We report a novel short-length diode-pumped cw fiber laser with high output power at a wavelength of 2.8 mu m. The system combines continuous-wave diode pumping at 970 nm, a high doping concentration (5-mol. % ErF3) of the active fiber, and an annular geometry of the laser medium, an M-profile fiber. Output powers in excess of 1 W with a slope efficiency of 25% were obtained. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America. OCIS codes: 060.2280, 060.2320, 060.2390, 060.2410.