2015 Edition

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 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. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. 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. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominantly ethnic Tuareg rebel group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 ended the rebellion. 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.

Area

land

1,266,700 sq km

total

1.267 million sq km

water

300 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m

lowest point

Niger River 200 m

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

70.53 cu m/yr (2005)

total

0.98 cu km/yr (30%/3%/67%)

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 8 00 E

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

Irrigated land

736.6 sq km (2005)

Land boundaries

border countries (7)

Algeria 951 km, Benin 277 km, Burkina Faso 622 km, Chad 1,196 km, Libya 342 km, Mali 838 km, Nigeria 1,608 km

total

5,834 km

Land use

arable land 12.3%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 22.7%

agricultural land

35.1%

forest

1%

other

63.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts

Natural resources

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

Terrain

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Total renewable water resources

33.65 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

49.57% (male 4,512,526/female 4,431,944)

15-24 years

18.61% (male 1,658,537/female 1,699,924)

25-54 years

25.92% (male 2,336,655/female 2,341,599)

55-64 years

3.26% (male 305,363/female 283,647)

65 years and over

2.64% (male 242,025/female 233,509) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

45.45 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

43% (2006 est.)

total number

1,557,913

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

37.9% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

13.9% (2012)

Death rate

12.42 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5%

potential support ratio

18.2% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

113%

youth dependency ratio

107.5%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 48.6% of population

total: 58.2% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 51.4% of population

total: 41.8% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2012)

Ethnic groups

Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Health expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.49% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,400 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

40,500 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.31 beds/1,000 population (2005)

Infant mortality rate

female

79.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

89.12 deaths/1,000 live births

total

84.59 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Life expectancy at birth

female

56.39 years (2015 est.)

male

53.9 years

total population

55.13 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

11% (2015 est.)

male

27.3%

total population

19.1%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

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 (2013)

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

NIAMEY (capital) 1.09 million (2015)

Median age

female

15.3 years (2015 est.)

male

15.1 years

total

15.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Nigerien

noun

Nigerien(s)

Net migration rate

-0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.7% (2014)

Physicians density

0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

18,045,729 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

3.25% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 37.9% of population

rural: 4.6% of population

total: 10.9% of population

urban: 62.1% of population

rural: 95.4% of population

total: 89.1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

5 years (2012)

male

6 years

total

5 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.98 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.04 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.76 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

5.14% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

18.7% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

7 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 31 N, 2 07 E

name

Niamey

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010 (2014)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Niger

conventional short form

Niger

local long form

Republique du Niger

local short form

Niger

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK (since 12 September 2014)

embassy

BP 11201, Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey

FAX

[227] 20-73-55-60

mailing address

2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC 20521-2420

telephone

[227] 20-73-31-69 or [227] 20-72-39-41

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Hassana ALIDOU (since 23 February 2015)

FAX

[1] (202) 483-3169

telephone

[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (since 7 April 2011)

election results

ISSOUFOU Mahamadou elected president; percent of vote in second round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (PNDS-Tarrayya) 58%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 42%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Brigi RAFINI (since 7 April 2011)

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

note

similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Government type

republic

Independence

3 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges); High Court of Justice (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office

Constitutional Court judges nominated/elected - 1 by the president of the Republic, 1 by the president of the National Assembly, 2 by peer judges, 2 by peer lawyers, 1 law professor by peers, and 1 from within Nigerien society; all appointed by the president; judges serve 6-year nonrenewable terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years; High Judicial Court members selected from among the legislature and judiciary; members serve 5-year terms

subordinate courts

Court of Cassation; Council of State; Court of Finances; various specialized tribunals and customary courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law (based on French civil law), Islamic law, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (113 seats; 105 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 8 directly elected in special single-seat constituencies for minorities by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 33%, MNSD-Nassara 21%, MODEN/FA-Lumana 20%, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 7.5%, RDP-Jama'a 6.5%, UDR-Tabbat 5.4%, CDS-Rahama 3.3%, UNI 1%; seats by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 37, MNSD-Nassara 26, MODEN/FA-Lumana 25, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 8, RDP-Jama'a 7, UDR-Tabbat 6, CDS-Rahama 3, UNI 1

elections

last held on 31 January 2011 (next to be held in 2016)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET

name

"La Nigerienne" (The Nigerien)

note

adopted 1961

National holiday

Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960

National symbol(s)

zebu; national colors: orange, white, green

Political parties and leaders

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]

National Movement for a Society of Development-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Seini OUMAROU]

National Union of Independents or UNI [Amadou DJIBO ALI]

Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moussa Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]

Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Hama AMADOU]

Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mohamed BAZOUM]

Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]

Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]

note

the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (manioc, tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Budget

expenditures

$2.807 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$1.761 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-12.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

3.5% (31 December 2014 est.)

3.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.448 billion (2014 est.)

-$1.174 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$2.851 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.313 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34 (2007)

50.5 (1995)

Economy - overview

Niger is a landlocked, sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes nearly 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for most of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the least developed country in the world in 2014 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding. Since 2011 public debt has increased in part from a large loan financing a new uranium mine. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity and kidnappings near its uranium mines and instability in Mali, and concerns about security have boosted fiscal spending on defense. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Niger has sizable reserves of oil and oil production. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in the agriculture sector, most notably irrigation. The mining sector may be affected by the government’s attempt to renegotiate extraction rights contracts to increase royalty rates and reduce tax exemptions. Despite Niger’s three-year $121 million IMF Extended Credit Facility agreement for years 2012-15, formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country’s limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness.

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

491.2 (2014 est.)

494.04 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

471.87 (2011 est.)

495.28 (2010)

Exports

$1.652 billion (2014 est.)

$1.56 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners

Nigeria 41.4%, France 30.3%, China 15.7%, Ghana 5.6% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

22.7%

government consumption

10.9%

household consumption

71%

imports of goods and services

-40.6%

investment in fixed capital

29.7%

investment in inventories

6.3%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

37.7%

industry

18.6%

services

43.7% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2014 est.)

$1,000 (2013 est.)

$900 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.9% (2014 est.)

4.6% (2013 est.)

11.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.025 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$17.94 billion (2014 est.)

$16.78 billion (2013 est.)

$16.04 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

20.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

22.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

21.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.5% (2007)

lowest 10%

3.7%

Imports

$2.269 billion (2014 est.)

$2.092 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners

China 13.5%, France 12.3%, Nigeria 8.3%, French Polynesia 8.1%, Togo 5.5%, Belgium 5.3%, India 4.7% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2014 est.)

Industries

uranium mining, petroleum, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.9% (2014 est.)

2.3% (2013 est.)

Labor force

5.8 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

90%

industry

6%

services

4% (1995)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

63% (1993 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.901 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.851 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$945.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$911 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.534 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.486 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2012 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.411 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

20,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

150 million bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

879 million kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

600 million kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

134,000 kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

300 million kWh (2011 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

5,770 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,136 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has only radio station with national coverage; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.ne

Internet users

percent of population

1.6% (2014 est.)

total

281,200

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains only about 30 per 100 persons despite a rapidly increasing cellular subscribership base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

general assessment

inadequate; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern Niger

international

country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

110,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

47 (2014 est.)

total

8.2 million

Television broadcast stations

5 (2007)

Airports

30 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

2,438 to 3,047 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

total

10

Airports - with unpaved runways

2 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

914 to 1,523 m

15

total

20

Heliports

1 (2013)

Roadways

paved

3,912 km

total

18,949 km

unpaved

15,037 km (2010)

Waterways

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

3,267,669 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

3,329,184

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

2,219,416 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,194,570

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

180,779 (2010 est.)

male

186,348

Military branches

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2012)

Military expenditures

1.06% of GDP (2012)

NA% (2011)

1.06% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the presumed legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2012)

Disputes - international

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved; 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; the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the ICJ in 2010

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

66,400 (unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2015)

refugees (country of origin)

105,583 (Nigeria); 52,332 (Mali) (2015)