Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 121,320 sq km
land: 121,320 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
total: 1,630 km
border countries: Djibouti 113 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: NA
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kobar Sink -75 m
highest point: Soira 3,013 m
Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil and
natural gas (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 48%
forests and woodland: 20%
other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent droughts
Environment-current issues: deforestation; desertification; soil
erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate 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 27 April
1993
@Eritrea:People
Population: 3,842,436 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 826,686; female 818,323)
15-64 years: 54% (male 1,026,922; female 1,042,156)
65 years and over: 3% (male 66,222; female 62,127) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.39% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 42.52 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.57 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
note: it is estimated that between 200,000 and 350,000 Eritrean
refugees were still living in Sudan in mid-1997
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 78.51 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.31 years
male: 53.19 years
female: 57.51 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean
Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%,
Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%
Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor
ethnic group languages
Literacy: NA
@Eritrea: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
Data code: ER
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 Peoples' 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
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
that the 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 some time in 1998; the new provinces, the names of which had
not been recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for
recognition by the US government, pending acceptable definition of the
boundaries, were: Anseba, Debub, Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Gash-Barka,
Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri; more recently, it has been reported
that these provinces have been redesignated regions and renamed
Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Southern, and
Central
Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea
Autonomous Region)
National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May
(1993)
Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993,
was replaced by a new constitution that was promulgated in May 1997
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: NA; note-the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did
not provide rules for suffrage, but it seems likely that the final
version of the constitution, which may be promulgated some time in
1998, will follow the example set in the referendum of 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 is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note-the president is both 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 June 1993 (next to be held NA)
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 country-wide elections
to a National Assembly are held in 1998; only 75 members will be
elected to the National Assembly-the other 75 will be members of the
Central Committee of the PFDJ
Judicial branch: Judiciary the Supreme Court; 10 provincial courts; 29
district courts
Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and
Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS
Afworki, PETROS Solomon]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ;
Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean
Liberation Front-United Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed Said NAWUD];
Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed
NASSER]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Semere RUSSOM
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-designate William CLARK
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
@Eritrea:Economy
Economy-overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993,
Eritrea faced the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately
poor African country. The economy is largely based on subsistence
agriculture, with over 70% of the population involved in farming and
herding. The small industrial sector consists mainly of light
industries with outmoded technologies. Domestic output (GDP) is
substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government
revenues come from custom duties and taxes on income and sales. Road
construction is a top domestic priority. Eritrea has inherited the
entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues
from the development of offshore oil fields, offshore fishing, and
tourism. Eritrea's economic future depends on its ability to master
fundamental social and economic problems, e.g., overcoming illiteracy,
promoting job creation, expanding technical training, attracting
foreign investment, and streamlining the bureaucracy.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$2.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 6.8% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$600 (1996 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 18%
industry: 20%
services: 62% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 4% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $226 million
expenditures: $453 million, including capital expenditures of $88
million (1996 est.)
Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity-capacity: 73,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-production: NA kWh
Electricity-consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture-products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton,
tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope); livestock (including goats);
fish
Exports:
total value: $71 million (1996 est.)
commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
partners: Ethiopia 67%, Sudan 10%, Saudi Arabia 4%, US 3%, Italy,
Yemen (1996)
Imports:
total value: $499 million (1996 est.)
commodities: processed goods, machinery, petroleum products
partners: Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, United Arab Emirates
Debt-external: $162 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 nafka = 100 cents
Exchange rates: nakfa per US$1 = 7.2 (March 1998 est.)
note: following independence from Ethiopia, Eritrea continued to use
Ethiopian currency until late in 1997 when Eritrea issued its own
currency, the nakfa, at approximately the same rate as the birr, i.e.,
7.2 nakfa per US$1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: very inadequate; about 4 telephones per 100 families, most
of which are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to
improve the system
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government controlled)
Televisions: NA
@Eritrea:Transportation
Railways:
total: 307 km
narrow gauge: 307 km 0.950-m gauge (1995 est.)
note: 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; links Ak'ordat and Asmara (formerly
Asmera) with the port of Massawa (formerly Mits'iwa)
Highways:
total: 4,010 km
paved: 874 km
unpaved: 3,136 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,516 GRT/5,747 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Airports: 20 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 18
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Eritrea:Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $40 million (1995)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@Eritrea:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: a dispute with Yemen over sovereignty of the
Hanish Islands in the southern Red Sea has been submitted to
arbitration under the auspices of the ICJ; a decision on the Islands
is expected in mid-1998
______________________________________________________________________
ESTONIA
@Estonia:Geography
Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 45,226 sq km
land: 43,211 sq km
water: 2,015 sq km
note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area-comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont
combined
Land boundaries:
total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Coastline: 3,794 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: limits to be fixed in coordination with
neighboring states
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain: marshy, lowlands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources: shale oil (kukersite), peat, phosphorite, amber,
cambrian blue clay
Land use:
arable land: 22%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 11%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 36% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 110 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding occurs frequently in the spring
Environment-current issues: air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide
from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of
soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former
Soviet military bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade
lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavily affected
by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in many locations
Environment-international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
@Estonia:People
Population: 1,421,335 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19% (male 136,278; female 131,480)
15-64 years: 67% (male 456,796; female 492,946)
65 years and over: 14% (male 66,261; female 137,574) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.99% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 9.04 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 14.15 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: -4.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.98 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.52 years
male: 62.5 years
female: 74.83 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.29 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups: Estonian 64.2%, Russian 28.7%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
Byelorussian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.9% (1995)
Religions: Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox,
others include Baptist, Methodist, 7th Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
Pentecostal, Word of Life, 7th Day Baptist, Judaism
Languages: Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, other
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1989 est.)
@Estonia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
conventional short form: Estonia
local long form: Eesti Vabariik
local short form: Eesti
former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Data code: EN
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Tallinn
Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular-maakond):
Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa
(Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa
(Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla),
Saaremaa (Kuessaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
(Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name
following in parentheses)
Independence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918)
Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Lennart MERI (since 5 October 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Mart SIIMANN (since 12 March 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he
or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of
balloting, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus
members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between
the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last
held August-September 1996 (next to be held fall 2001); prime minister
nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
election results: Lennart MERI elected president by an electoral
assembly after Parliament was unable to break a deadlock between MERI
and RUUTEL; percent of electoral assembly vote-Lennert MERI 61%,
Arnold RUUTEL 39%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 March 1995 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-KMU 32.22%, RE 16.18%, K
14.17%, Pro Patria and ERSP 7.85%, M 5.98%, Our Home is Estonia and
Right-Wingers 5.0%; seats by party-KMU 41, RE 19, K 16, Pro Patria 8,
Our Home is Estonia 6, M 6, Right-Wingers 5
Judicial branch: National Court, chairman appointed by the Parliament
for life
Political parties and leaders: Coalition Party and Rural Union or KMU
[Mart SIIMAN, chairman] made up of 4 parties: Coalition Party or EK,
Country People's Party [Arnold RUUTEL, chairman]/Farmer's Assembly or
EME, Rural Union or EM [Arvo SIRENDI, chairman] , and Pensioners' and
Families' League or EPPL [Mai TREIAL, chairperson]; Reform Party or RE
[Siim KALLAS, chairman]; Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];
Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland League (Isamaaliit) [Toivo
JURGENSON, chairman]; National Independence Party or ERSP [Tunne
KELAM, chairman]; Our Home is Estonia [Viktor ANDREJEV] made up of two
parties: United Peoples Party and the Russian Party of Estonia;
note-Our Home is Estonia split when two Russian Party of Estonia
members withdrew; United Peoples Party [Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman];
Russian Party of Estonia [Nikolai MASPANOV, chairman]; Moderates or M
[Andres TARAND] made up of two parties: Social Democratic Party or
ESDP and Rural Center Party or EMK; Social Democratic Party [Eiki
NESTOR, chairman]; Rural Center Party [Vambo KAAL, chairman];
Right-Wingers [Ulo NUGIS, chairman]; Republican Conservative [Vootele
HANSEN]; Development/Progressive Party [Andra VEIDEMANN, chairwoman],
note-party was created by defectors from Center Party in late spring
1996, Development Party faction split and now holds five independent
seats
International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNTSO,
UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Grigore-Kalev STOICESCU
chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Walter
ANDRUSYSZYU
embassy: Kentmanni 20, Tallinn EE 0001
mailing address: American Embassy Tallinn; PSC 78, Box T; APO AE 09723
telephone: [372] (6) 312-021
FAX: [372] (6) 312-025
Flag description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May
1990-three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
@Estonia:Economy
Economy-overview: In 1997 Estonia's continued implementation of market
economic reforms, disciplined fiscal and monetary policies, and a
liberal free trade regime resulted in GDP growth of 10% and a drop in
inflation to 11.2%. Estonia can point to its inclusion among the first
group of Central and East European countries to begin EU accession
talks in 1998 as its most significant economic achievement in 1997.
Other economic strengths include solid investment grade rating from
both Standard and Poors and Moody's, government revenue collection in
excess of projections by more than 6%, growth in exports at a faster
rate than imports, and record levels of foreign direct investment,
among the highest per capita in Central and East Europe. Estonia
privatized its shipping company in 1997, but failed to make as much
progress privatizing other large infrastructure/utility companies,
such as Eesti Energia and the Oil Shale company, which it plans to
privatize in the next two years. The growing current account deficit,
which stood at nearly 10% of GDP at yearend 1997, remains a serious
concern. In 1998, GDP is expected to grow by 5.5% and inflation to
fall 10%.
GDP: purchasing power parity-$9.34 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate: 10% (1997 est.)
GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$6,450 (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.1%
industry: 24.9%
services: 68% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate-consumer price index: 11.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
total: 785,000 (1996 est.)
by occupation: industry and construction 42%, agriculture and forestry
20%, other 38% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $214
million (1996 est.)
Industries: oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors,
excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes,
apparel
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Electricity-capacity: 3.287 million kW (1995)
Electricity-production: 8.083 billion kWh (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita: 4,355 kWh (1995)
Agriculture-products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and
dairy products; fish
Exports:
total value: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: textiles 16%, food products 16%, machinery and equipment
16%, metals 9% (1995)
partners: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Germany, Latvia (1995)
Imports:
total value: $3.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities: machinery and equipment 29%, foodstuffs 14%, minerals
13%, textiles 13%, metals 12% (1995)
partners: Finland, Russia, Sweden, Germany (1995)
Debt-external: $270 million (January 1996)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $147 million (1993)
note: Western commitments $285 million (including international
financial institutions)
Currency: 1 Estonian kroon (EEK) = 100 cents (introduced in August
1992)
Exchange rates: krooni (EEK) per US$1-14.527 (January 1998), 13.882
(1997), 12.034 (1996), 11.465 (1995), 12.991 (1994), 13.223 (1993);
note-krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8
to 1
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 400,000 (1994 est.)