The head of a U.N. human rights inquiry into Eritrea said an estimated 300,000-400,000 people had been enslaved over the past 25 years in Eritrea’s system of indefinite “national service”. He also said he believed Eritrea was still operating a shoot-to-kill policy on its borders to stop people fleeing from the country, many of them heading to Europe as refugees.
Did You Know?
Eritrea won independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after a 30-year war.
Bordered by Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti, it occupies a strategic area in the Horn of Africa but remains one of the most secretive states in the world.
Eritrea is a one-party state, and its 1997 constitution – which provided for the existence of multi-party politics – has never been fully implemented.
Prolonged periods of conflict and severe drought have adversely affected Eritrea’s agriculture-based economy and it remains one of the poorest countries in Africa.
Major languages: Tigrinya, Tigre, Arabic, English
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 60 years (men), 64 years (women)
Currency: Nakfa
Capital : Asmara
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