hnic groups:
ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:
Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy:
definition: NA
total population: 58.6%
male: 69.9%
female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

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

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 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 had been scheduled in December
2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:
Asmara

Administrative divisions:
6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern),
Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel
(Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence:
24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:
a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system:
primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;
new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

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
and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
note - the p