Niger

Republic of NigerRepublique du Niger

republicIndependence 3 August 1960 (from France)

Niger as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNiamey, UTC+1

Position16 00 N, 8 00 E

Area1.267 million sq km

LocationWestern Africa, southeast of Algeria

Populationas each edition published it

12.53 million July 2006 est. · 7.97m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.92% 2006 est. · 3.49% in 1993

Median ageyears

16.5 years 2006 est. · 16.1 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

43.76 years 2006 est. · 44.15 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7.46 children per woman 2006 est. · 7.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

118.25 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 131 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,000 2005 est. · $290 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

7% 2005 est. · 1.9% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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 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.

Geography

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

18 fields

Land use(2005)

arable land 11.43%permanent crops 0.01%other 88.56% (2005)irrigated 730 sq km (2003)

Area

1.267million sq km

land: 1,266,700 sq kmwater: 300 sq kmslightly less than twice the size of Texas

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

2,022m

Mont Bagzanelowest point: Niger River 200 m

Land boundaries

5,697km

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

Location

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references

Africa

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

Natural resources

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, 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

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

People

20 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

150,982

65 and over2.4%

152,181

3,262,114

15-6450.7%

3,083,522

2,994,022

0-1446.9%

2,882,273

MaleFemale

Population

12,525,094

(July 2006 est.)growth rate: 2.92% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth

50.73Death

20.91Net migration

-0.61

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)43.76

43.8 · 43.73Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)118.25

122.29 · 114.1

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)17.6%

25.8% · 9.7%Median age years (2006 est.)16.5

16.5 · 16.4

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.2%

(2003 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.99 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

7.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

70,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:: very high
food or waterborne diseases:: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:: malaria is a high risk in some locations
respiratory disease:: meningococcal meningitis (2005)

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

Government

Republic; President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

65.5%

Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)

National Assembly, 113 seats, elected 4 December 2004one dot, one seat

MNSD 47CDS 22PNDS 25RSD 7RDP 6ANDP 5PSDN 1

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

new 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:: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government;
Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was 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);
second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results:: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections:: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 25, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1

Judicial branch

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

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'a [Sanousi JACKOU];
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU];
Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI];
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

Coalition Against a High Cost of Living [Nouhou ARZIKA]

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Aminata Maiga Djibrilla 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] 73 31 69
FAX:: [227] 73 55 60

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

Economy

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development.

38 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$11.59billion

(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $3.432 billion (2005 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,000

(2005 est.)

Real growth rate

(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 5.1% (2003 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

0.2%

(2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2001)

agriculture 39%industry 17%services 44% (2001)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

47.8%

France

14.5%

21.4%

Nigeria

7.4%

20.3%

10.7%

French Polynesia

7.5%

Italy

6.7%

Cote d'Ivoire

5.1%

Belgium

4.6%

Germany

4.5%

China

4.5%

Exports $222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues

$320 millionExpenditures

$320 million (2002 est.)

revenues - including $134 million from foreign sources · expenditures including capital expenditures of $178 million

Electricity

Electricity production

230 million (2003)Electricity consumption

263.9 million (2003)Electricity imports

50 million (2003)

Economy - overview

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 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, a 2.9% population growth rate, and the drop in world demand for uranium 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, it was announced that Niger had received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately $86 million USD 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 recovered somewhat in the last few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million Nigerians.

Labor force

70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:: 90%
industry:: 6%
services:: 4%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Population below poverty line

63% (1993 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.5 (1995)

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

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

5,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Exports

$222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Imports

$588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Debt - external

$2.1 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$453.3 million (2003)

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

299,900

(2005)

Internet users

189

(2006)

Fixed lines

24,000

(2005) · country code .ne

Telephone system

general assessment:: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
domestic:: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; 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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Internet users

24,000 (2005)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

under 914 m

914 to 1,523 m

Paved 9Unpaved 19

Networkskm

Roadways

10,100Waterways

300 (2005)

Roadways: paved: 798 km · unpaved: 9,302 km (1999) · Waterways: (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March)

Airports

28 (2006)

Roadways

total:: 10,100 km
paved:: 798 km
unpaved:: 9,302 km (1999)

Waterways

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2005)

Ports and terminals

none

Military

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, National Air Force (2005)

6 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4%

(2005 est.)

males age 18-49:: 2,367,828
females age 18-49:: 2,217,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:: 1,349,863
females age 18-49:: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:: 129,045
females age 18-49:: 121,230 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues