The 2005 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

male: 17.35 years

       female: 17.73 years (2005 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       2.51% (2005 est.)

      Birth rate:

       38.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Death rate:

       13.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

       note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from

       Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations

       between the two countries in 2000 (2005 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 74.87 deaths/1,000 live births

       male: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 58.47 years

       male: 56.96 years

       female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       2.7% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       60,000 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       6,300 (2003 est.)

      Major infectious diseases:

       degree of risk: high

       food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and

       typhoid fever

       vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2004)

      Nationality:

       noun: Eritrean(s)

       adjective: Eritrean

      Ethnic groups:

       ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea

       coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

      Religions:

       Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

      Languages:

       Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

      Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

      Government Eritrea

      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

      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 People's 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; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,

       did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential

       elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December

       2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal

       party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

      Capital:

       Asmara

      Administrative divisions:

       6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern),

       Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel

       (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

      Independence:

       24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

      National holiday:

       Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

      Constitution:

       a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced

       by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

      Legal system:

       primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;

       new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been

       promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted

       laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal

      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

       and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

       head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);

       note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

       government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly

       cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;

       members appointed by the president

       elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last

       held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National

       Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as

       anticipated)

       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, that 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 countrywide elections

       to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of

       the Transitional National Assembly