Eritrea is Africa's newest country. It has a population of approximately 3 million and occupies the Red Sea coastal area directly north and east of Ethiopia.

Eritrea won its independence after a grueling 30 year independence war. Its government is politically progressive, semi-democratic, and dominated by the former Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) which is now called the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). A constitution is being ratified and implemented. Currently non-partisan elections are held for local officials and a policy of decentralized development and decision-making is being pursued.

Eritrea is a small semi-arid to arid country which is one of the poorest in the world with a per-capita annual Gross Domestic Product of only US$ 150 per person per year. Illiteracy is approximately 80%. Also 80% of the population is rural and living in a subsistence economy without electricity and without indoor running water. Over half of the school age population does not have access to schools. The life expectancy is about 50 years.

Eritrea is struggling to implement a government-regulated mixed economy development model with high growth rates and low levels of corruption. It is hoped that through good planning and regulation, personal sacrifice, and investments in infrastructure, Eritrea can obtain high economic growth rates that will help it climb out of poverty over the next 20 years. Recently, Eritrea has succeeded in attaining economic growth rates of 6% to 8% per year.

Page last updated: 2 March, 1998 by rvb