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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 15, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

620,000 (1995 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 (1995 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

10 (in addition, there are seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

105,000 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $370 million (including $160 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $370 million, including capital expenditures of $186 million (1998 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$1.2 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$222 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, 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. Short-term prospects depend largely on upcoming negotiations on debt relief and extended aid.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

365 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

195 million kWh (1996) note: imports electricity from Nigeria

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

170 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$269 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

uranium ore 50%, livestock products 20%, cowpeas, onions (1996 est.)

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Greece 21%, Canada 18%, France 12%, Nigeria 7% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$9.4 billion (1998 est.)

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

agriculture: 40% industry: 18% services: 42% (1997)

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

purchasing power parity?$970 (1998 est.)

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

4.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29.3% (1992)

Imports [time series]

$295 million (c.i.f., 1997)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

France 17%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 4%, Nigeria (1996 est.)

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]

4.8% (1998)

Labor force [time series]

70,000 receive regular wages or salaries

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

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)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates [time series]

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]

landlocked

Irrigated land [time series]

660 sq km (1993 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% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 2% other: 88% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

recurring droughts

Natural resources [time series]

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

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), 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

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note--the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January 1996); note--Ibrahim MAYAKI (since 27 November 1997) was appointed prime minister by the president but does not exercise any executive authority and is only the implementor of the president's programs; the president is both chief of state and head of government note: President Ibrahim BARE was assasinated on the 9 April 1999 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 7-8 July 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note--Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996 election results: percent of vote--Ibrahim BARE Mainassara 52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic

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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

two-chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83 seats (members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); selection process for second chamber not established elections: last held 23 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

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

Alliance for Democracy and TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa NA]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$20 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

1.1% (FY96/97)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower--availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,117,868 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower--fit for military service) [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,143,355 (1999 est.)

Military manpower - military age (Military manpower--military age) [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower--reaching military age annually) [time series]

males: 102,762 (1999 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 48% (male 2,445,536; female 2,346,844) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,421,971; female 2,518,248) 65 years and over: 2% (male 121,253; female 108,390) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

52.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

22.78 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates

Infant mortality rate [time series]

112.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 41.96 years male: 42.22 years female: 41.7 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

9,962,242 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.95% (1999 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: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria

Transportation

Airports [time series]

27 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [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