; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of
Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on
27 April 1993

@Eritrea:People

Population: 3,589,687 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 781,169; female 770,497)
15-64 years: 54% (male 963,542; female 966,083)
65 years and over: 3% (male 55,811; female 52,585) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 6.35% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 43.96 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 15.26 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 34.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
note: it is estimated that between 200,000 and 350,000 Eritrean
refugees were still living in Sudan in mid-1997

Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 117.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.61 years
male: 48.85 years
female : 52.42 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.47 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Eritrean(s)
adjective: Eritrean

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

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Italian, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya,
minor tribal languages

@Eritrea:Government

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 pending
the promulgation of a constitution and popular elections

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