Niger - History, Politics, Administrative divisions, Geography, Economy, Foreign relations, Defense, Demographics, Culture, Media, Miscellaneous topics

Official name Republic of Niger, Fr République du Niger

Local name Niger Timezone GMT +1 Area 1 267 000 km²/489 191 sq mi population total (2002e) 10 640 000 Status Republic Date of independence 1960 Capital Niamey Languages French (official) with Hausa, Songhai, Fulfulde, Tamashek, and Arabic widely spoken Ethnic groups Hausa (54%), Djerma and Songhai (22%), Fulani (9%), Tuareg (8%), Beriberi (4%), Arab (2%) Religions Muslim (80%), traditional beliefs and small Christian minority (primarily Roman Catholic) (20%) Physical features Occupies S fringe of Sahara Desert, on a high plateau; Hamada Mangueni plateau (far N); Aïr Massif (C); Ténéré du Tafassasset desert (E); W Talk desert (C and N); water in quantity found only in the SW (R Niger) and SE (L Chad). Climate One of the hottest countries in the world; average annual temperature 16°C (Jun–Oct), 41°C (Feb–May); rainy season in S (Jun–Oct); rainfall decreases N to almost negligible levels in desert areas; average annual rainfall at Niamey, 554 mm/22 in. Currency 1 CFA Franc (XAF) = 100 centimes Economy Dominated by agriculture and mining; production badly affected by severe drought conditions in 1970s; uranium, tin, phosphates, coal, salt, natron; building materials, textiles, food processing. GDP (2002e) $8·713 bn, per capita $800 Human Development Index (2002) 0·277 History Occupied by the French, 1883–99; territory within French West Africa, 1904; independence, 1960; military coup, 1974; governed by a Higher Council for National Orientation led by a President who appoints a Council of Ministers; elected National Assembly, 1989; constitution suspended, 1991; multi-party constitution adopted, 1992; in 2005 international aid effort begun to help 2·5 million people in the S affected by famine.

République du Niger Republic of Niger
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Fraternité, Travail, Progrès"  (French) "Fraternity, Work, Progress"
Anthem: La Nigerienne
Capital (largest city)	Niamey 13°32′N 2°05′E
Official language	French
Government	Parliamentary democracy
- President	Tandja Mamadou
- Prime Minister	Hama Amadou
Independence	from France
- Declared	August 3, 1960
Area
- Total	1,267,000 km² (22nd) 489,189 sq mi
- Water (%)	0.02
Population
- July 2005 estimate	13,957,000 (64th)
- Density	11/km² (206th) 28/sq mi
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
- Total	$10.951 billion (132nd)
- Per capita	$872 (171st)
HDI  (2003)	0.281 (low) (177th)
Currency	CFA franc (XOF)
Time zone	WAT (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+1)
Internet TLD	.ne
Calling code	+227

Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked sub-Saharan country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. 'the Niger parliament', 'Niger leader slain' or 'Niger's capital', 'Niger's people'. The citizens of Niger use the adjective 'nigérien'.

History

Niger was an important economic crossroad,and the empires of Songhai, Mali, Gao, Kanem, and Bornu, as well as a number of Hausa states, claimed control over portions of the area.

In the 19th century, contact with the West began when the first European explorers—notably Mungo Park (British) and Heinrich Barth (German)—explored the area, searching for the source of the Niger River. Although French efforts at pacification began before 1900, dissident ethnic groups, especially the desert Tuareg, were not subdued until 1922, when Niger became a French colony.

Niger's colonial history and development parallel that of other French West African territories. France administered its West African colonies through a governor general in Dakar, Senegal, and governors in the individual territories, including Niger. After the establishment of the Fifth French Republic on December 4, 1958, Niger became an autonomous state within the French Community.

For its first 14 years as an independent state, Niger was run by a single-party civilian regime under the presidency of Hamani Diori. Ali Saibou, who released political prisoners, liberalized some of Niger's laws and policies, and promulgated a new constitution. When his efforts to justify his coup and subsequent questionable elections failed to convince donors to restore multilateral and bilateral economic assistance, a desperate Baré ignored an international embargo against Libya and sought Libyan funds to aid Niger's economy.

In the culmination of an initiative started under the 1991 national conference, however, the government signed peace accords in April 1995 with all Tuareg and Toubou groups that had been in rebellion since 1990.

In July 2004, Niger held municipal elections nationwide as part of its decentralization process.

In November and December 2004, Niger held presidential and legislative elections. This was the first presidential election with a democratically elected incumbent and a test to Niger's young democracy.

In the 2004 legislative elections, the National Movement of the Development Society (MNSD), the Democratic and Social Convention (CDS), the Social Democratic Rally (RSD), the Rally for Democracy and Progress(RDP), the Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP), and the Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger (PSDN) coalition, which backed Tandja, won 88 of the 113 seats in the National Assembly.

The 2005 Niger food crisis struck the country in the wake of drought and locust attacks in the previous year.

Politics

Niger's new constitution was approved in July 1999. As a reflection of Niger's increasing population, the unicameral National Assembly was expanded in 2004 to 113 deputies elected for a 5 year term under a majority system of representation.

Niger's independent judicial system is composed of four higher courts--the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, the High Court of Justice, and the Constitutional Court.

The constitution also provides for the popular election of municipal and local officials, and the first-ever successful municipal elections took place 24 July 2004.

The current legislature elected in December 2004 contains seven political parties.

Administrative divisions

Niger is divided into seven departments and one capital district. The departments and capital district are:

Agadez Diffa Dosso Maradi

Tahoua Tillabéri Zinder Niamey (capital district)

Geography

Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. This makes Niger slightly less than twice the size of the U.S. state of Texas, and the world's twenty-second largest country (after Chad). Niger is comparable in size to Angola.

Niger borders seven countries on all sides and has a total of 5,697 kilometres (3,540 mi) of borders. Niger also has small borders in its far southwest frontier with Burkina Faso at 628 kilometres (390 mi) and Benin at 266 kilometres (165 mi) and to the north-northeast (Libya at 354 kilometres (220 mi).

Niger's subtropical climate is mainly very hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin.

The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 metres (722 ft).

See also: List of cities in Niger

Economy

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index.

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 for 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.

Slavery

The head of the government's National Commission for Human Rights and Fundamental Liberation claims that slavery does not exist, saying "Even if they have no salary, they refuse to leave the master because they are at ease with the master;" but foreign journalists report that, according to claims by opposition lawmakers, "about 10% of the members of parliament keep slaves or are from slave-owning families."

Agriculture

Niger's agricultural and livestock sectors are the mainstay of all but 18% of the population. Fourteen percent of Niger's GDP is generated by livestock production--camels, goats, sheep, and cattle--said to support 29% of the population. The 15% of Niger's land that is arable is found mainly along its southern borders with Nigeria, Benin and Burkina Faso. Rainfall varies and when insufficient, Niger has difficulty feeding its population and must rely on grain purchases and food aid to meet food requirements. Millet, sorghum, and cassava are Niger's principal rain-fed subsistence crops.

Exports

Of Niger's exports, foreign exchange earnings from livestock, although difficult to quantify, are second only to those from uranium.

The persistent uranium price slump has brought lower revenues for Niger's uranium sector, although uranium still provides 72% of national export proceeds. Niger's two uranium mines--SOMAIR's open pit mine and COMINAK's underground mine--are owned by a French-led consortium and operated by French interests.

Exploitable deposits of gold are known to exist in Niger in the region between the Niger River and the border with Burkina Faso. This marked a historical moment for Niger as the Samira Hill Gold Mine represents the first commercial gold production in the country. Both companies own 80% (40% - 40%) of SML and the Government of Niger 20%.

Substantial deposits of phosphates, coal, iron, limestone, and gypsum also have been found in Niger.

The economic competitiveness created by the January 1994 devaluation of the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) franc contributed to an annual average economic growth of 3.5% throughout the mid-1990s.

In recent years, the Government of Niger drafted revisions to the investment code (1997 and 2000), petroleum code (1992), and mining code (1993), all with attractive terms for investors.

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.

Economic reform

In January 2000, Niger's newly elected government inherited serious financial and economic problems, including a virtually empty treasury, past-due salaries (11 months of arrears) and scholarship payments, increased debt, reduced revenue performance, and lower public investment. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). In January 2001, Niger reached its decision point and subsequently reached its completion point in 2004. Total relief from all of Niger's creditors is worth about $890 million, corresponding to about $520 million in net present value (NPV) terms, which is equivalent to 53.5% of Niger’s total debt outstanding as of 2000. The debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations, freeing about $40 million per year over the coming years for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction.

In addition to strengthening the budgetary process and public finances, the Government of Niger has embarked on an ambitious program to privatize 12 state-owned companies.

Foreign aid

The importance of external support for Niger's development is demonstrated by the fact that about 45% of the government's FY 2002 budget, including 80% of its capital budget, derived from donor resources. The most important donors in Niger are France, the European Union, the World Bank, the IMF, and UN agencies--UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, WFP, and UNFPA. While the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) does not have an office in Niger, the United States is a major donor, contributing on average $8 million each year to Niger’s development increasing to $12 million in FY 2004.

80% of people in Niger are employed.

Foreign relations

Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with the West and the Islamic world as well as nonaligned countries. Niger maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations with its West African neighbors. It is a charter member of the African Union and the West African Monetary Union and also belongs to the Niger River and Lake Chad Basin Commissions, the Economic Community of West African States, the Nonaligned Movement, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The westernmost regions of Niger are joined with contiguous regions Mali and Burkina Faso under the Liptako-Gourma Authority.

The border dispute with Benin, inherited from colonial times and concerning inter alia Lete Island in the River Niger was finally solved by the ICJ in 2005 to Niger's advantage.

Defense

The Niger Armed Forces total 10,000 personnel with approximately 3,700 gendarmes, 300 air force, and 6,000 army personnel. Since January 2003, Niger has deployed a company of troops to Cote d’Ivoire as part of the ECOWAS stabilization force. In 1991, Niger sent four hundred military personnel to join the American-led allied forces against Iraq during the Gulf War.

Niger's defense budget is modest, accounting for about 1.6% of government expenditures. France provides the largest share of military assistance to Niger. Approximately 15 French military advisers are in Niger.

Demographics

The largest ethnic groups in Niger are the Hausa, who also constitute the major ethnic group in northern Nigeria, and the Djerma-Songhai, who also are found in parts of Mali. With rapidly growing populations and the consequent competition for meager natural resources, lifestyles of agriculturalists and livestock herders have come increasingly into conflict in Niger in recent years.

Niger's high infant mortality rate is comparable to levels recorded in neighboring countries. According to the organization Save the Children, Niger has the world's highest infant mortality rate . Nonetheless, Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world (7.2 births per woman), means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15.

Culture

Music of Niger List of writers from Niger

Media

Niger started to develop diverse media in the late 1990s.

As well as the national and regional radio services of the state broadcaster ORTN, there are four privately owned radio networks which total more than 100 stations.

The independent sector radio networks are collectively estimated by CPRP officials to cover some 7.5 million people, or about 70% of the population (2005).

As well as Nigerien radio stations, the BBC's Hausa service is listened to on FM repeaters across wide parts of the country, particularly in the south, close to the border with Nigeria.

The sector is governed by the Conseil Superieur de Communications, established as an independent body in the late 1990s, headed by Maryam Keita, a former TV presenter at ORTN.

Miscellaneous topics

Association des Scouts du Niger 2005-06 Niger food crisis Communications in Niger Foreign relations of Niger List of Niger-related topics

List of Nigeriens Military of Niger Plame affair Transportation in Niger Yellowcake forgery