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Niger

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Countries;
Countries

   SOS Children works in Niger. For more information see SOS Children in
   Niger, Africa
                République du Niger
   Republic of Niger


   Flag of Niger Coat of arms of Niger
        Flag          Coat of arms

   Motto
   "Fraternité, Travail, Progrès"  (French)
   "Fraternity, Work, Progress"
   Anthem
   La Nigérienne
   Location of Niger
   Capital
   (and largest city)     Niamey
                          13°32′N, 2°05′E
     Official languages   French
         Government       Parliamentary democracy
    -  President          Tandja Mamadou
    -  Prime Minister     Hama Amadou
        Independence      from France
    -  Declared           August 3, 1960
                        Area
    -  Total              1,267,000 km² ( 22nd)
                          489,189  sq mi
    -  Water (%)          0.02
                     Population
    -  July 2005 estimate 13,957,000 ( 64th)
    -  Density            11 /km² ( 206th)
                          28 /sq mi
   GDP ( PPP)             2005 estimate
    -  Total              $10.951 billion ( 132nd)
    -  Per capita         $872 ( 171st)
   HDI (2004)             0.311 (low) ( 177th)
          Currency        CFA franc ( XOF)
         Time zone        WAT ( UTC+1)
    -  Summer ( DST)      not observed ( UTC+1)
        Internet TLD      .ne
        Calling code      +227

   Niger ( IPA) /niːˈʒɛə(ɹ)/, US variant: /ˈnaɪdʒə(ɹ)/) , officially the
   Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named
   after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south,
   Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and
   Chad to the east. The capital city is Niamey.

Name

   The adjective form of Niger is Nigerien /niːˈʒɛɹiən/ (var.
   /naɪdʒɪɹiˈɛn/), which should not be confused with Nigerian
   /naɪˈdʒiɹiən/ for Nigeria and derives from the French nigérien, -ne.
   There are different opinions about the adjective form however.
   Merriam-Webster lists Nigerois (which has, despite its sound, no
   equivalent form in French) only as the noun form. However, there are
   instances of Nigerois having been used adjectivally. CNN and other news
   sources often circumvent using the adjective altogether, using the noun
   instead, e.g. 'the Niger parliament', 'Niger leader slain' or 'Niger's
   capital', 'Niger's people'. In French, the citizens of Niger use the
   adjective 'nigérien'.

People and History

   During recent centuries, the nomadic Tuareg formed large
   confederations, pushed southward, and, siding with various Hausa
   states, clashed with the Fulani Empire of Sokoto, which had gained
   control of much of the Hausa territory in the late 18th century.

   In the 19th century, contact with the West began when the first
   European explorers—notably Mungo Park (British) and Heinrich Barth
   (German)—explored the area, searching for the source of the Niger
   River. Although French efforts at pacification began before 1900,
   dissident ethnic groups, especially the desert Tuareg, were not subdued
   until 1922, when Niger became a French colony.

   Niger's colonial history and development parallel that of other French
   West African territories. France administered its West African colonies
   through a governor general in Dakar, Senegal, and governors in the
   individual territories, including Niger. In addition to conferring
   French citizenship on the inhabitants of the territories, the 1946
   French constitution provided for decentralization of power and limited
   participation in political life for local advisory assemblies.

Early independent

   A further revision in the organization of overseas territories occurred
   with the passage of the Overseas Reform Act (Loi Cadre) of July 23,
   1956, followed by reorganizational measures enacted by the French
   Parliament early in 1957. In addition to removing voting inequalities,
   these laws provided for creation of governmental organs, assuring
   individual territories a large measure of self-government. After the
   establishment of the Fifth French Republic on December 4, 1958, Niger
   became an autonomous state within the French Community. Following full
   independence on August 3, 1960, however, membership was allowed to
   lapse.

Modern Politics

   For its first 14 years as an independent state, Niger was run by a
   single-party civilian regime under the presidency of Hamani Diori. In
   1974, a combination of devastating drought and accusations of rampant
   corruption resulted in a military coup that overthrew the Diori regime.
   Col. Seyni Kountché and a small military group ruled the country until
   Kountché's death in 1987. He was succeeded by his Chief of Staff, Col.
   Ali Saibou, who released political prisoners, liberalized some of
   Niger's laws and policies, and promulgated a new constitution. However,
   President Saibou's efforts to control political reforms failed in the
   face of union and student demands to institute a multi-party democratic
   system. The Saibou regime acquiesced to these demands by the end of
   1990. New political parties and civic associations sprang up, and a
   national conference was convened in July 1991 to prepare the way for
   the adoption of a new constitution and the holding of free and fair
   elections. The debate was often contentious and accusatory, but under
   the leadership of Prof. André Salifou, the conference developed
   consensus on the modalities of a transition government. A transition
   government was installed in November 1991 to manage the affairs of
   state until the institutions of the Third Republic were put into place
   in April 1993. While the economy deteriorated over the course of the
   transition, certain accomplishments stand out, including the successful
   conduct of a constitutional referendum; the adoption of key legislation
   such as the electoral and rural codes; and the holding of several free,
   fair, and non-violent nationwide elections. Freedom of the press
   flourished with the appearance of several new independent newspapers.

   Rivalries within a ruling coalition elected in 1993 led to governmental
   paralysis, which provided Col. Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara a rationale to
   overthrow the Third Republic in January 1996. While leading a military
   authority that ran the government ( Conseil de Salut National) during a
   6-month transition period, Baré enlisted specialists to draft a new
   constitution for a Fourth Republic announced in May 1996. Baré
   organized a presidential election in July 1996. While voting was still
   going on, he replaced the electoral commission. The new commission
   declared him the winner after the polls closed. His party won 90% of
   parliament seats in a flawed legislative election in November 1996.
   When his efforts to justify his coup and subsequent questionable
   elections failed to convince donors to restore multilateral and
   bilateral economic assistance, a desperate Baré ignored an
   international embargo against Libya and sought Libyan funds to aid
   Niger's economy. In repeated violations of basic civil liberties by the
   regime, opposition leaders were imprisoned; journalists often arrested,
   and deported by an unofficial militia composed of police and military;
   and independent media offices were looted and burned.

   As part of an initiative started under the 1991 national conference,
   however, the government signed peace accords in April 1995 with all,
   meaning Tuareg and Toubou groups that had been in rebellion since 1990.
   The Tuareg claimed they lacked attention and resources from the central
   government. The government agreed to absorb some former rebels into the
   military and, with French assistance, help others return to a
   productive civilian life.

   In 9 April 1999, Baré was killed in a coup led by Maj. Daouda Malam
   Wanké, who established a transitional National Reconciliation Council
   to oversee the drafting of a constitution for a Fifth Republic with a
   French style semi-presidential system. In votes that international
   observers found to be generally free and fair, the Nigerien electorate
   approved the new constitution in July 1999 and held legislative and
   presidential elections in October and November 1999. Heading a
   coalition of the National Movement for a Developing Society (MNSD) and
   the Democratic and Social Convention (CDS), Mamadou Tandja won the

Politics

   Mamadou Tandja, President of the Republic of Niger.
   Mamadou Tandja, President of the Republic of Niger.

   Niger's new constitution was approved in July 1999. It restored the
   semi-presidential system of government of the December 1992
   constitution (Third Republic) in which the president of the republic,
   elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term, and a prime
   minister named by the president share executive power. As a reflection
   of Niger's increasing population, the unicameral National Assembly was
   expanded in 2004 to 113 deputies elected for a 5 year term under a
   majority system of representation. Political parties must attain at
   least 5% of the vote in order to gain a seat in the legislature.

   The constitution also provides for the popular election of municipal
   and local officials, and the first-ever successful municipal elections
   took place 24 July 2004. The National Assembly passed in June 2002 a
   series of decentralization bills. As a first step, administrative
   powers will be distributed among 265 communes (local councils); in
   later stages, regions and departments will be established as
   decentralized entities. A new electoral code was adopted to reflect the
   decentralization context. The country is currently divided into 8
   regions, which are subdivided into 36 districts (departments). The
   chief administrator (Governor) in each department is appointed by the
   government and functions primarily as the local agent of the central
   authorities.

   The current legislature elected in December 2004 contains seven
   political parties. President Mamadou Tandja was re-elected in December
   2004 and reappointed Hama Amadou as Prime Minister. Mahamane Ousmane,
   the head of the CDS, was re-elected President of the National Assembly
   (parliament) by his peers. The new second term government of the Fifth
   Republic took office on 30 December 2002. In August 2002, serious
   unrest within the military occurred in Niamey, Diffa, and Nguigmi, but
   the government was able to restore order within several days.

