e Central
Committee of the PFDJ

Judicial branch: the Supreme Court; 10 provincial courts; 29
district courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and
Afworki, PETROS Solomon]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or
NAWUD]; Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador SEMERE Russom
chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William CLARK
embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara

Flag description: 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

Economy--overview: With independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993,
Eritrea faced the bitter economic problem of a small, desperately
poor African country. The economy is largely based on subsistence
agriculture, with over 70% of the population involved in farming and
herding. The small industrial sector consists mainly of light
industries with outmoded technologies. Domestic output (GDP) is
substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad.
Government revenues come from custom duties and taxes on income and
sales. Road construction is a top domestic priority. Eritrea has
long-term prospects for revenues from the development of offshore
oil, offshore fishing, and tourism. Eritrea's economic future
depends on its ability to master fundamental social and economic
problems, e.g., overcoming illiteracy, promoting job creation,
expanding technical training, attracting foreign investment, and
streamlining the bureaucracy. The most immediate threat to the
economy, however, is the possible expansion of the armed conflict
with Ethiopia.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.5 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$660 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by se