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups: ethnic 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, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and
Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
languages
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: 25%
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government Eritrea
------------------
Country name: conventional long form: State of
Eritrea
conventional short form: Eritrea
local long form: Hagere Ertra
former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in
Ethiopia
local short form: Ertra
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;
Afworki ISAIAS 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
had been scheduled to take place in
December 2001, but were postponed;
currently the sole legal party is
the People's Front for Democracy and
Justice (PFDJ), though a draft
political parties law is under
consideration
Capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions: 6 regions (regions, singular -
region); Central, Anelba, Southern
Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern,
Gash-Barka
Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Constitution: the transitional constitution,
decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
by a new constitution adopted on 23
May 1997, but not yet 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; also
relies on customary and post-
independence-enacted laws and, for
civil cases involving Muslims,
Sharia law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Afworki
ISAIAS (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
Afworki ISAIAS (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
cabinet: State Council is the
collective executive authority;
members appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the
National Assembly; election last
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%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150
seats; term limits not established)
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 indefinately
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, the only party
recognized by the government
[Afworki ISAIAS]; note - a National
Assembly committee drafted a law on
political parties in January 2001,
but the full National Assembly had
not yet debated or voted on it as of
December 2001
Political pressure groups and Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ;
leaders: Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF
[ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean
Liberation Front-Revolutionary
Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed NASSER];
Eritrean Liberation Front-United
Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed
Said NAWD]; Eritrean Public Forum or
EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, IBRD,
participation: ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
(associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA
Asmerom
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Donald
US: J. McCONNELL
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt
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
Economy Eritrea
---------------
Economy - overview: Since independence from Ethiopia on
24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the
economic problems of a small,
desperately poor country. 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 in
1999 fell to less than 1%, and GDP
decreased by 8.2% 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%. Even during the war, Eritrea
developed its transportation
infrastructure, asphalting new
roads, improving its ports, and
repairing war damaged roads and
bridges. Eritrea's economic future
remains mixed. The cessation of
Ethiopian trade, which mainly used
Eritrean ports before the war,
leaves Eritrea with a large economic
hole to fill. Eritrea's economic
future depends upon its ability to
master fundamental social problems
like illiteracy, unemployment, and
low skills, and to convert the
diaspora's money and expertise into
economic growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.2
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $740 (2001
est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17%
industry: 29%
services: 54% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and
services 20%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $206.4 million
expenditures: $615.7 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000 est.)
Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing
and textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 210 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 195.3 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn,
cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal;
livestock, goats; fish
Exports: $34.8 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food,
small manufactures
Exports - partners: Sudan 27.2%, Ethiopia 26.5%, Japan
13.2%, UAE 7.3%, Italy 5.3% (1998)
Imports: $470.5 million (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food,
manufactured goods
Imports - partners: Italy 17.4%, UAE 16.2%, Germany
5.7%, UK 4.5%, Korea 4.4% (1998)
Debt - external: $281 million (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $77 million (1999)
Currency: nakfa (ERN)
Currency code: ERN
Exchange rates: nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5
(January 2000), 7.6 (January 1999),
7.2 (March 1998 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Eritrea
----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 30,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA; note - mobile cellular service
was introduced in May 2001
Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate
domestic: very inadequate; most
telephones are in Asmara; government
is seeking international tenders to
improve the system (2002)
international: NA; note -
international connections exist
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios: 345,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000)
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .er
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)
Internet users: 12,000 (2001)
Transportation Eritrea
----------------------
Railways: total: 317 km
narrow gauge: 317 km 0.950-m gauge
note: links Ak'ordat and Asmara with
the port of Massawa; nonoperational
since 1978 except for about a 5 km
stretch that was reopened in Massawa
in 1994; rehabilitation of the
remainder and of the rolling stock
is under way (2001 est.)
Highways: total: 3,850 km
paved: 810 km
unpaved: 3,040 km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1,
roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 21 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2001)
Military Eritrea
----------------
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $138.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 19.8% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Eritrea
----------------------------
Disputes - international: Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed
general approval of the April 2002
arbitration commission ruling re-
delimiting the boundary, the focus
of their 1998-2000 war; United
Nations Mission in Ethiopia and
Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor
activities within the 25-km wide
temporary security zone in Eritrea
until demarcation and de-mining are
complete; Yemen has asserted
traditional fishing rights to
islands ceded to Eritrea in ICJ
ruling