Administrative divisions

   The fertile south of Niger near the river delta.
   The fertile south of Niger near the river delta.

   Niger is divided into seven departments and one capital district. The
   departments are subdivided into thirty-six arrondissements and further
   subdivided into 129 communes. The departments and capital district are:
     * Agadez
     * Diffa
     * Dosso
     * Maradi

               * Tahoua
               * Tillabéri
               * Zinder
               * Niamey (capital district)

Geography

   Map of Niger
   Map of Niger

   Satellite image of Niger, generated from raster graphics data supplied
   by The Map Library
   Satellite image of Niger, generated from raster graphics data supplied
   by The Map Library

   Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border
   between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. Its geographic coordinates
   are longitude 16°N and latitude 8°E. Its area is 1,267,000  square
   kilometres (489,000  sq mi) of which 300 square kilometres (115 sq mi)
   is water. This makes Niger slightly less than twice the size of the
   U.S. state of Texas, and the world's twenty-second largest country
   (after Chad). Niger is comparable in size to Angola.

   Niger borders seven countries on all sides and has a total of
   5,697 kilometres (3,540  mi) of borders. The longest border is Nigeria
   to the south (1,497 km; 930 mi). This is followed by Chad to the east,
   at 1,175 kilometres (730 mi), Algeria to the north-northwest (956 km;
   594 mi), and Mali at 821 kilometres (510 mi). Niger also has small
   borders in its far southwest frontier with Burkina Faso at
   628 kilometres (390 mi) and Benin at 266 kilometres (165 mi) and to the
   north-northeast (Libya at 354 kilometres (220 mi).

   Niger's subtropical climate is mainly very hot and dry, with much
   desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the
   edges of the Niger River basin. The terrain is predominantly desert
   plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling savannah in the south and
   hills in the north.

   The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 metres
   (722  ft). The highest point is Monts Bagzane at 2,022 metres
   (6,634 ft).

Economy

   Niamey, Niger's capital and economic hub.
   Niamey, Niger's capital and economic hub.

   Niger is the poorest country in the world, ranking last on the United
   Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index. It is a
   landlocked, sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence
   crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits.
   Drought cycles, desertification, a 2.9% population growth rate, and the
   drop in world demand for uranium 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 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
   (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund for 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, it was
   announced that Niger had received 100% multilateral debt relief from
   the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately $86
   million USD in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance
   under HIPC. 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. Uranium prices have
   recovered somewhat in the last few years. A drought and locust
   infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million
   Nigeriens.

Exports

   Uranium is Niger's largest export. Foreign exchange earnings from
   livestock, although difficult to quantify, are second. Actual exports
   far exceed official statistics, which often fail to detect large herds
   of animals informally crossing into Nigeria. Some hides and skins are
   exported, and some are transformed into handicrafts.

   The persistent uranium price slump has brought lower revenues for
   Niger's uranium sector, although uranium still provides 72% of national
   export proceeds. The nation enjoyed substantial export earnings and
   rapid economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s after the opening of
   two large uranium mines near the northern town of Arlit. When the
   uranium-led boom ended in the early 1980s, however, the economy
   stagnated, and new investment since then has been limited. Niger's two
   uranium mines--SOMAIR's open pit mine and COMINAK's underground
   mine--are owned by a French-led consortium and operated by French
   interests.

   Exploitable deposits of gold are known to exist in Niger in the region
   between the Niger River and the border with Burkina Faso. On October 5,
   2004 President Tandja announced the official opening of the Samira Hill
   Gold Mine in the region of Tera and the first Nigerien gold ingot was
   presented to him. This marked a historical moment for Niger as the
   Samira Hill Gold Mine represents the first commercial gold production
   in the country. Samira Hill is owned by a company called SML (Societe
   des Mines du Liptako) which is a joint venture between a Moroccan
   company, Societe Semafo, and a Canadian company, Etruscan Resources.
   Both companies own 80% (40% - 40%) of SML and the Government of Niger
   20%. The first year’s production is predicted to be 135,000 troy ounces
   (4,200 kg; 9,260 lb avoirdupois) of gold at a cash value of USD 177 per
   ounce ($5.70/g). The mine reserves for the Samira Hill mine total
   10,073,626 tons at an average grade of 2.21 grams per ton from which
   618,000 troy ounces (19,200 kg; 42,400 Lb) will be recovered over a 6
   year mine life. SML believes to have a number of significant gold
   deposits within what is now recognized as the gold belt known as the
   "Samira Horizon".

