Statistical information Niger 1999

Niger in the World
Niger - Introduction 1999
top of pageBackground: Not until 1993 33 years after independence from France did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule in December 1999.
top of pageLocation: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 1.267 million km²
Land: 1,266,700 km²
Water: 300 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundariesTotal: 5,697 km
Border countries: (7) Algeria 956 km;
, Benin 266 km;
, Burkina Faso 628 km;
, Chad 1,175 km;
, Libya 354 km;
, Mali 821 km;
, Nigeria 1,497 kmCoastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Niger River 200 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m
Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
Land useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 7%
Forests and woodland: 2%
Other: 88% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 660 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: recurring droughts
GeographyNote: landlocked
top of pagePopulation: 9,962,242 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.95% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: Nigerien(s)
Adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 48% (male 2,445,536; female 2,346,844)
15-64 years: 50% (male 2,421,971; female 2,518,248)
65 years and over: 2% (male 121,253; female 108,390) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.95% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 52.31 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 22.78 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 112.79 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 41.96 years
Male: 42.22 years
Female: 41.7 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 13.6%
Male: 20.9%
Female: 6.6% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Niger
Conventional short form: Niger
Local long form: Republique du Niger
Local short form: Niger
Government type: republic
Capital: Niamey
Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular_departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district; Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Dependent areasIndependence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note_the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note_Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was appointed prime minister by the president but does not exercise any executive authority and is only the implementor of the president's programs; the president is both chief of state and head of government
Note: President Ibrahim BARE was assasinated on the 9 April 1999
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 7-8 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note_Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996
Election results: percent of vote_Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%
Legislative branch: two-chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83 seats (members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); selection process for second chamber not established
Elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2
Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
In the us chancery: 2,204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 483-4,224 through 4,227
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL
From the us embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
From the us mailing address: B. P. 11,201, Niamey
From the us telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64
From the us FAX: [227] 73 31 67
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank. Short-term prospects depend largely on upcoming negotiations on debt relief and extended aid.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $970 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 40%
Industry: 18%
Services: 42% (1997)
Agriculture products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Industries: cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries
By occupation agriculture: 90%
By occupation industry and commerce: 6%
By occupation government: 4%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $370 million (including $160 million from foreign sources)
Expenditures: $370 million, including capital expenditures of $186 million (1998 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $269 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Commodities: uranium ore 50%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions (1996 est.)
Partners: Greece 21%, Canada 18%, France 12%, Nigeria 7% (1996 est.)
Imports: $295 million (c.i.f., 1997)
Commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Partners: France 17%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, Nigeria (1996 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $1.2 billion (1998 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1_560.01 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 170 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 365 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 195 million kWh (1996)
Imports note: imports electricity from Nigeria
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaNiger - Communication 1999
top of pageTelephones: 14,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: small system of wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area
Domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $20 million (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 1.1% (FY96/97)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsNiger - Transportation 1999
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 27 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 18
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterways: Niger river is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsNiger - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: Libya claims about 19,400 km² in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs