Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution and dissolved the Cabinet, and promised that elections would be held following a transitional period of unspecified duration. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 limited the rebels' operational capabilities.

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Africa

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

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

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

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

740 sq km (2008)

33.7 cu km (2003)

recurring droughts

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

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

16,468,886 (July 2011 est.)

3.643% (2011 est.)

50.54 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

14.11 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

NIAMEY (capital) 1.004 million (2009)

7.6 children born/woman (2011 est.)

0.8% (2009 est.)

61,000 (2009 est.)

4,300 (2009 est.)

urban: 96% of population

rural: 39% of population

total: 48% of population

urban: 4% of population

rural: 61% of population

total: 52% of population (2008)

urban: 34% of population

rural: 4% of population

total: 9% of population

urban: 66% of population

rural: 96% of population

total: 91% of population (2008)

Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

4.5% of GDP (2009)

republic

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

3 August 1960 (from France)

Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960

adopted 31 October 2010

mixed legal system of civil law (based on French civil law), Islamic law, and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]; Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat; Union of Independent Nigeriens or UNI

The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS (suspended), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Niger is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought, desertification, and strong population growth have undercut the economy. 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 on a 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, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. In 2010, the Niger economy was recovering from the effects of a 2009 drought that reduced grain and cowpea production and decimated livestock herds. The economy was also hurt when the international community cut off non-humanitarian aid in response to TANDJA's moves to extend his term as president. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources.

$11.05 billion (2010 est.)

$10.28 billion (2009 est.)

$10.37 billion (2008 est.)

$5.577 billion (2010 est.)

7.5% (2010 est.)

-0.9% (2009 est.)

9.3% (2008 est.)

$700 (2010 est.)

$700 (2009 est.)

$700 (2008 est.)

4.688 million (2007)

NA%

63% (1993 est.)

50.5 (1995)

0.1% (2007 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

NA%

$782.6 million (31 December 2009)

$617.9 million (31 December 2008)

$1.038 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$844.6 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$683.6 million (31 December 2009)

$313.5 million (31 December 2008)

$NA

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

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

5.1% (2003 est.)

150 million kWh (2007 est.)

589.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

450 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

6,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

5,367 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-321 million (2007 est.)

$428 million (2006)

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

France 52.63%, Nigeria 22.43%, US 18.24% (2009)

$800 million (2006)

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

China 16.32%, France 15.95%, Netherlands 7.66%, Algeria 7.15%, French Polynesia 6.11%, Nigeria 5.48%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.15%, US 4.05% (2009)

$2.1 billion (2003 est.)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

495.28 (2010)

472.19 (2009)

493.51 (2007)

522.59 (2006)

65,000 (2009)

2.599 million (2009)

state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; only national radio station with national reach is state-run; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

.ne

172 (2010)

115,900 (2009)

27 (2010)

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2010)

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2010)

17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

1.3% of GDP (2006)

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the ICJ in 2010