Country name
conventional long form:
State of Eritrea
conventional short form:
Eritrea
local long form:
Hagere Ertra
local short form:
Ertra
former:
Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Data code
ER
Government type
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 Peoples' 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
National capital
Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Administrative divisions
8 provinces (singular - awraja); Akele Guzay, Barka, Denkel, Hamasen,
Sahil, Semhar, Senhit, Seraye
note:
in May 1995 the National Assembly adopted a resolution stating that
the administrative structure of Eritrea, which had been established by former
colonial powers, would consist of only six provinces when the new constitution,
then being drafted, would go into effect some time in 1998; the new provinces,
the names of which had not been recommended by the US Board on Geographic
Names for recognition by the US government, pending acceptable definition
of the boundaries, were: Anseba, Debub, Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Gash-Barka,
Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri; more recently, it has been reported that
these provinces have been redesignated regions and renamed Southern Red Sea,
Northern Red Sea, Anseba, Gash-Barka, Southern, and Central
Independence
27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea Autonomous Region)
National holiday
National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)
Constitution
the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
by a new constitution that was promulgated in May 1997
Legal system
NA
Suffrage
NA; note - the transitional constitution of 19 May 1993 did not provide
rules for suffrage, but it seems likely that the final version of the constitution,
which may be promulgated some time in 1998, will follow the example set in
the referendum of 1993 and extend suffrage to all persons 18 years of age
or older
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
head of government:
President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is
both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
State Council is the collective executive authority
note:
the president is head of the State Council and National Assembly
elections:
president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June
1993 (next to be held NA)
election results:
ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote
- ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)
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 country-wide elections to
a National Assembly are held in 1998; only 75 members will be elected to the
National Assembly - the other 75 will be members of the Central Committee
of the PFDJ
Judicial branch
Judiciary the Supreme Court; 10 provincial courts; 29 district courts
Political parties and leaders
People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized
by the government [ISAIAS Afworki, PETROS Solomon]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH
Muhammed]; Eritrean Liberation Front-United Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed
Said NAWUD]; Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed
NASSER]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGAD, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission:
Ambassador Semere RUSSOM
chancery:
1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 319-1991
FAX:
[1] (202) 319-1304
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate William CLARK
embassy:
Franklin D. Roosevelt 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
NOTE: The information regarding Eritrea on this page is re-published from the 1998 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Eritrea Government 1998 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Eritrea Government 1998 should be addressed to the CIA.