republic; executive branch dominates government structure
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; 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)
Independence date
20 July 1810 (from Spain)
Religions
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Languages
Spanish
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - 2,302.9 (2008 est.), 2,013.8 (2007), 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Area
1,138,910 km sq
117,600 km sq
Coastline
3,208 km
2,234 km
Climate
tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands
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
