<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Niger<nl>Geography</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Location:</hi> Western Africa, between Algeria and Nigeria
<item><hi format=bold>Area:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>total area:</hi> 1.267 million sq km
<item>• <hi format=ital>land area:</hi> 1,266,700 sq km
<item>• <hi format=ital>comparative area:</hi> slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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<item><hi format=bold>Land boundaries:</hi> total 5,697 km, Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
<item><hi format=bold>Coastline:</hi> 0 km (landlocked)
<item><hi format=bold>International disputes:</hi> Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
<item><hi format=bold>Climate:</hi> desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
<item><hi format=bold>Terrain:</hi> predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
<item><hi format=bold>Natural resources:</hi> uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates
<item><hi format=bold>Land use:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>arable land:</hi> 3%
<item>• <hi format=ital>permanent crops:</hi> 0%
<item>• <hi format=ital>meadows and pastures:</hi> 7%
<item>• <hi format=ital>forest and woodland:</hi> 2%
<item>• <hi format=ital>other:</hi> 88%
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<item><hi format=bold>Irrigated land:</hi> 320 sq km (1989 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Environment:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>current issues:</hi> overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
<item>• <hi format=ital>international agreements:</hi> party to—Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified—Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea