President: The presidency rotates every eight months between a Serb, a Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) and a Croat. Prime minister: Vjekoslav Bevanda
Population
6,086,495
3,879,296
Life Expectancy
62.860 years
78.960 years
Capital City
Sarajevo
Largest city
Asmara (population: 563,930)
Sarajevo (population: 696,731)
Human Development Index
0.442
0.802
GDP per capita
$8,200 US
Literacy Rate
58.6%
96.7%
Corruption Perception Index
2.6
3.2
Percentage of Women in Parliament
22%
12.3%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
43.300%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
NA
Political System
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)
emerging federal democratic republic
Independence date
1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence completed 1 March 1992; independence declared 3 March 1992)
Religions
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%
Languages
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Exports
metals, clothing, wood products
External Debt
$10,540,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
konvertibilna markas (BAM) per US dollar - 1.3083 (2008 est.), 1.4419 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004) note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.400%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia
Area
117,600 km sq
51,197 km sq
Coastline
2,234 km
20 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
hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
