How long Eritrea can sustain its stability is uncertain. Cracks are appearing as impoverished fighters vie for scarce resources with refugees and with rich returnees. Foreign remittances kept the struggle alive and are still essential to the economy but as market liberalization proceeds many Eritreans are beginning to question the value of their sacrifices. International investment has been slow and with a fast-growing population, unemployment is set to rocket. President Isiais Afwerki, EPLF's General Secretary.
Fighters are an important 'class' with a dialect of their own.
Official languages are Tigrinya, Arabic, English. Subsistence economy in rural areas. Even lower among women and nomads. Female circumcision widespread.