Niger
Country Guide

Explore Niger

Niger with its capital Niamey is located in Africa (Western Africa, southeast of Algeria). It covers some 1,267,001 square kilometers (slightly less than twice the size of Texas) with 19,245,300 citizens. French, Hausa and Kanuri are the common languages used in Niger (consider regional differences). Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali and Nigeria are bordering countries.

Niger is an arid, landlocked country of the Sahel with a population of 12 million. Niger's economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand.

Popular Destinations in Niger

Administrative regions of Niger

• Agadez
• Diffa
• Dosso Region
• Maradi
• Niamey
• Tahoua
• Tillaberi Region
• Zinder

About the country

The topography is predominately desert plains and sand dunes with flat to rolling plains in south as well as hills in north. The average density of population is about 15 per km². The climate in Niger can be described as desertmostly hot, dry, dusty, tropical in extreme south. Potential natural disasters are recurring droughts.

To reach someone Niger dial +227 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ne". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, D, E, F). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is XOF.

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.

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 allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. 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 Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 23)	1,267,000	sq km
Land (World Rank: 21)	1,266,700	sq km
Water (World Rank: 129)	300	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 79)	22.70	%
Comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Landborder
5834
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 16)	200	m
Highest point (World Rank: 124)	2,022	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 119)	35.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 93)	12.30	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 178)	0.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 79)	22.70	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 95)	1,000	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction - deforestation - desertification - giraffe - hippopotamus - overgrazing - soil erosion - wildlife populations (such as elephant
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Environmental Modification - Hazardous Wastes - Ozone Layer Protection - Wetlands
Agreement signed	Law of the Sea
Hazzards	recurring droughts
Location
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 60)	19,245,300
Deathrate (World Rank: 23)	1.18	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 1)	4.42	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 7)	3.19	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 89)	-0.05	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 1)	6.49	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 224)	15.30
Female (World Rank: 225)	15.50
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 40)	4,757,810
0 14 female (World Rank: 40)	4,674,440
15 24 male (World Rank: 57)	1,815,690
15 24 female (World Rank: 57)	1,860,230
25 54 male (World Rank: 69)	2,495,930
25 54 female (World Rank: 70)	2,501,360
55 64 male (World Rank: 87)	328,082
55 64 female (World Rank: 95)	304,030
65 x male (World Rank: 92)	259,046
65 x female (World Rank: 106)	248,735
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 6)	8.11	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 208)	56	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 209)	57	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 208)	55	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 182)	0.02
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 207)	10.90	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 175)	5.50	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 189)	58.20	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 165)	499,400,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 153)	1,072,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 70)	782,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 53)	96.10	%
Source renew (World Rank: 98)	4.50	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 78)	13,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 62)	150,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 93)	16,570	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 153)	13,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 88)	6,187	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 180)	2,465	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 116)	38	m³
Carbon footprint
900000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 21)	7	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 16)	4	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 110)	6	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 172)	-7	% of GDP
National symbol
zebu
National colours
white
Adjective
Nigerien
Noun
Nigerien(s)
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 allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. 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 Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 147)	20,390,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 41)	5.00	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 220)	1,100	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 7)	44.70	%
Source industry (World Rank: 178)	14.90	%
Source service (World Rank: 206)	40.30	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 69)	6,614,000
In poverty (World Rank: 31)	45.40	%
Products
Industries	- brick - cement - chemicals - food processing - petroleum - slaughterhouses - soap - textiles - uranium mining
Agriculture	- camels - cassava - cattle - cotton - cowpeas - donkeys - goats - horses - manioc - millet - peanuts - poultry - rice - sheep - sorghum - tapioca
Exports	- cowpeas - livestock - onions - uranium ore
Imports	- cereals - foodstuffs - machinery - parts - petroleum - vehicles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 139)	113,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 204)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 199)	53.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 137)	805,702
Population (World Rank: 219)	4.30	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 113)	10.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 104)	20.00
Heliports (World Rank: 102)	1.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 115)	18,949
Paved length (World Rank: 108)	3,912
Unpaved length (World Rank: 72)	15,037
Water
Total length (World Rank: 94)	300

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