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

Data code ER

Government type transitional government
note : following a successful referendum on independence for the AutonomousRegion of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirelyof the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established asa transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitionallegislature pending the promulgation of a constitution and popular elections

National 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 thatthe 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 recognitionby 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 ofa draft constitution is expected in 1998

Legal system NA

Suffrage NA; note - the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did not providerules 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 referendumof 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 isboth the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president isboth 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 June1993 (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 establishedpending new constitution)
elections: 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committeeof the EPLF) and 75 directly elected members serve as the country's legislativebody until country-wide elections are held in 1997

Judicial branch Judiciary

Political parties and leaders People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognizedby the government [ISAIAS Afworki, PETROS Solomon]

Political pressure groups and leaders Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAHMuhammed]; Eritrean Liberation Front - United Organization or ELF-UO [MohammedSaid NAWUD]; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [AhmedNASSER]

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
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 John HICKS
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., 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 intotwo right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; agold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side ofthe red triangle

NOTE: The information regarding Eritrea on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Eritrea Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Eritrea Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.