2024 Edition Primary

Background

Nomadic peoples from the Saharan north and agriculturalists from the south settled present-day Niger. The Taureg kingdom of Takedda was one of the largest kingdoms in the north and played a prominent role in regional trade in the 14th century. In the south, the primary ethnic groups were the Songhai-Zarma in the west, the Hausa in the center, and the Kanuri in the east. When European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the region was an assemblage of disparate local kingdoms. In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River, and France began its conquest of what would become the colony of Niger.  France experienced determined local resistance -- particularly during the Tuareg uprising (1916-1917) -- but established a colonial administration in 1922. After achieving independence from France in 1960, Niger experienced single-party or military rule until 1991, when political pressure forced General Ali SAIBOU to allow multiparty elections. Political infighting and democratic backsliding led to coups in 1996 and 1999. In 1999, military officers restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and spearheaded a 2009 constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his presidential term. In 2010, military officers led another coup that deposed TANDJA. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in 2011 and reelected in 2016. In 2021, BAZOUM Mohamed won the presidential election, marking Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected president to another. Nonetheless, a military junta led by General Abdourahamane TIANI once again seized power in July 2023, detaining President BAZOUM and announcing the creation of a National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP).Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. It is ranked fourth to last in the world on the UN Development Program's Human Development Index of 2023/2024. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. In addition, Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict and terrorism 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

highest point

Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m

lowest point

Niger River 200 m

mean elevation

474 m

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

2,666 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

agricultural land

35.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 22.7% (2018 est.)

forest

1% (2018 est.)

other

63.9% (2018 est.)

Location

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Major aquifers

Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq kmnote - area varies by season and year to year

Major rivers (by length in km)

Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

recurring droughts

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

49.5% (male 6,567,460/female 6,463,877)

15-64 years

47.8% (male 6,146,355/female 6,451,574)

65 years and over

2.7% (2024 est.) (male 342,388/female 371,130)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

46.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

34.6% (2022)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

11% (2021)

Current health expenditure

6.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

80.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Niger has the highest total fertility rate (TFR) of any country in the world, averaging close to 7 children per woman in 2022. A slight decline in fertility over the last few decades has stalled. This leveling off of the high fertility rate is in large part a product of the continued desire for large families. In Niger, the TFR is lower than the desired fertility rate, which makes it unlikely that contraceptive use will increase. The high TFR sustains rapid population growth and a large youth population – almost 70% of the populace is under the age of 25, as of 2020. Gender inequality, including a lack of educational opportunities for women and early marriage and childbirth, also contributes to high population growth. Because of large family sizes, children are inheriting smaller and smaller parcels of land. The dependence of most Nigeriens on subsistence farming on increasingly small landholdings, coupled with declining rainfall and the resultant shrinkage of arable land, are all preventing food production from keeping up with population growth. For more than half a century, Niger's lack of economic development has led to steady net outmigration. In the 1960s, Nigeriens mainly migrated to coastal West African countries to work on a seasonal basis. Some headed to Libya and Algeria in the 1970s to work in the booming oil industry until its decline in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the principal destinations for Nigerien labor migrants have been West African countries, especially Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, while emigration to Europe and North America has remained modest. During the same period, Niger’s desert trade route town Agadez became a hub for West African and other Sub-Saharan migrants crossing the Sahara to North Africa and sometimes onward to Europe. More than 60,000 Malian refugees have fled to Niger since violence between Malian government troops and armed rebels began in early 2012. Ongoing attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, dating to 2013 in northern Nigeria and February 2015 in southeastern Niger, pushed tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees and Nigerien returnees across the border to Niger and displaced thousands of locals in Niger’s already impoverished Diffa region.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5

potential support ratio

20.1 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

105.4

youth dependency ratio

100.4

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 63.1% of population

improved: total

total: 68.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 95.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 36.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 31.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.2% of population

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Hausa 53.1%, Zarma/Songhai 21.2%, Tuareg 11%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.5%, Kanuri 5.9%, Gurma 0.8%, Arab 0.4%, Tubu 0.4%, other/unavailable 0.9% (2006 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

3.27 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

59.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

69.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

64.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Hausa, Zarma, French (official), Fufulde, Tamashek, Kanuri, Gurmancema, Tagdal

note

note: represents the most-spoken languages; Niger has 10 national languages: Arabic, Buduma, Fulfuldé, Guimancema, Hausa, Kanuri, Sonay-Zarma, Tamajaq, Tassawaq, and Tubu

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.5 years

male

59.3 years

total population

60.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

29% (2018)

male

45.8%

total population

37.3%

Major urban areas - population

1.437 million NIAMEY (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

441 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

15.6 years

male

14.9 years

total

15.2 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

18.5 years (2012 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Nigerien

noun

Nigerien(s)

Net migration rate

-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.5% (2016)

Physician density

0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

13,286,581 (2024 est.)

male

13,056,203

total

26,342,784

Population distribution

majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

3.66% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 95.5%, ethnic religionist 4.1%, Christian 0.3%, agnostics and other 0.1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 13.5% of population

improved: total

total: 24.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 81.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 86.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 75.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.1% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

6 years (2017)

male

7 years

total

6 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.92 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.1% (2020 est.)

male

13.7% (2020 est.)

total

7.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.64 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

according to tradition, the site was originally a fishing village named after a prominent local tree referred to as "nia niam"

geographic coordinates

13 31 N, 2 07 E

name

Niamey

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

unknown

Constitution

amendments

formerly proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; consideration of amendments requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires at least four-fifths majority vote; if disapproved, the proposed amendment is dropped or submitted to a referendum; constitutional articles on the form of government, the multiparty system, the separation of state and religion, disqualification of Assembly members, amendment procedures, and amnesty of participants in the 2010 coup cannot be amended; amended 2011, 2017

history

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

note

Note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the country's constitution

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Niger

conventional short form

Niger

etymology

named for the Niger River that passes through the southwest of the country; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir"

local long form

République du Niger

local short form

Niger

note

note: pronounced nee-zhair

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kathleen FITZGIBBON (since 2 December 2023)

email address and website

consulateniamey@state.govhttps://ne.usembassy.gov/

embassy

BP 11201, Niamey

FAX

[227] 20-73-55-60

mailing address

2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC  20521-2420

telephone

[227] 20-72-26-61

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Hassane IDI (since 3 August 2023)

email address and website

communication@embassyofniger.orghttp://www.embassyofniger.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 483-3169

telephone

[1] (202) 483-4224

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the CNSP; Cabinet previously appointed by the elected president

chief of state

President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) General Abdourahame TIANI (since 28 July 2023)

election results

2020/2021: Mohamed BAZOUM elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed BAZOUM (PNDS-Tarrayya) 39.3%, Mahamane OUSMANE (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 9%, Albade ABOUDA (MPR-Jamhuriya) 7.1%, other 27.6%; percent of vote in second round - Mohamed BAZOUM 55.7%, Mahamane OUSMANE 44.3%2016: ISSOUFOU Mahamadou reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (PNDS-Tarrayya) 48.6%, Hama AMADOU (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17.8%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 11.3%, other 22.3%; percent of vote in second round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou 92%, Hama AMADOU 8%

elections/appointments

the CNSP rules by decree; previously, the president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27 December 2020 with a runoff held on 21 February 2021 (next election was to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly

head of government

CNSP Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine ZEINE (since 9 August 2023)

note

note: deposed president BAZOUM has been under house arrest since a military coup on 26 July 2023

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

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

Government type

formerly, semi-presidential republic

note

Note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved all government institutions, and rules by decree

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 (suspended), CD, 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), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSCA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

judge selection and term of office

formerly, 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

note

Note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the country's judicial system

subordinate courts

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

Legal system

note - following the 26 July 2023 military coup, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland assumed control of all government institutions and rules by decree; formerly, mixed legal system of civil law, based on French civil law, Islamic law, and customary law

Legislative branch

description

formerly the unicameral National Assembly (171 statutory seats - 166 currently; 158 members directly elected from 8 multi-member constituencies in 7 regions and Niamey by party-list proportional representation, 8 reserved for minorities elected in special single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 5 seats reserved for Nigeriens living abroad - 1 seat per continent - elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 37%, MODEN/FA Lumana 8.7%, MPR-Jamhuriya 7.6%, MNSD-Nassara 6.8%,  RDR-Tchanji 4.4%, CPR-Inganci 4.2%, MPN-Kishin Kassa 4%, PJP Generation Dubara 2.9%, ANDP Zaman Lahya 2.5%, RPP Farrilla 2.1%, ARD Adaltchi-Mutuntchi 1.7%, AMEN AMIN 1.4%, MDEN Falala 1.4%, other 15.3%; seats by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 79, MODEN/FA Lumana 19, MPR-Jamhuriya 14, MNSD-Nassara 13, CPR-Inganci 8, MPN-Kishin Kassa 6, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 3, RPP Farrilla 2, PJP Generation Dubara 2, ARD Adaltchi-Mutuntchi 2, AMEN AMIN 2, other 16; composition - men 115, women 51, percentage women 30.7%

elections

last held on 27 December 2020 (prior to the military coup, next elections were to be held in December 2025)

note

Note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the National Assembly

National anthem

lyrics/music

Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET

name

"La Nigerienne" (The Nigerien)

note

note: adopted 1961

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (n); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Historic Agadez (c)

total World Heritage Sites

3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)

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

Alliance for Democracy and the RepublicAlliance for Democratic Renewal or ARD-Adaltchi-Mutuntchi Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMINCongress for the Republic or CPR-InganciDemocratic Alternation for Equity in NigerDemocratic and Republican Renewal-RDR-TchanjiDemocratic Movement for the Emergence of Niger FalalaDemocratic Patriots' Rally or RPD BazaraNational Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-NassaraNigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman LahiyaNigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA LumanaNigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-TarrayyaNigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin KassaNigerien Rally for Democracy and PeacePatriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-JamhuriyaPeace, Justice, Progress–Generation DoubaraRally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'aRally for Peace and Progress or RPP FarillaSocial Democratic Rally or RSD-GaskiyyaSocial Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira

note

Note: after the 26 July 2023 military coup, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland dissolved the National Assembly and prohibited all political party activity 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

millet, cowpeas, sorghum, onions, milk, groundnuts, sugarcane, cabbages, cassava, potatoes (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$2.785 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$2.325 billion (2019 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B3 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$1.816 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.099 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$2.5 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$3.688 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income Sahel economy; major instability and humanitarian crises limit economic activity; COVID-19 eliminated recent antipoverty gains; economy rebounding since December 2020 Nigerian border reopening and new investments; uranium resource rich

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

585.911 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$1.338 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$1.487 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.376 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, oil seeds, radioactive chemicals, refined petroleum, uranium and thorium ore (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

UAE 69%, France 9%, China 9%, Nigeria 3%, Mali 2% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

8.8% (2023 est.)

government consumption

17.3% (2021 est.)

household consumption

72% (2021 est.)

imports of goods and services

-21.6% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

47.8% (2023 est.)

industry

20.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

26.9% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.819 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

32.9 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.8% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2020

$3.542 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$4.027 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$4.194 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

weapons parts and accessories, rice, aircraft, tobacco, iron pipes (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 22%, France 14%, Nigeria 8%, Germany 5%, UAE 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.84% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

4.23% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

10.237 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

40.8% (2018 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

45.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$38.851 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$43.474 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$44.561 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.38% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

11.9% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

2.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,500 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,600 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

2.37% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.15% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$1.186 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.314 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

0.82% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

0.55% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

0.55% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

0.8% (2023 est.)

male

0.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

0.8% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

674,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

58,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.722 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

2.454 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

457,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

3,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

457,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

90 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1.594 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

1.173 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

359,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

364.8 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

7.7%

electrification - total population

19.5% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

66.1%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

94.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

5.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

1.405 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

29.858 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

29.509 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

6,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.1 (2020 est.)

total

12,000 (2020 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

Internet country code

.ne

Internet users

percent of population

22% (2021 est.)

total

5.5 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line less than 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular at nearly 56 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Niger is one of the largest countries in West Africa but also one of the poorest in the world; as with many African markets, a lack of fixed telecoms infrastructure has led to growth in mobile services; Niger’s mobile penetration is modest compared to other countries in the region, while fixed broadband penetration is negligible; recent international investment to complete the Trans-Saharan Dorsal optical fiber (SDR) network has extended the reach of fiber infrastructure in the country, and also increased international capacity; new cables linking the country with Chad and Burkina Faso have extended Niger’s connectivity with international cable infrastructure (2022)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

58,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

56 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

14.239 million (2021 est.)

Airports

26 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5U

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

3

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

2,444 km oil (2024)

Roadways

paved

3,979 km

total

18,949 km

unpaved

14,969 km (2018)

Waterways

563 km (2024) (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March)

Military - note

the military seized control of the government in 2023; since its establishment in 1960-61, it has played a significant role in the country’s politics, attempting coups in 1974, 1996, 1999, 2010, and 2021, and ruling Niger for much of the period before 1999while the FAN is responsible for ensuring external security, most of its focus is on internal counterinsurgency/counterterrorism operations against terrorist groups operating in the areas bordering Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Nigeria, as well as much of northern Niger and the Diffa and Lake Chad regions; these groups include the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS), Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)since the 2010s, Niger has placed considerable emphasis on improving the effectiveness and mobility of its security forces for countering terrorism and protecting the country’s borders; with training support and material assistance from the US and the EU, each security service has created new units or reconfigured existing units with an emphasis on mobility, hybridization, and specialized training; the Army has established a special operations command, several special intervention battalions, and an anti-terrorism unit known as the 1st Expeditionary Force of Niger (EFoN); the National Gendarmerie has created mobile units modeled on European gendarmerie forces known as the Rapid Action Group—Surveillance and Response in the Sahel (Groupe d'action Rapides—Surveillance et Intervention au Sahel or GAR-SI Sahel); the National Guard (GNN) has established mobile Multipurpose Squadrons (Escadrons Polyvalentes de la Garde Nationale de Niger or EP-GNN), while the National Police have created Mobile Border Control Companies (Compagnie Mobile de Contrôle des Frontières or CMCF); Niger has also established training centers for special forces in Tillia and peacekeeping in Ouallam; meanwhile, the Air Force has received armed UAVs from Turkey (2024)

Military and security forces

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force, Niger Gendarmerie (GN)Ministry of Interior: Niger National Guard (GNN), National Police (2024)

note

note 1: the Gendarmerie (GN) and the National Guard (GNN) are paramilitary forces; the GN has primary responsibility for rural security while the GNN is responsible for domestic security and the protection of high-level officials and government buildings; the GNN in past years was known as the National Forces of Intervention and Security and the Republican Guardnote 2: the National Police includes the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance, which is charged with border management

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; estimated 30-35,000 active FAN troops; estimated 5-10,000 paramilitary Gendarmerie and National Guard personnel (2024)

note

note: in 2020, the Nigerien Government announced it intended to increase the size of the FAN to 50,000 by 2025 and 100,000 by 2030

Military deployments

Niger has committed about 1,000 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAN has a wide mix of mostly older, typically Soviet-era, or donated/secondhand weapons and equipment, along with small quantities of more modern items such as unmanned aerial vehicles/drones and air defense systems; suppliers have included China, Egypt, France, Italy, Russia, Turkey, and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.7% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service for unmarried men and women; 24-month service term (2023)

Illicit drugs

a transit country for illegal drugs shipped through Niger to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East; drugs from South America, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and various synthetics transit through Niger to European and Middle Eastern markets; hashish from Morocco is trafficked through Niger to Libya and Egypt and Europe and the Middle East; Nigerien citizens and migrants crossing Niger consume significant quantities of the opioid tramadol from neighboring Nigeria

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

335,277 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; 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) (2023)

refugees (country of origin)

67,191 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023); 200,423 (Nigeria) (2024)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Niger was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/niger/

Terrorist group(s)

Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa (ISIS-WA); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

22.99 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

50.15 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; contaminated water; inadequate potable water; 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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

widespread lack of access

due to internal conflict, high food prices, and floods - about 3.28 million people are projected to be acutely food insecure during the June to August 2023 lean season period; this would be an improvement on the situation in 2022, mostly reflecting the sharp upturn in crop yields following the below average cereal output in 2021; persistent insecurity continues to disrupt livelihoods and has displaced over 370,000 people, mostly in the Diffa, Tahoua and Tillabery regions, as of May 2023; high food prices, as well as the floods in 2022 that affected about 327,000 people, are additional factors that have aggravated food insecurity (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

35.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 22.7% (2018 est.)

forest

1% (2018 est.)

other

63.9% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq kmnote - area varies by season and year to year

Major rivers (by length in km)

Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

4.41% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

34.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.35 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

17.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,865,646 tons (1993 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

74,626 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

4% (2005 est.)