Eritrea - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Eritrea, it was the country name derives from the ancient Greek appellation "Erythra Thalassa" meaning Red Sea, which is the major water body bordering the country. The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); 'Anseba, Debub (South), Debubawi K'eyyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash-Barka, Ma'ikel (Central), Semienawi K'eyyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)
National symbols
Camel; national colors: green, red, blue.
The flag
The National flag of Eritrea has 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; green stands for the country's agriculture economy, red signifies the blood shed in the fight for freedom, and blue symbolizes the bounty of the sea; the wreath-olive branch symbol is similar to that on the first flag of Eritrea from 1952; the shape of the red triangle broadly mimics the shape of the country.
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note: one of several flags where a prominent component of the design reflects the shape of the country; other such flags are those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, and Vanuatu
The National Anthem
| Title | "Ertra, Ertra, Ertra" (Eritrea, Eritrea, Eritrea) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | SOLOMON Tsehaye Beraki/Isaac Abraham MEHAREZGI and ARON Tekle Tesfatsion |
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note: adopted 1993; upon independence from Ethiopia
More about the government of Eritrea
| Date of Independence | 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Independence Day, 24 May (1991) |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of civil, customary, and Islamic religious law |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Ratified by the Constituent Assembly 23 May 1997 (never implemented) |
| Amendments | Proposed by the president of Eritrea or by assent of at least one half of the National Assembly membership; passage requires at least an initial three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and, after one year, final passage by at least four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Eritrea |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 20 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 24 May 1993) |
| Head of government | President ISAIAS Afwerki (since 8 June 1993) |
| Cabinet | State Council appointed by the president |
| Elections/appointments | president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term), according to the constitution; the only election held was on 24 May 1993, following independence from Ethiopia (next postponed indefinitely) |
| Election results | 1993: ISAIAS Afwerki elected president by the transitional National Assembly; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afwerki (PFDJ) 95%, other 5% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) (150 seats; 75 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 75 members indirectly elected by the ruling party; members serve 5-year terms) |
| 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 countrywide elections to form a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely due to the war with Ethiopia, and as of 2023, no sitting legislative body exists |
| Election results | NA |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | High Court (consists of 20 judges and organized into civil, commercial, criminal, labor, administrative, and customary sections) |
| Judge selection and term of office | High Court judges appointed by the president |
| Subordinate courts | Regional/zonal courts; community courts; special courts; sharia courts (for issues dealing with Muslim marriage, inheritance, and family); military courts |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Berhane Gebrehiwet SOLOMON (since 15 March 2011) |
| Chancery | 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 319-1991 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 319-1304 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://us.embassyeritrea.org/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Leslie FRERIKSEN (since 18 July 2022) |
| Embassy | 179 Alaa Street, Asmara |
| Mailing address | 7170 Asmara Place, Washington DC 20521-7170 |
| Telephone | [291] (1) 12-00-04 |
| FAX | [291] (1) 12-75-84 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://er.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 1 (cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Asmara: A Modernist African City |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Eritrea
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Eritrea
Want to know more about Eritrea? Check all different factbooks for Eritrea below.
