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.
Geography ::Niger
Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km
2
land:
1,266,700 sq km
water:
300 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)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Current Weather
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
overgrazing; soil
erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as
elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of
poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
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
65 years and over:
2.3% (male 165,264/female 206,508) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.2 years
male:
15 years
female:
15.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.66% (2010 est.)
Birth rate:
51.08 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Death rate:
14.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 16% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/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.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 114.5 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 3
male:
119.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
109.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.99 years
04
male:
51.75 years
female:
54.26 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.68 children born/woman (2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 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)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s)
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)
Religions:
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
Languages:
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
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: 4 years
male:
5 years
female:
3 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2006)
32
Government ::Niger
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
Independence:
3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution:
adopted 18 July 1999
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Salou
DJIBO, 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 (no
presidential election currently scheduled)
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group
chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
chancery:
2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
FAX:
[1] (202)483-3169
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
embassy:
Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address:
B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone:
[227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64
FAX:
[227] 20-73-31-67
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
note:similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
Economy ::Niger
Economy - overview:
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 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. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.45 billion (2009 est.)
46
$10.25 billion (2008 est.)
$9.358 billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.386 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2009 est.)
9.5% (2008 est.)
3.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2009 est.)
22
$700 (2008 est.)
$700 (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 39%
industry:
17%
services:
44% (2001)
Labor force:
4.688 million (2007)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry:
6%
services:
4% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
63% (1993 est.)
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)
2
Budget:
revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources)
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners:
France 16.9%, China 11%, Algeria 9.7%, Nigeria 7.5%, French Polynesia 6.6%, Belgium 4.3% (2008)
Debt - external:
$2.1 billion (2003 est.)
31
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere
Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.35 (2009), 447.81 (2008),
493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005)
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
Communications ::Niger
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2008)
86
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.677 million (2008)
31
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 only 13 per 100 persons with
cellular subscribership increasing rapidly from a small 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) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2007)
Internet country code:
.ne
Internet hosts:
253 (2009)
82
Internet users:
80,000 (2008)
60
Transportation ::Niger
Airports:
28 (2009)
20
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
1,524 to 2,437 m:
6
914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m:
2
914 to 1,523 m:
14
under 914 m:
2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 18,550 km
14
paved:
3,803 km
unpaved:
14,747 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km; (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2008)
Military ::Niger
Military branches:
Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2010)
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)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,202,237
females age 16-49:
3,151,521 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,104,378
females age 16-49:
2,129,985 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 177,985
female:
172,180 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
16
Transnational Issues ::Niger
Disputes - international:
Libya claims about 25,000 sq km 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
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Niger
is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women
trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; caste-based slavery
practices, rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships, continue in
isolated areas of the country - an estimated 8,800 to 43,000 Nigeriens
live under conditions of traditional slavery; children are trafficked
within Niger for forced begging, forced labor in gold mines, domestic
servitude, sexual exploitation, and possibly for forced labor in
agriculture and stone quarries; women and children from neighboring
states are trafficked to and through Niger for domestic servitude,
sexual exploitation, forced labor in mines and on farms, and as
mechanics and welders
tier rating:
Tier
3 - the Government of Niger does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making any
significant efforts to do so; the government demonstrated marginal
efforts to combat human trafficking, including traditional slavery,
during the last year (2009)
