from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Niger
Introduction
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
Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic 16 00 N, 8 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 1.267 million sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - slightly less than twice the size of Texas
comparative:
Land total: 5,697 km
boundaries: 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 none (landlocked)
claims:
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 lowest point: Niger River 200 m
extremes: highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m
Natural uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold,
resources: molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
Land use: arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 88.56% (2005)
Irrigated 730 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural recurring droughts
hazards:
Environment - overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation;
current desertification; wildlife populations (such as
issues: elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened
because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world;
note: northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is
savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture
People
Population: 12,525,094 (July 2006 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)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 16.5 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 16.4 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.92% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 50.73 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 20.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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.)
Infant total: 118.25 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 122.29 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 114.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 43.76 years
expectancy at male: 43.8 years
birth: female: 43.73 years (2006 est.)
Total 7.46 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 1.2% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 70,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 4,800 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal
diseases: 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
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 17.6%
male: 25.8%
female: 9.7% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger
Government republic
type:
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 8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1
divisions: capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa,
Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22
branch: 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 unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note -
branch: 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 State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour
branch: d'Appel
Political Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
parties and [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
leaders: 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 Coalition Against a High Cost of Living [Nouhou ARZIKA]
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
organization IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
participation: 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 chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
representation d'Affaires Fatima Djibo SIDIKOU
in the US: chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
FAX: [1] (202)483-3169
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
representation embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
from the US: mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone: [227] 73 31 69
FAX: [227] 73 55 60
Flag three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white,
description: 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
Economy - Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world,
overview: 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.
GDP $11.59 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $3.432 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 7% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,000 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 39%
composition by industry: 17%
sector: services: 44% (2001)
Labor force: 70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in
the public sector (2002 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 90%
by occupation: industry: 6%
services: 4%
Unemployment NA%
rate:
Population 63% (1993 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 0.8%
income or highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 50.5 (1995)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 0.2% (2004 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from
foreign sources
expenditures: $320 million; including capital
expenditures of $178 million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava
products: (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys,
horses, poultry
Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food
processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial 5.1% (2003 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 230 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 263.9 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 50 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 5,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
commodities:
Exports - France 47.8%, Nigeria 21.4%, US 20.3% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum,
commodities: cereals
Imports - France 14.5%, US 10.7%, French Polynesia 7.5%, Nigeria
partners: 7.4%, Italy 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%,
Germany 4.5%, China 4.5% (2005)
Debt - $2.1 billion (2003 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $453.3 million (2003)
recipient:
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
(code): responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West
African States (BCEAO)
Currency code: XOF
Exchange Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
rates: dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),
696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 24,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 299,900 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: small system of wire, radio
system: 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 AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 680,000 (1997)
Television 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 125,000 (1997)
Internet .ne
country code:
Internet 189 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 24,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 28 (2006)
Airports - total: 9
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 19
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 2 (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 none
terminals:
Military
Military Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN):
branches: Army, National Air Force (2005)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - two years (2004)
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 2,367,828
available for females age 18-49: 2,217,568 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,349,863
for military females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 129,045
reaching females age 18-49: 121,230 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $44.78 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.4% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant
international: dispute; 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 which also includes the Chad-Niger and
Niger-Nigeria boundaries