Niger

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Niger

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name République du Niger/Republic of Niger Area 1,186,408 sq km/458,072 sq mi Capital Niamey Language French (official), Hausa (70%), Djerma, other ethnic languages Religion Sunni Muslim 95%; also Christian, and traditional animist beliefs Time difference GMT +1 Major holidays 1 January, 15 April, 1 May, 3 August, 18, 25 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, end of Ramadan, Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua, Agadez, Birnin Konni, Arlit Physical features desert plains between hills in north and savannah in south; River Niger in southwest, Lake Chad in southeast Airports three international airports and three major domestic airports; total passengers carried: 46,000 (2003 est) Railways none Roads total road network: 10,100 km/6,276 mi, of which 7.9% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 3.8 per 1,000 people (1996 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Mamadou Tandja from 1999 Head of government Seyni Oumarou from 2007 Political system military Political executive military Administrative divisions seven regions and the municipality of Niamey Political parties National Movement for a Development Society (MNSD–Nassara), left of centre; Alliance of the Forces for Change (AFC), left-of-centre coalition; Party for Democracy and Socialism–Tarayya (PNDS–Tarayya), left of centre Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice; date of last known execution 1976 Armed forces 5,300; plus paramilitary forces of 5,400 (2006 est) Conscription conscription is selective for two years Defence spend (% GDP) 0.9 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 7.3 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency franc CFA GDP (US$) 3.4 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 3.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 3.3 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 800 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 7.8% (2006 est) Labour force 87.1% agriculture, 4.1% industry, 8.8% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 2 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners France, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, USA, Switzerland, China Resources uranium (one of world's leading producers), phosphates, gypsum, coal, cassiterite, tin, salt, gold; deposits of other minerals (including petroleum, iron ore, copper, lead, diamonds, and tungsten) have been confirmed Industries processing of agricultural products, textiles, furniture, chemicals, brewing, cement Exports uranium ore, onions, live animals, cotton. Principal market: France 45.7% (2005) Imports consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, miscellaneous manufactured articles, cereals and food products, chemicals, refined petroleum products. Principal source: France 16.5% (2005) Arable land 11.4% (2006 est) Agricultural products millet, maize, sorghum, groundnuts, cassava, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, cotton; livestock rearing (cattle and sheep) is especially important among the nomadic population; agricultural production is dependent upon adequate rainfall


POPULATION

Population 14,426,300 (2006 est) Population growth rate 3.3% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 12 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 23 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 49%, 15–59 48%, 60+ 3% (2005 est) Ethnic groups two ethnic groups make up over 75% of the population: the Hausa (mainly in central areas and the south), and the Djerma-Songhai (southwest); the other principal ethnic groups are the Fulani, Tuareg, and Beriberi-Manga Life expectancy 45 (men); 45 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 259 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 25% (men); 9% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.3 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.1 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 1.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 7,600 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 80 (urban); 36 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.2 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 2.2 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 121 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 12 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.1 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 0.2 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

10th–13th centuries Kanem-Bornu Empire flourished in southeast, near Lake Chad, spreading Islam from the 11th century. 15th century Tuareg sultanate of Agades dominant in the north. 17th century Songhai-speaking Djerma established an empire on Niger River. 18th century Powerful Gobir kingdom founded by Hausa people, who had migrated from the south in the 14th century. late 18th–early 19th centuries Visited by European explorers, including the Scottish explorer, Mungo Park; Sultanate of Sokoto formed by Islamic revivalist Fulani, who had defeated the Hausa in a jihad (holy war). 1890s French conquered the region and ended the local slave trade. 1904 Became part of French West Africa, although Tuareg resistance continued until 1922. 1946 Became French overseas territory, with its own territorial assembly and representation in French parliament. 1958 Became autonomous republic within the French community. 1960 Achieved full independence; Hamani Diori of Niger Progressive Party (NPP) elected president, but maintained close ties with France. 1971 Uranium production commenced. 1974 Diori ousted in an army coup; military government launched drive against corruption. 1984 Partial privatization of state firms due to increased government indebtedness as world uranium prices slumped; one of worst harvests on record. 1989 Ali Saibu elected president without opposition. 1991 Saibu stripped of executive powers and transitional government formed amid student and industrial unrest. 1992 Transitional government collapsed amid economic problems; ethnic unrest among secessionist Tuareg in north; referendum approved of new multiparty constitution. 1993 Left-of-centre coalition won majority in assembly elections; Mahamane Ousmane, a Muslim Hausa, elected president in first free presidential election. 1994 Peace agreement signed with northern Tuareg. 1996 President Ousmane ousted in military coup led by Ibrahim Barre Mainassara; civilian government restored and Mainassara formally elected president. 1999 Mainassara assassinated in coup; Major Daouda Mallam Wanke assumed power; democracy restored and Tandja Mamadou elected president; Hama Amadou appointed prime minister. 2004 Tandja Mamadou re-elected and his MNSD party won majority of parliamentary seats. 2005 International Court of Justice awarded nine disputed islands in Niger river to Benin and 16 to Niger. 2006 Antigovernment strikes and protests over high cost of living due to tax increases and poor harvests.


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