legislative body until country-wide elections are
held in 1997

Judicial branch: Judiciary

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and
Justice (PFDJ), ISAIAS Afworki, PETROS Solomon (the only party
recognized by the government)

Other political or pressure groups: Eritrean Islamic Jihad (EIJ);
Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF), ABDULLAH Muhammed; Eritrean
Liberation Front - United Organization (ELF-UO), Mohammed Said
NAWUD; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council (ELF-RC),
Ahmed NASSER

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO,
IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory
user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai
chancery: Suite 400, 910 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 429-1991
FAX: [1] (202) 429-9004

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert G. HOUDEK
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., Asmara
mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara
telephone: [291] (1) 120004
FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag: 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
-------

Economic overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 27 April
1993, Eritrea faces the bitter economic problems of a small,
desperately poor African country. Most of the population will
continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output is
substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad.
Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales
taxes. 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. For the time being,
Ethiopia will be largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign
trade.

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

GDP real growth rate: 10% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita: $570 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1995 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $