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]; Eritrean Liberation Front - Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC
[Ahmed NASSER]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador AMDEMICHAEL Berhane Khasai chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone : [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador John HICKS embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt St., Asmara mailing address: P.O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX : [291] (1) 127584
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 27 April 1993, Eritrea faced the bitter economic problems of a small, desperately poor African country. Most of the population must continue to depend on subsistence farming. Domestic output (GDP) is substantially augmented by worker remittances from abroad. Government revenues come from custom duties and income and sales taxes. Road construction is a top domestic priority. Shortages persist in housing, education, and health care. 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. Ethiopia is largely dependent on Eritrean ports for its foreign commerce.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1995 est.)