   Substantial deposits of phosphates, coal, iron, limestone, and gypsum
   also have been found in Niger. Niger has oil potential. In 1992, the
   Djado permit was awarded to Hunt Oil, and in 2003 the Tenere permit was
   awarded to the China National Petroleum Company. An ExxonMobil-
   Petronas joint venture now holds the sole rights to the Agadem block,
   north of Lake Chad, and oil exploration is ongoing. The parastatal
   SONICHAR (Societe Nigerienne de Charbon) in Tchirozerine (north of
   Agadez) extracts coal from an open pit and fuels an electricity
   generating plant that supplies energy to the uranium mines. There are
   additional coal deposits to the south and west that are of a higher
   quality and may be exploitable.

   The economic competitiveness created by the January 1994 devaluation of
   the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) franc contributed to an
   annual average economic growth of 3.5% throughout the mid-1990s. But
   the economy stagnated due to the sharp reduction in foreign aid in 1999
   (which gradually resumed in 2000) and poor rains in 2000. Reflecting
   the importance of the agricultural sector, the return of good rains was
   the primary factor underlying economic growth of 5.1% in 2000, 3.1% in
   2001, 6.0% in 2002, and 3.0% in 2003.

   In recent years, the Government of Niger drafted revisions to the
   investment code (1997 and 2000), petroleum code (1992), and mining code
   (1993), all with attractive terms for investors. The present government
   actively seeks foreign private investment and considers it key to
   restoring economic growth and development. With the assistance of the
   United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it has undertaken a
   concerted effort to revitalize the private sector.

   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. The Treasury of the
   Government of France supplements the BCEAO's international reserves in
   order to maintain a fixed rate of 656 CFA to the euro.

Economic reform

   In January 2000, Niger's newly elected government inherited serious
   financial and economic problems, including a virtually empty treasury,
   past-due salaries (11 months of arrears) and scholarship payments,
   increased debt, reduced revenue performance, and lower public
   investment. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief
   under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program for Highly Indebted
   Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a
   Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). In January 2001, Niger
   reached its decision point and subsequently reached its completion
   point in 2004. Total relief from all of Niger's creditors is worth
   about $890 million, corresponding to about $520 million in net present
   value (NPV) terms, which is equivalent to 53.5% of Niger’s total debt
   outstanding as of 2000. The debt relief provided under the enhanced
   HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service
   obligations, freeing about $40 million per year over the coming years
   for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS
   prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty
   reduction. The overall impact on Niger's budget is substantial. Debt
   service as a percentage of government revenue will be slashed from
   nearly 44% in 1999 to 10.9% in 2003 and average 4.3% during 2010- 19.
   The debt relief cuts debt service as a percentage of export revenue
   from more than 23% to 8.4% in 2003, and decreases it to about 5% in
   later years.

   In addition to strengthening the budgetary process and public finances,
   the Government of Niger has embarked on an ambitious program to
   privatize 12 state-owned companies. To date, seven have been fully
   privatized, including the water and telephone utilities, with the
   remainder to be privatized in 2005. A newly installed multisectoral
   regulatory agency will help ensure free and fair competition among the
   newly privatized companies and their private sector competitors. In its
   effort to consolidate macroeconomic stability under the PRGF, the
   government is also taking actions to reduce corruption, and as the
   result of a participatory process encompassing civil society, has
   devised a Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan that focuses on improving
   health, primary education, rural infrastructure, agricultural
   production, environmental protection, and judicial reform.

Foreign aid

   The importance of external support for Niger's development is
   demonstrated by the fact that about 45% of the government's FY 2002
   budget, including 80% of its capital budget, derived from donor
   resources. The most important donors in Niger are France, the European
   Union, the World Bank, the IMF, and UN agencies-- UNDP, UNICEF, FAO,
   WFP, and UNFPA. Other donors include the United States, Belgium,
   Germany, Switzerland, Japan, China, Italy, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Iran,
   Denmark, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. While the U.S. Agency for
   International Development (USAID) does not have an office in Niger, the
   United States is a major donor, contributing on average $8 million each
   year to Niger’s development increasing to $12 million in FY 2004. The
   United States also is a major partner in policy coordination in food
   security, education, water management and HIV/AIDS sectors.

   80% of people in Niger are employed.

Foreign relations

   Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly
   relations with the West and the Islamic world as well as nonaligned
   countries. It belongs to the United Nations and its main specialized
   agencies and in 1980-81 served on the UN Security Council. Niger
   maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations
   with its West African neighbors. It is a charter member of the African
   Union and the West African Monetary Union and also belongs to the Niger
   River and Lake Chad Basin Commissions, the Economic Community of West
   African States, the Nonaligned Movement, and the Organization of the
   Islamic Conference. The westernmost regions of Niger are joined with
   contiguous regions Mali and Burkina Faso under the Liptako-Gourma
   Authority.

   The border dispute with Benin, inherited from colonial times and
   concerning inter alia Lete Island in the River Niger was finally solved
   by the ICJ in 2005 to Niger's advantage.

Defense

   The Niger Armed Forces total 10,000 personnel with approximately 3,700
   gendarmes, 300 air force, and 6,000 army personnel. The air force has
   four operational transport aircraft. The armed forces include general
   staff and battalion task force organizations consisting of two
   paratroop units, four light armored units, and nine motorized infantry
   units located in Tahoua, Agadez, Dirkou, Zinder, Nguigmi, N'Gourti, and
   Madewela. Since January 2003, Niger has deployed a company of troops to
   Cote d’Ivoire as part of the ECOWAS stabilization force. In 1991, Niger
   sent four hundred military personnel to join the American-led allied
   forces against Iraq during the Gulf War.

   Niger's defense budget is modest, accounting for about 1.6% of
   government expenditures. France provides the largest share of military
   assistance to Niger. Morocco, Algeria, China, and Libya have also
   provided military assistance. Approximately 15 French military advisers
   are in Niger. Many Nigerien military personnel receive training in
   France, and the Nigerien Armed Forces are equipped mainly with material
   either given by or purchased in France. In the past, U.S. assistance
   focused on training pilots and aviation support personnel, professional
   military education for staff officers, and initial specialty training
   for junior officers. A small foreign military assistance program was
   initiated in 1983. A U.S. Defense Attaché office opened in June 1985
   and assumed Security Assistance Office responsibilities in 1987. The
   office closed in 1996 following a coup d'état. A U.S. Defense Attaché
   office reopened in July 2000. The United States provided transportation
   and logistical assistance to Nigerien troops deployed to Cote d’Ivoire
   in 2003. Additionally, the U.S. provided initial equipment training on
   vehicles and communications gear to a select contingent of Nigerien
   soldiers as part of the Department of State Pan-Sahel Initiative.

Demographics

   Population age of Niger.
   Population age of Niger.

   The largest ethnic groups in Niger are the Hausa, who also constitute
   the major ethnic group in northern Nigeria, and the Djerma-Songhai, who
   also are found in parts of Mali. Both groups, along with the
   Gourmantche, are sedentary farmers who live in the arable, southern
   tier of the country. The remainder of Nigeriens are nomadic or
   semi-nomadic livestock-raising peoples-- Fulani, Tuareg, Kanuri, Arabs,
   and Toubou. With rapidly growing populations and the consequent
   competition for meager natural resources, lifestyles of
   agriculturalists and livestock herders have come increasingly into
   conflict in Niger in recent years.

   Niger's high infant mortality rate is comparable to levels recorded in
   neighboring countries. However, the child mortality rate (deaths among
   children between the ages of 1 and 4) is exceptionally high (248 per
   1,000) due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition
   for most of the country's children. According to the organization Save
   the Children, Niger has the world's highest infant mortality rate .
   Nonetheless, Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world (7.2
   births per woman); this means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien
   population is under age 15. Between 1996 and 2003, primary school
   attendance was around 30% , including 36% of males and only 25% of
   females. Additional education occurs through madrassas.
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