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)
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
15 August 1971 (from UK)
Religions
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Muslim (Shia and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census)
Languages
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Exports
petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles
External Debt
$14,930,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Bahraini dinars (BHD) per US dollar - 0.376 (2008 est.), 0.376 (2007), 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia
Area
117,600 km sq
760 km sq
Coastline
2,234 km
161 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
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
