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)
republic
Independence date
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%
Languages
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)
Exports
pig iron, unwrought copper, nonferrous metals, diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy
External Debt
$7,336,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
drams (AMD) per US dollar - 303.93 (2008 est.), 344.06 (2007), 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
6
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Area
117,600 km sq
29,743 km sq
Coastline
2,234 km
0 km
Climate
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
