STATISTICS: Eritrea


Eritrea

15.4% —or about 1,554,000 hectares—of Eritrea is forested.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Eritrea lost an average of 4,500 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 0.28%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change increased by 0.6% to 0.28% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Eritrea lost 4.1% of its forest cover, or around 67,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Eritrea lost 4.3% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Eritrea has some 704 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.0% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.1% are threatened. 0.0% of Eritrea is protected under IUCN categories I-V.






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Eritrea: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)10,100,000
Total Forest Area (ha)1,554,000
Percent Forest Cover15.39%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)-
Primary Forest, % total forest-
Primary Forest, % total land-
Other wooded land (ha)7,257,000


Eritrea : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)100%
Subtropical (% forest area)0%
Temperate (% forest area)0%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


Eritrea: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)--
Modified natural (ha | %)1,526,00098.2%
Semi-natural (ha | %)--
Production plantation (ha | %)14,0000.9%
Production plantation (ha | %)14,0000.9%


Eritrea: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)1,621,000
Forest 2000 (ha)1,576,000
Forest 2005 (ha)1,554,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(4,500)-0.28%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(4,400)-0.28%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(67,000)-4.13%
Change in rate (%)0.57%
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)-
Primary 2000 (ha)-
Primary 2005 (ha)-
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)--
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)--
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)--
Change in rate (%)-
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)7,569,000
Other 2000 (ha)7,361,000
Other 2005 (ha)7,257,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(20,800)-0.27%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(20,800)-0.28%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(312,000)-4.12%
Change in rate (%)2.83%
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)10,000
Other 2000 (ha)22,000
Other 2005 (ha)28,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)1,20012.00%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)1,2005.45%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)18,000180.00%
Change in rate (%)-54.55%
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)9,180,000
Other 2000 (ha)8,915,000
Other 2005 (ha)8,783,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(26,500)-0.29%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(26,400)-0.30%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(397,000)-4.32%
Change in rate (%)2.58%


Eritrea: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)-
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)-
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)0.00%


Eritrea: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)-
Private (%)-
Other (%)-
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)-
Private (%)-
Other (%)-
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)1.9%
Protection (%)0.9%
Conservation (%)4.9%
Social Services (%)-
Multiple Services (%)0.7%
None of Unknown (%)91.5%


Eritrea: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)-
Insects (ha)-
Diseases (ha)-
Other (ha)-


Eritrea: Protected areas
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20050
World Heritage sites, 20040
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land0.0%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land0.00%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 20044.26%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20040.00%


Eritrea: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species9
endemic species0
threatened species0
Birds
total species537
endemic species3
threatened species7
Mammals
total species70
endemic species0
threatened species9
Reptiles
total species88
endemic species4
threatened species6
Wildlife diversity
total species704
endemic species7
threatened species22


Eritrea: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species-
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered0
Endangered0
Vulnerable3
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total
Number endemic0
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened3


Eritrea: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)-
Below-ground biomass (M t)-
Dead wood (M t)-
Total (M t)-
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)-
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)-
Carbon in dead wood (M t)-
Carbon in litter (M t)-
Soil carbon (M t)-
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-2000-
2000-2005-
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-2000-
2000-2005-
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)2
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)2,549
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)2,551
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)-
Plant products 2005
Food (t)-
Fodder (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)-
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)-
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)-
Hides, skins and trophies (units)-
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)-
Bush meat (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)-
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)-
Wood fuel (US$)-
Non-wood forest products (US$)-
Total value (US$)-
Total value ($USD/ha)$-
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employed-


Eritrea : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production2,323
Imports-
Exports-
Consumption2,323
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production2
Imports-
Exports-
Consumption2
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production-
Imports1
Exports0
Consumption1
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production-
Imports15
Exports-
Consumption15
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports-
Exports-
Consumption0
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production-
Imports1
Exports-
Consumption1
Eritrea: Environment
Environment - current issuesdeforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Natural hazardsfrequent droughts; locust swarms


Eritrea: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 4.95%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 95.02% (2001)
Natural resourcesgold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish


Eritrea: Economy
Economy - overview:Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding down growth in 2002-05. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.
GDP - per capita$1,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)2% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productssorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 8.7%, industry: 26.3%, services: 65% (2005 est.)
Industries food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, salt, cement, commercial ship repair
Economic aid - recipient$77 million (1999)
Debt - external$311 million (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line (%)50% (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%


Eritrea: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)4,561,599
Population growth rate (%) (2005)2.51%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)37.6
Percent rural (2003)80.1%
Median age (years)total: 17.54 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)5.61 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%


Largest Cities in Eritrea

Cities and urban areas in Eritrea with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
AsmaraEritrea392500881400




 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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