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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 28 usable: 26 with permanent-surface runways: 9 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 13

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

39,970 km total; 3,170 km bituminous, 10,330 km gravel and laterite, 3,470 km earthen, 23,000 km tracks

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

Niger River is navigable 300 km from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

small system of wire, radiocommunications, and radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area; 14,260 telephones; broadcast stations - 15 AM, 5 FM, 18 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, and 3 domestic, with 1 planned

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Police, Republican Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $27 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,784,966; fit for military service 961,593; reach military age (18) annually 87,222 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for roughly 40% of GDP and 90% of labor force; cash crops - cowpeas, cotton, peanuts; food crops - millet, sorghum, cassava, rice; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats; self-sufficient in food except in drought years

Budget [time series]

revenues $193 million; expenditures $355 million, including capital expenditures of $106 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $380 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,165 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $504 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $61 million

Electricity [time series]

105,000 kW capacity; 230 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$294 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: uranium ore 60%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions partners: France 77%, Nigeria 8%, Cote d'Ivoire, Italy

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.2 billion (December 1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Imports [time series]

$346 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, electronic equipment, cereals, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, foodstuffs partners: Germany 26%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, France 5%, Italy 4%, Nigeria 2%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate -2.7% (1991 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP

Industries [time series]

cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses, and a few other small light industries; uranium mining began in 1971

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.3% (1991 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.3 billion (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$290 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.9% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

About 90% of the population is engaged in farming and stock raising, activities that generate almost half the national income. The economy also depends heavily on exploitation of large uranium deposits. Uranium production grew rapidly in the mid-1970s, but tapered off in the early 1980s when world prices declined. France is a major customer, while Germany, Japan, and Spain also make regular purchases. The depressed demand for uranium has contributed to an overall sluggishness in the economy, a severe trade imbalance, and a mounting external debt.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1.267 million km2 land area: 1,266,700 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

0 km (landlocked)

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

recurrent drought and desertification severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; overgrazing; soil erosion

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Libya claims about 19,400 km2 in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Irrigated land [time series]

320 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 5,697 km, Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 2% other: 88%

Location [time series]

Western Africa, between Algeria and Nigeria

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

none; landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

7 departments (departements, singular - departement); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Zinder

Capital [time series]

Niamey

Constitution [time series]

December 1989 constitution revised November 1991 by National Democratic Reform Conference

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Adamou SEYDOU chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 483-4224 through 4227

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: President Ali SAIBOU has been in office since December 1989, but the presidency is now a largely ceremonial position National Assembly: last held 10 December 1989 (next to be held NA); results - MNSD was the only party; seats - (150 total) MNSD 150 (indirectly elected); note - Niger held a national conference from July to November 1991 to decide upon a transitional government and an agenda for multiparty elections

Executive branch [time series]

president (ceremonial), prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Independence [time series]

3 August 1960 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

State Court (Cour d'Etat), Court of Appeal (Cour d'Apel)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Brig. Gen. Ali SAIBOU (since 14 November 1987); ceremonial post since national conference (1991) Head of Government: Prime Minister Amadou CHEIFFOU (since NA November 1991)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Movement of the Development Society (MNSD-NASSARA), Tandja MAMADOU; Niger Progressive Party - African Democratic Rally (PPN-RDA), Harou KOUKA; Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress (UDFP-SAWABA), Djibo BAKARY; Niger Democratic Union (UDN-SAWABA), Mamoudou PASCAL; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives (UPDP), Andre SALIFOU; other parties forming

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

transition government as of November 1991, appointed by national reform conference; scheduled to turn over power to democratically elected government in March 1993

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jennifer C. WARD embassy: Avenue des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72-26-61 through 64 FAX: [227] 73-31-67

People

Birth rate [time series]

57.35 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

22.44 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 4,000 French expatriates

Infant mortality rate [time series]

112.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.5 million wage earners (1982) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4% note: 51% of population of working age (1985)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 44.15 years male: 42.6 years female: 45.75 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 28% male: 40% female: 17%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

8,337,352 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.49% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)