World Facts Index
 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 coup by military
officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought
Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004.
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.
Events have since evolved into a budding insurrection.
Geography of Niger
|
Location:
|
Western Africa, southeast
of Algeria |
|
Coordinates:
|
16 00 N, 8 00 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 1.267 million
sq km
water: 300 sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly less than twice
the size of Texas |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628
km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km |
|
Coastline:
|
0 km (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
highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
uranium, coal, iron ore,
tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum |
|
Natural hazards:
|
recurring droughts |
|
Environment current issues:
|
overgrazing; soil erosion;
deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant,
hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and
habitat destruction |
|
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
|
Population of Niger
|
Population:
|
13,272,679 (July 2008 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,994,022/female 2,882,273)
15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,262,114/female 3,083,522)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 150,982/female 152,181) |
|
Median age:
|
16.5 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
2.92% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
118.25 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 43.76 years
male: 43.8 years
female: 43.73 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
7.46 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: 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 |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs
and Christian |
|
Languages:
|
French (official), Hausa, Djerma |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 17.6%
male: 25.8%
female: 9.7%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger |
|
Government type:
|
republic |
|
Capital:
|
Niamey |
|
Administrative divisions:
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8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital
district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi,
Zinder |
|
Independence:
|
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 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on French civil law system and
customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
|
Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since
22 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Seyni OUMAROU (since 3 June 2007); appointed
by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for
a second term). |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded
from 83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal
or Cour d'Appel |
Economy
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near last on
the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It is a
landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops,
livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles,
desertification, and a 2.9% population growth rate, 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. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor
resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal,
and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last
few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for
as many as 2.5 million Nigeriens.
|
GDP:
|
$8.859 billion (2007 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
4.5% |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$700 |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 39%
industry: 17%
services: 44% |
|
Inflation rate:
|
0.2% |
|
Labor force:
|
70,000 receive regular wages or salaries |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%,
government 4% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $320 million - including $134 million
from foreign sources
expenditures: $320 million |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles,
food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses |
|
Agriculture:
|
cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum,
cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry |
|
Exports:
|
uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions |
|
Export partners:
|
France 46.3%, US 19.6%, Nigeria 19.5%, Switzerland 4.7% |
|
Imports:
|
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts,
petroleum, cereals |
|
Import partners:
|
France 15.2%, US 11.2%, French Polynesia 8.3%, Nigeria
7.2%, Italy 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.4%, China 4.7%, Germany 4.5%, Belgium 4.5% |
|
Currency:
|
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |