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| Geography |
| 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. |
| Location: | Western Africa, southeast of Algeria |
| Geographic coordinates: | 16 00 N, 8 00 E |
| Area: | total: 1.267 million sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km
water: 300 sq kmSize comparison: 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: | 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, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum |
| Land use: | arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 88.56% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 730 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | recurring droughts |
| Current Environment Issues: | overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People |
| Population: | 13,272,679 (July 2008 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 47% (male 3,174,834/female 3,057,003)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 3,450,393/female 3,267,496)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 159,945/female 163,008) (2008 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 16.4 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.4 years (2008 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.878% (2008 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 49.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Death rate: | 20.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 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: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 115.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 119.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 111.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 44.28 years
male: 44.3 years
female: 44.26 years (2008 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 7.29 children born/woman (2008 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.2% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 70,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 4,800 (2003 est.) |
| 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.) |
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| Government |
| 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)
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); second round of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
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 4 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 47, PNDS 25, CDS 22, 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: | The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | 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] 20-73-31-69
FAX: [227] 20-73-55-60 |
| 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); second round of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5% |
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| 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 (purchasing power parity): | $8.902 billion (2007 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $4.174 billion (2007 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.2% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $700 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 39%
industry: 17%
services: 44% (2001) |
| Labor force: | 70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (1995) |
| 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%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1995) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 50.5 (1995) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 0.1% (2007 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources)
expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.) |
| Public debt: | |
| 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.) |
| Electricity - production: | 234.1 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 437.7 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports: | 220 million kWh (2005) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 5,450 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil - imports: | 5,412 bbl/day (2004) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | NA bbl |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$321 million (2007 est.) |
| Exports: | $428 million f.o.b. (2006) |
| Exports - commodities: | uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions |
| Exports - partners: | France 50.3%, Nigeria 23.3%, Russia 13.8% (2006) |
| Imports: | $800 million f.o.b. (2006) |
| Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals |
| Imports - partners: | France 15.4%, French Polynesia 8.5%, Nigeria 8.3%, Belgium 8.3%, US 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.5% (2006) |
| Debt - external: | $2.1 billion (2003 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Exchange rates: | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 24,000 (2005) |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 900,000 (2007) |
| 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 is less than 3 per 100 persons; 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: | 5 (2007) |
| Internet country code: | .ne |
| Internet hosts: | 200 (2007) |
| Internet users: | 40,000 (2006) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 28 (2007) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
| Roadways: | total: 18,423 km
paved: 3,797 km
unpaved: 14,626 km (2005) |
| Waterways: | 300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2005) |
| Ports and terminals: | |
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| Military |
|
| Military branches: | Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger Air Force (2008) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2006) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,871,868
females age 16-49: 2,696,966 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,665,108
females age 16-49: 1,548,965 (2008 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.3% (2006) |
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