Part 265

National holiday: National Day (independence from Ethiopia), 24 May (1993)

Constitution: transitional "constitution" decreed 19 May 1993; the promulgation of a draft constitution is expected in 1998

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, to 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 1997) 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 pending new constitution) elections: 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF) and 75 directly elected members serve as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections are held in 1997

Judicial branch: Judiciary

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, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone : (202) 319-1991 FAX: (202) 319-1304

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador John HICKS embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., Asmara mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: (1) 120004 FAX : (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

Economy

Economy - overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April 1993, Eritrea faced the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population must continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output (GDP) is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Road construction is a top domestic priority. Shortages persist in housing, education, and health care. Eritrea has inherited the entire coastline of Ethiopia and has long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore oil, offshore fishing, and tourism. Ethiopia is largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign commerce.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $570 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19% industry: 18% services : 63% (1995 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8% (1995 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues : $214 million expenditures: $397 million, including capital expenditures of $78 million (1995 est.)

Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 73,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh