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 sometime in 1998; the new provinces, which have not been
recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for recognition by the
US government, pending acceptable definition of the boundaries, are:
Anseba, Debub, Debubawi, Gash-Barka, Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri

Independence: 27 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea
Autonomous Region)

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]; Eritr