"text":"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. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. 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. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominantly ethnic Tuareg rebel group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 ended the rebellion. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria."
}
},
"Geography":{
"Location":{
"text":"Western Africa, southeast of Algeria"
},
"Geographic coordinates":{
"text":"16 00 N, 8 00 E"
},
"Map references":{
"text":"Africa"
},
"Area":{
"total":{
"text":"1.267 million sq km"
},
"land":{
"text":"1,266,700 sq km"
},
"water":{
"text":"300 sq km"
}
},
"Area - comparative":{
"text":"slightly less than twice the size of Texas"
"text":"overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction"
"text":"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"
}
},
"People and Society":{
"Nationality":{
"noun":{
"text":"Nigerien(s)"
},
"adjective":{
"text":"Nigerien"
}
},
"Ethnic groups":{
"text":"Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)"
},
"Languages":{
"text":"French (official), Hausa, Djerma"
},
"Religions":{
"text":"Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%"
"text":"45.45 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
},
"Death rate":{
"text":"12.42 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
},
"Net migration rate":{
"text":"-0.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)"
},
"Urbanization":{
"urban population":{
"text":"18.7% of total population (2015)"
},
"rate of urbanization":{
"text":"5.14% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)"
}
},
"Major urban areas - population":{
"text":"NIAMEY (capital) 1.09 million (2015)"
},
"Sex ratio":{
"at birth":{
"text":"1.03 male(s)/female"
},
"0-14 years":{
"text":"1.02 male(s)/female"
},
"15-24 years":{
"text":"0.98 male(s)/female"
},
"25-54 years":{
"text":"1 male(s)/female"
},
"55-64 years":{
"text":"1.08 male(s)/female"
},
"65 years and over":{
"text":"1.04 male(s)/female"
},
"total population":{
"text":"1.01 male(s)/female (2015 est.)"
}
},
"Infant mortality rate":{
"total":{
"text":"84.59 deaths/1,000 live births"
},
"male":{
"text":"89.12 deaths/1,000 live births"
},
"female":{
"text":"79.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)"
}
},
"Life expectancy at birth":{
"total population":{
"text":"55.13 years"
},
"male":{
"text":"53.9 years"
},
"female":{
"text":"56.39 years (2015 est.)"
}
},
"Total fertility rate":{
"text":"6.76 children born/woman (2015 est.)"
},
"Contraceptive prevalence rate":{
"text":"13.9% (2012)"
},
"Health expenditures":{
"text":"6.5% of GDP (2013)"
},
"Physicians density":{
"text":"0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2008)"
},
"Hospital bed density":{
"text":"0.31 beds/1,000 population (2005)"
},
"Drinking water source":{
"improved":{
"text":" ++ urban: 100% of population ++ rural: 48.6% of population ++ total: 58.2% of population"
},
"unimproved":{
"text":" ++ urban: 0% of population ++ rural: 51.4% of population ++ total: 41.8% of population (2015 est.)"
}
},
"Sanitation facility access":{
"improved":{
"text":" ++ urban: 37.9% of population ++ rural: 4.6% of population ++ total: 10.9% of population"
},
"unimproved":{
"text":" ++ urban: 62.1% of population ++ rural: 95.4% of population ++ total: 89.1% of population (2015 est.)"
}
},
"HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate":{
"text":"0.49% (2014 est.)"
},
"HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS":{
"text":"40,500 (2013 est.)"
},
"HIV/AIDS - deaths":{
"text":"3,400 (2014 est.)"
},
"Major infectious diseases":{
"degree of risk":{
"text":"very high"
},
"food or waterborne diseases":{
"text":"bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever"
},
"vectorborne diseases":{
"text":"malaria and dengue fever"
},
"water contact disease":{
"text":"schistosomiasis"
},
"respiratory disease":{
"text":"meningococcal meningitis"
},
"animal contact disease":{
"text":"rabies"
},
"note":{
"text":"highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)"
}
},
"Obesity - adult prevalence rate":{
"text":"3.7% (2014)"
},
"Children under the age of 5 years underweight":{
"text":"37.9% (2012)"
},
"Education expenditures":{
"text":"4.4% of GDP (2012)"
},
"Literacy":{
"definition":{
"text":"age 15 and over can read and write"
},
"total population":{
"text":"19.1%"
},
"male":{
"text":"27.3%"
},
"female":{
"text":"11% (2015 est.)"
}
},
"School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)":{
"total":{
"text":"5 years"
},
"male":{
"text":"6 years"
},
"female":{
"text":"5 years (2012)"
}
},
"Child labor - children ages 5-14":{
"total number":{
"text":"1,557,913"
},
"percentage":{
"text":"43% (2006 est.)"
}
}
},
"Government":{
"Country name":{
"conventional long form":{
"text":"Republic of Niger"
},
"conventional short form":{
"text":"Niger"
},
"local long form":{
"text":"Republique du Niger"
},
"local short form":{
"text":"Niger"
}
},
"Government type":{
"text":"republic"
},
"Capital":{
"name":{
"text":"Niamey"
},
"geographic coordinates":{
"text":"13 31 N, 2 07 E"
},
"time difference":{
"text":"UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
}
},
"Administrative divisions":{
"text":"7 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder"
},
"Independence":{
"text":"3 August 1960 (from France)"
},
"National holiday":{
"text":"Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960"
},
"Constitution":{
"text":"several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010 (2014)"
},
"Legal system":{
"text":"mixed legal system of civil law (based on French civil law), Islamic law, and customary law"
},
"International law organization participation":{
"text":"has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
},
"Suffrage":{
"text":"18 years of age; universal"
},
"Executive branch":{
"chief of state":{
"text":"President ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (since 7 April 2011)"
},
"head of government":{
"text":"Prime Minister Brigi RAFINI (since 7 April 2011)"
},
"cabinet":{
"text":"Cabinet appointed by the president"
},
"elections/appointments":{
"text":"president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly"
},
"election results":{
"text":"ISSOUFOU Mahamadou elected president; percent of vote in second round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (PNDS-Tarrayya) 58%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 42%"
"text":"unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (113 seats; 105 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 8 directly elected in special single-seat constituencies for minorities by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)"
"text":"Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges); High Court of Justice (consists of 7 members)"
},
"judge selection and term of office":{
"text":"Constitutional Court judges nominated/elected - 1 by the president of the Republic, 1 by the president of the National Assembly, 2 by peer judges, 2 by peer lawyers, 1 law professor by peers, and 1 from within Nigerien society; all appointed by the president; judges serve 6-year nonrenewable terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years; High Judicial Court members selected from among the legislature and judiciary; members serve 5-year terms"
},
"subordinate courts":{
"text":"Court of Cassation; Council of State; Court of Finances; various specialized tribunals and customary courts"
}
},
"Political parties and leaders":{
"text":"Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE] ++ National Movement for a Society of Development-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Seini OUMAROU] ++ National Union of Independents or UNI [Amadou DJIBO ALI] ++ Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moussa Moumouni DJERMAKOYE] ++ Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Hama AMADOU] ++ Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mohamed BAZOUM] ++ 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 [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]",
"note":{
"text":"the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties"
"text":"Ambassador Hassana ALIDOU (since 23 February 2015)"
},
"chancery":{
"text":"2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[1] (202) 483-3169"
}
},
"Diplomatic representation from the US":{
"chief of mission":{
"text":"Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK (since 12 September 2014)"
},
"embassy":{
"text":"BP 11201, Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey"
},
"mailing address":{
"text":"2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC 20521-2420"
},
"telephone":{
"text":"[227] 20-73-31-69 or [227] 20-72-39-41"
},
"FAX":{
"text":"[227] 20-73-55-60"
}
},
"Flag description":{
"text":"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",
"note":{
"text":"similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band"
}
},
"National symbol(s)":{
"text":"zebu; national colors: orange, white, green"
},
"National anthem":{
"name":{
"text":"\"La Nigerienne\" (The Nigerien)"
},
"lyrics/music":{
"text":"Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET"
},
"note":{
"text":"adopted 1961"
}
}
},
"Economy":{
"Economy - overview":{
"text":"Niger is a landlocked, sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes nearly 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for most of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the least developed country in the world in 2014 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding. Since 2011 public debt has increased in part from a large loan financing a new uranium mine. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity and kidnappings near its uranium mines and instability in Mali, and concerns about security have boosted fiscal spending on defense. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Niger has sizable reserves of oil and oil production. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in the agriculture sector, most notably irrigation. The mining sector may be affected by the government’s attempt to renegotiate extraction rights contracts to increase royalty rates and reduce tax exemptions. Despite Niger’s three-year $121 million IMF Extended Credit Facility agreement for years 2012-15, formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country’s limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness."
"Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy":{
"text":"1.411 million Mt (2012 est.)"
}
},
"Communications":{
"Telephones - fixed lines":{
"total subscriptions":{
"text":"110,000"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"1 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephones - mobile cellular":{
"total":{
"text":"8.2 million"
},
"subscriptions per 100 inhabitants":{
"text":"47 (2014 est.)"
}
},
"Telephone system":{
"general assessment":{
"text":"inadequate; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern Niger"
},
"domestic":{
"text":"combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity remains only about 30 per 100 persons despite a rapidly increasing cellular subscribership base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned"
},
"international":{
"text":"country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2010)"
}
},
"Broadcast media":{
"text":"state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has only radio station with national coverage; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)"
},
"Radio broadcast stations":{
"text":"AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)"
},
"Television broadcast stations":{
"text":"5 (2007)"
},
"Internet country code":{
"text":".ne"
},
"Internet users":{
"total":{
"text":"281,200"
},
"percent of population":{
"text":"1.6% (2014 est.)"
}
}
},
"Transportation":{
"Airports":{
"text":"30 (2013)"
},
"Airports - with paved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"10"
},
"2,438 to 3,047 m":{
"text":"3"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"6"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"1 (2013)"
}
},
"Airports - with unpaved runways":{
"total":{
"text":"20"
},
"1,524 to 2,437 m":{
"text":"3"
},
"914 to 1,523 m":{
"text":"15"
},
"under 914 m":{
"text":" ++ 2 (2013)"
}
},
"Heliports":{
"text":"1 (2013)"
},
"Roadways":{
"total":{
"text":"18,949 km"
},
"paved":{
"text":"3,912 km"
},
"unpaved":{
"text":"15,037 km (2010)"
}
},
"Waterways":{
"text":"300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2012)"
}
},
"Military":{
"Military branches":{
"text":"Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2012)"
},
"Military service age and obligation":{
"text":"18 is the presumed legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2012)"
},
"Manpower available for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"3,329,184"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"3,267,669 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower fit for military service":{
"males age 16-49":{
"text":"2,194,570"
},
"females age 16-49":{
"text":"2,219,416 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually":{
"male":{
"text":"186,348"
},
"female":{
"text":"180,779 (2010 est.)"
}
},
"Military expenditures":{
"text":"1.06% of GDP (2012) ++ NA% (2011) ++ 1.06% of GDP (2010)"
}
},
"Transnational Issues":{
"Disputes - international":{
"text":"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"
},
"Refugees and internally displaced persons":{
"refugees (country of origin)":{
"text":"105,583 (Nigeria); 52,332 (Mali) (2015)"
},
"IDPs":{
"text":"66,400 (unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2015)"
