s, would consist of only six
provinces when the new constitution, then being drafted, became
effective in 1997; the new provinces, the names of which had not
been recommended by the US Board on Geographic Names for recognition
by the US Government, pending acceptable definition of the
boundaries, were: Anseba, Debub, Debubawi Keyih Bahri, Gash-Barka,
Maakel, and Semanawi Keyih Bahri; more recently, it has been
reported that these provinces have been redesignated regions and
renamed Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Anseba, Gash-Barka,
Southern, and Central

Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia; formerly the Eritrea
Autonomous Region)

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

Constitution: the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May
1993, was replaced by a new constitution that was promulgated in May
1997

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: NA; note--it seems likely that the final version of the
constitution would 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)
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)
elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
Constituent Assembly which had been established in 1997 to discuss
and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
serve as the country's legislative body until country-wide elections
to a National Assembly are held; only 75 members will be elected to
the National Assembly--the other 75 will be members of th