Map of Niger | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991 when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010 a military coup deposed TANDJA immediately suspended the constitution and dissolved the Cabinet and promised that elections would be held following a transitional period of unspecified duration. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007 the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ) and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 limited the rebels' operational capabilities.


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Location: Western Africa southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N 8 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1.267 million km²
Rank: 22
Land: 1,266,700 km²
Water: 300 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 5,697 km
Border countries: (7) Algeria 956 km; Benin 266 km; Burkina Faso 628 km; Chad 1175 km; Libya 354 km; Mali 821 km; Nigeria 1497 km

Coastline: 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Niger River 200 m
Extremes highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2022 m

Natural resources: uranium coal iron ore tin phosphates gold molybdenum gypsum salt petroleum

Land use
Arable land: 11.43%
Permanent crops: 0.01%
Other: 88.56% (2005)

Irrigated land: 730 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 33.7 km³ (2003)

Natural hazards: recurring droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert southern one-fifth is savanna suitable for livestock and limited agriculture


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Population: 15,878,271 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 62
Growth rate: 3.66% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 1
Below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Nigerien
Adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups: Haoussa 55.4% Djerma Sonrai 21% Tuareg 9.3% Peuhl 8.5% Kanouri Manga 4.7% other 1.2% (2001 census)

Languages: French (official) Hausa Djerma

Religions: Muslim 80% other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 49.6%
15-64 years: 48% (male 3,658,361/female 3,690,373)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 159,984/female 198,481) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 15.2 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15.4 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.66% (2010 est.)
Rank: 1

Birth rate: 51.08 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 1

Death rate: 14.47 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 16

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 113

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 16% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current 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 Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Ozone Layer Protection Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 114.5 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 3
Male: 119.52 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 109.34 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.99 years
Rank: 204
Male: 51.75 years
Female: 54.26 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 1

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.8% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 57
People living with hivaids: 60,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 60
Deaths: 4,000 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 50

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 3.7% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 124

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 28.7%
Male: 42.9%
Female: 15.1% (2005 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 5 years
Male: 5 years
Female: 4 years (2009)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Niger
Conventional short form: Niger
Local long form: Republique du Niger
Local short form: Niger

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Niamey
Geographic coordinates: 13 31 N 2 07 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez Diffa Dosso Maradi Niamey* Tahoua Tillaberi Zinder

Dependent areas

Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960

Constitution: adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Djibo SALOU chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy and a leader of the military coup that deposed President Mamadou TANDJA on 18 February 2010
Head of government: Prime Minister Mahamadou DANDA (since 19 February 2010); appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president
Cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president (Cabinet dissolved following the 18 February 2010 coup)
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held on 4 December 2004; a presidential election to restore civilian rule is scheduled for 31 January 2011
Election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5% Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 76 RSD 15 RDP 7 PNA-Alouma 1 Alkalami 1 Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor 1 independents 12

Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU ECOWAS (suspended) Entente FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM ITSO ITU ITUC MONUSCO NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMIL UNMIS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WADB (regional) WAEMU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
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
In the us fax: [1] (202)483-3,169
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bisa WILLIAMS
From the us embassy: Rue Des Ambassades Niamey
From the us mailing address: B. P. 11,201 Niamey
From the us telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64
From the us fax: [227] 20-73-31-67

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top) white and green with a small orange disk centered in the white band; the orange band denotes the drier northern regions of the Sahara; white stands for purity and innocence; green symbolizes hope and the fertile and productive southern and western areas as well as the Niger River; the orange disc represents the sun and the sacrifices made by the people
Note: similar to the flag of India which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'La Nigerienne'
Lyricsmusic: Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET
Note: adopted 1961

National heritage


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Economy overview: Niger is a landlocked Sub-Saharan nation whose economy centers on subsistence crops livestock and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought desertification and strong population growth have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency the CFA franc and a common central bank the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000 Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care primary education HIV/AIDS prevention rural infrastructure and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005 Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. In 2010 the Niger economy was recovering from the effects of a 2009 drought that reduced grain and cowpea production and decimated livestock herds. The economy was also hurt when the international community cut off non-humanitarian aid in response to TANDJA's moves to extend his term as president. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil gold

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 148
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 101

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 224
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 39%
Industry: 17%
Services: 44% (2001)

Agriculture products: cowpeas cotton peanuts millet sorghum cassava (tapioca) rice; cattle sheep goats camels donkeys horses poultry

Industries: uranium mining cement brick soap textiles food processing chemicals slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2003 est.)
Rank: 62

Labor force: 4.688 million (2007)
Rank: 77
By occupation agriculture: 90%
By occupation industry: 6%
By occupation services: 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.3%
Highest 10: 35.7% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 50.5 (1995)
Rank: 21

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Rank: 10

Central bank discount rate: 4.75% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 96

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of narrow money: $617.9 million (31 December 2008)
Rank: 145

Stock of broad money: $844.6 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 164

Stock of domestic credit: $313.5 million (31 December 2008)
Rank: 158

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$321 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 99

Exports: $428 million (2006)
Rank: 170
Commodities: uranium ore livestock cowpeas onions
Partners: France 52.63% Nigeria 22.43% US 18.24% (2009)

Imports: $800 million (2006)
Rank: 177
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery vehicles and parts petroleum cereals
Partners: China 16.32% France 15.95% Netherlands 7.66% Algeria 7.15% French Polynesia 6.11% Nigeria 5.48% Cote d'Ivoire 4.15% US 4.05% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.1 billion (2003 est.)
Rank: 138

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 506.04 (2009) 447.81 (2008) 493.51 (2007) 522.59 (2006)
Note: since 1 January 1999 the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF) and vice versa even though the two currencies trade at par


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Electricity
Production: 150 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 181
Consumption: 589.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 157
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 450 million kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 154
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 128
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 148
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 110
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 114

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 65,000 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 155
Mobile cellular: 2.599 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 121

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate; small system of wire radio telephone communications and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains less than 20 per 100 persons despite a rapidly increasing cellular subscribership base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
International: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2009)

Broadcast media: state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; only national radio station with national reach is state-run; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ne
Hosts: 172 (2010)
Hosts rank: 198
Users: 115,900 (2009)
Users rank: 155

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 117

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 27 (2010)
Rank: 123
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 17
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 18,949 km
Rank: 113
Paved: 3,912 km
Unpaved: 15,037 km (2008)

Waterways: 300 km; (the Niger the only major river is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2008)
Rank: 94

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Libya claims about 25,000 km² in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary including tripoint with Nigeria remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs