Official Name
Republic of Niger
Capital Niamey
Currencies CFA franc
Language(s) French
Population 11.2 million
GNP per head (US$) 180
Area (square kilometres) 1266700
Population per sq. km 9
Population per sq. mile 23


COUNTRY INFORMATION

Introduction

Landlocked in the west of Africa, Niger is linked to the sea by the Niger river. Saharan conditions prevail in the northern regions, in the area around the Aïr mountains, and, particularly, in the vast uninhabited northeast. Niger was ruled by one-party or military regimes until 1992. A much-troubled democratic process was then disrupted by military coups in 1996 and 1999. It is one of the poorest countries in Africa.



Climate

The Saharan north is virtually rainless. The south, in the Sahel belt, has an unreliable rainy season, preceded by a period of extreme daytime heat.



People
Languages Hausa, Djerma, Fulani, Tuareg, Teda, French
URBAN/RURAL POPULATION DIVIDE
Urban 21
% Rural 79
%

Considerable tensions exist in Niger between the Tuaregs in the north and the southern groups. The Tuaregs' sense of alienation from mainstream Nigerien politics has increased since the 1973 and 1984 droughts, which disrupted the Tuaregs's nomadic way of life. A five-year rebellion by northern Tuaregs ended in 1995 with a peace agreement. In eastern Niger, Toubou and Arab groups have also been in revolt.

A more subtle antagonism exists between the Djerma and Hausa groups. The Djerma elite from the southwest dominated politics for many years until 1993, when control passed to the Hausa majority.

Niger is an overwhelmingly Islamic society. Women have, on the whole, only limited rights and restricted access to education.



Economy
GNP (US$) 1939
M GNP World rank 139
 
Inflation 3 % Unemployment 3 %

Strengths

Vast uranium deposits; gold and oil discoveries in late 1990s revived hopes for economic viability.

Weaknesses

Aid-dependent. Collapse of uranium prices in 1980s created large debt burden. Only 3% of land cultivable. Weak infrastructure. Frequent droughts. Political instability.



Politics
Lower house Last election 1999 Next election 2004
Upper house Last election Not applicable Next election Not applicable

The death in 1987 of the military dictator, President Seyni Kountché, paved the way for pro-democracy demonstrations and eventually led to multiparty elections in 1993. An ensuing power struggle between President Mahamane Ousmane and his political opponents provoked a military coup in 1996. Gen. Ibrahim Barre Mainassara promulgated a new constitution and won a presidential election condemned as fraudulent by the opposition. Mainassara was assassinated by his presidential guard in early 1999. The new military leadership drew up yet another constitution. MNSD leader Mamadou Tandja won the presidential poll later that year. His party, allied with the CDS of former president Ousmane, dominates the new legislature.



International Affairs
 

Relations with Libya and Algeria have improved since the end of the Tuareg rebellion in 1995. ECOWAS members and the OAU condemned the 1999 coup, as did all key donors, led by France.



Defence
Expenditure (US$) 26 M Portion of GDP 2 %
Army No main battle tanks
Navy None
Airforce No combat aircraft
Nuclear capab. None

Niger's armed forces and paramilitary elements total 10,700. Politics has been dominated by the military since 1974.



Resources
Minerals Uranium, tin, gypsum, coal, salt, tungsten, oil, iron, phosphates, gold
Oil reserves (barrels) No data Oil production (barrels/day) Not an oil producer

During the 1970s, Niger's uranium mines boomed, but output collapsed in the 1980s when world prices slumped. Other mining is small-scale and oil reserves, discovered in the Lake Chad area, are not yet commercially viable. Salt is a traditionally exploited resource, as are such plant resources as the doum and palmyra palms.



Environment
Protected land 8 % Part protected land No data %
Environmental trends

Serious droughts intensify desertification. Hunting was banned in 2001, in an effort to preserve the wildlife population.



Communications
Main airport Niamey International Passengers per year 84096
Motorways 428
km Roads 798
km Railways 0
km

A very small proportion of Niger's road network is paved. There are international airports at Niamey and Agadez. There is no railroad.



International Aid
Donated (US$) Not applicable
M Received (US$) 211
M

France is the principal donor, followed by the IMF and Arab funds. Most aid was frozen immediately following the 1999 coup, but in late 2000 the IMF approved a three-year loan under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.



Health
Life expectancy 45 Life expect. World rank 176
Population per doctor 20000 Infant mortality (per 1000 births) 114
Expend. % GDP 1 %
Principal causes of death Malaria, tuberculosis, meningitis, measles, malnutrition

In spite of progress in rural health care, immunization, malaria control, and child nutrition are still limited.



Education
Literacy 16 % Expend. % GNP 3

%

PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION IN FULL TIME EDUCATION
Primary 31 % Secondary 7 % Tertiary 1 %

Local languages are emphasized more strongly than in most francophone states. School attendance is only 30%.



Criminality
Crime rate trend Down 36% 1996–1998
Prison population 5263
Murder 1 per 100,000 population
Rape 1 per 100,000 population
Theft 53 per 100,000 population

Rural banditry is common, often involving access to grazing and water. Urban crime levels are low, but in border areas smuggling is a way of life.



Wealth
Cars 4 per 1,000 population
Telephones 2 per 1,000 population
Televisions 37 per 1,000 population

A small circle of secretive trading families controls much of Niger's wealth. They are successful in evading taxation.



Media
Newspapers There is 1 daily newspaper, Le Sahel, published by the government
TV services 3 services: 2 state-owned, 1 independent
Radio services 3 services: 1 state-owned, 2 independent


Tourism
Visitors per year 50000

The Aïr mountains, southern Hausa cities, and Saharan Tuareg culture attract some tourists in spite of Niger's limited infrastructure and its instability.



History

The powerful Islamic Sokoto empire dissolved as the French took Niger over between 1883 and 1901.

  • 1960 Independence.
  • 1968 French open uranium mines.
  • 1973 Drought; 60% of livestock die.
  • 1974 Military coup. Gen. Kountché bans political parties.
  • 1984 New drought; Niger river dries up. Uranium boom ends.
  • 1987 Kountché dies. Gen. Ali Saibou eases transition to democracy.
  • 1990–1995 Tuareg rebellion.
  • 1992 Multiparty constitution.
  • 1993 Democratic elections.
  • 1996 Military coup. Staged elections.
  • 1999 Gen. Mainassara assassinated. New constitution. Multiparty elections won by Mamadou Tandja.
  • 2001 Hunting banned in effort to save wildlife.