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 (Southern),
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 is 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 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]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
(signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS (observer), MIGA,
NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam
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
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, 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 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 also opened a free trade zone at the port of Massawa
in 2008. 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):
$3.954 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
$3.876 billion (2007 est.)
$3.838 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.479 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
1% (2007 est.)
-1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
$700 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 17.4%
industry: 23.2%
services: 59.4% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
NA
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):
20.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Budget:
revenues: $234.6 million
expenditures: $523.3 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
17% (2007 est.)
Stock of money:
$896.2 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
$749.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.053 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 94
$932.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.851 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 94
$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:
2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Electricity - production:
271 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
Electricity - consumption:
228 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Oil - imports:
4,790 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 62
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Current account balance:
-$229 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
-$203 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$13 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
$12 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Exports - partners:
Itlay 25.3%, Sudan 17.2%, China 15.8%, India 8.8%, France 6.7%,
Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Russia 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$601 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
$580 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
India 28.5%, Saudi Arabia 17.8%, Italy 10.9%, China 8.5%, US 4.4%,
Germany 4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$24 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
$34 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$311 million (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Exchange rates:
nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 15.38 (2008 est.), 15.5 (2007), 15.4
(2006), 14.5 (2005), 13.788 (2004)
note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar
Communications ::Eritrea
Telephones - main lines in use:
40,400 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 169
Telephones - mobile cellular:
108,600 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 181
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; combined fixed-line and mobile
cellular subscribership is only about 3 per 100 persons (2008)
domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is
seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
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)
country comparison to the world: 156
Internet users:
200,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 135
Transportation ::Eritrea
Airports:
14 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 147
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
country comparison to the world: 121
narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 4,010 km
country comparison to the world: 157
paved: 874 km
unpaved: 3,136 km (2000)
Merchant marine:
total: 5
country comparison to the world: 131
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 (2008)
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: 1,108,836
females age 16-49: 1,096,120 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 834,018
females age 16-49: 887,495 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 62,265
female: 62,328 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
6.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
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; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and
Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary
Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in
2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced
force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting eastern
Sudanese rebel groups
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 32,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are
near the central border region) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Estonia (Europe)
Introduction ::Estonia
Background:
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,
Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into
the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it
regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to
promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined
both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Geography ::Estonia
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: 45,228 sq km
country comparison to the world: 132
land: 42,388 sq km
water: 2,840 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 343 km, Russia 290 km
Coastline:
3,794 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
neighboring states
Climate:
maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Terrain:
marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m
Natural resources:
oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,
arable land, sea mud
Land use:
arable land: 12.05%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 87.6% (2005)
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
21.1 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.41 cu km/yr (56%/39%/5%)
per capita: 1,060 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Environment - current issues:
air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants
in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air
have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in
1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to water bodies
in 2000 was one-20th the level of 1980; in connection with the
start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of
wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and
manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be
monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie
more than 1,500 islands
People ::Estonia
Population:
1,299,371 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.9% (male 99,748/female 94,051)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 417,816/female 459,246)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 75,486/female 153,024) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.9 years
male: 36.5 years
female: 43.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.632% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 229
Birth rate:
10.37 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Death rate:
13.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Net migration rate:
-3.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Urbanization:
urban population: 69% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 167
male: 8.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.82 years
country comparison to the world: 113
male: 67.45 years
female: 78.53 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.42 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.3% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,900 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease: tickborne encephalitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Estonian(s)
adjective: Estonian
Ethnic groups:
Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn
0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
(including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,
none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7%
(2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.8% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 15 years
female: 17 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 68
Government ::Estonia
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
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Tallinn
geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
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 (Kuressaare),
Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa
(Voru)
note: counties have the administrative center name following in
parentheses
Independence:
20 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was
the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the
Soviet Union
Constitution:
adopted 28 June 1992
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
cabinet: Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by
Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure
two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the
Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus
members of local councils) elects the president, choosing between
the two candidates with the largest number of votes; election last
held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011); prime
minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23
September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received
174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left
blank or invalid
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party
27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%,
Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian
Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian
People's Union 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chairman appointed for life by Parliament)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian
Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union
(Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond)
[Andrus ANSIP]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party
Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]
Political pressure groups and leaders: