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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $32 million, 1.3% of GDP (FY92/93)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,920,244 males fit for military service: 1,035,218 males reach military age (18) annually: 92,132 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 15, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

500,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

small system of wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern area domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

14,000 (1991 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

38,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats

Budget [time series]

revenues: $188 million expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $125 million (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview [time series]

Niger is one of the world's poorest countries, with recent GDP growth barely matching the rapid growth of population. The economy is centered on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Uranium revenues dropped by almost 50% between 1983 and 1990 with the end of the uranium boom. Terms of trade with Nigeria, Niger's largest regional trade partner, have improved dramatically since the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994; this devaluation boosted exports of livestock, peas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 60,000 kW production: 200 million kWh consumption per capita: 42 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports [time series]

$232 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: uranium ore 67%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions partners: France 77%, Nigeria 8%, Cote d'Ivoire, Italy

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.41 billion (1995 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

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

purchasing power parity - $5.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 38.5% industry: 17.9% services: 43.6% (1993)

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

$600 (1995 est.)

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

6.7% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$234 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals partners: France 23%, Cote d'Ivoire, Germany, Italy, Japan

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

35.6% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.5 million wage earners (1982) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1.267 million sq km land area: 1,266,700 sq km 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]

current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction natural hazards: recurring droughts international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

landlocked

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Libya claims about 19,400 sq km 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 Faso and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Irrigated land [time series]

320 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 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, southeast of Algeria

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural resources [time series]

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates

Terrain [time series]

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

7 departments (departements, singular - departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Capital [time series]

Niamey

Constitution [time series]

the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996

Data code [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: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Colonel Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996 when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup); Mahamane OUSMANE had been elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 17 March 1993 (next to be held 7 July 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Boukary ADJI (since NA January 1996) appointed by President BARE cabinet: National Salvation Council was appointed by President BARE

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

[227] 73 31 67

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)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

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

Legislative branch (National Assembly) [time series]

elected by proportional representation for a five-year term; election last held 12 January 1995 (next to be held NA September 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (83 total) MNSD-NASSARA 29, CDS 24, PNDS 12, ANDP-Z 9, UDFP 3, UDPS 2, PADN 2, PPN-RDA 1, UPDP 1; note - this National Assembly dissolved by President BARE after the coup on 28 January 1996

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), Mamadou TANDJA, chairman; Democratic and Social Convention (CDS), Jacoub SANOUSSI; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), Mahamadou ISSOUFOU; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zamanlahia (ANDP-Z), Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE; Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba (UDFP), Djibo BAKARY, chairman; Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Akoli DAOUEL; Niger Social Democrat Party (PADN), Malam Adji WAZIRI; Niger Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally (PPN-RDA), Dori ABDOULAI, chairman; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives (UPDP), Professor Andre SALIFOU, chairman

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic

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

chief of mission: Ambassador John S. DAVISON embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 48% (male 2,233,157; female 2,138,096) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,202,413; female 2,317,188) 65 years and over: 2% (male 117,337; female 104,810) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

54.46 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

24.57 deaths/1,000 population (1996 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]

117.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 40.66 years male: 41.05 years female: 40.25 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 13.6% male: 20.9% female: 6.6%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

9,113,001 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.99% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.44 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 23 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 11 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 11,258 km paved: 3,265 km unpaved: 7,993 km (1990 est.)

Ports [time series]

none

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

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