Niger

Full name of country: Republic of Niger

Region: Africa

Official language: French

Population: 26,342,784 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Nigerien(s) (noun), Nigerien (adjective)

Land area: 1,266,700 sq km (489,075 sq miles)

Water area: 300 sq km (116 sq miles)

Capital: Niamey

National anthem: "La Nigerienne" (The Nigerien), by Maurice Albert Thiriet/Robert Jacquet And Nicolas Abel Francois Frionnet

National holiday: Republic Day, December 18 (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960

Population growth: 3.66% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag of the Republic of Niger features a tricolor design consisting of an upper orange band, a middle white band, and a lower green band, all equal in size. An orange disc, purportedly symbolizing the sun, is centered upon the central white stripe.

Motto: French: “Fraternité, Travail, Progrés” (Fraternity, Work, Progress)

Independence: August 3, 1960 (from France)

Government type: republic (suspended by 2023 military coup)

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law (based on French civil law), Islamic law, and customary law

The Republic of Niger, commonly known as Niger, is a landlocked country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Burkina Faso and Mali on the west and by Libya and Chad on the northeast and east. Algeria lies to the northwest, and Nigeria and Benin form the country’s southern border. Much of Niger’s landscape is desert or mountainous, with the best agricultural land located in the southern region near the Niger River.

Niger was colonized by France in 1922 and obtained independence in 1960. It is known for having some of the largest uranium deposits in the world. The northern region of the country is partly covered by the Sahara. Most of Niger’s population engages in subsistence farming to survive, and a portion of the population is nomadic. The majority of Nigeriens live in the south, where the land tends to be more fertile and the rainfall more adequate for farming.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: Most of Niger’s population are farmers settled in communities in the southern part of the country. The Hausa people are the country's largest ethnic group, making up over half of the population (53.1 percent). The second-largest group is the Zarma/Songhai people, who make up 21.2 percent of the population. Other prominent groups include the Tuareg people (11 percent); the Fula people, also called Fulani or Fulbe (6.5 percent); and the Kanuri people (5.9 percent) (2006 estimates).

Historically, Niger has been an important part of West African trade routes, which brought about the meeting and interaction of different peoples and cultures. Nomadic peoples include the Fula, Tuareg, and Kanuri, groups that primarily engage in livestock herding.

Islam is the country’s main religion, practiced by an estimated 99.3 percent of Nigeriens (2012 estimates). About 0.3 percent practice Christianity while the remainder practice indigenous religions or do not subscribe to a religious faith.

While French is the official language, many tribal languages are spoken throughout Niger, including the Hausa and Zarma (or Djerma) languages. Hausa is the most widely recognized and understood in the region.

Niger's HDI value for 2022 is 0.394— which put the country in the Low human development category—positioning it at 189 out of 193 countries and territories.

Indigenous People: Throughout history, Niger’s territory has been contested by a number of West African empires, kingdoms, and tribal groups. The Hausa people have historically been one of the strongest ethnic groups in the country, and today are the most numerous. They primarily live in the southern regions of the country. The Songhai peoples are mostly found on the western borders and along the Niger River, along with the Zarma. Nomadic peoples such as the Tuareg and the Fula can be found throughout Niger.

European explorers first arrived in Niger in the nineteenth century. Famous European explorers who visited the country include Mungo Park from Great Britain and Heinrich Barth from Germany. Niger eventually became a colony of France in 1922, after resistance on the part of the Tuareg was suppressed.

Education: Education in Niger lags behind that of other West African countries. The literacy rate among adults was estimated at just 37.3 percent in 2018, which still represented a significant improvement over the rates earlier in the decade. On average, children attend school for only six years (2017 estimate). Typically, rural people receive less education than urban people. There is also a great disparity in education between men and women; the overall literacy rate breaks down to 45.8 percent among males and 29 percent among females (2018 estimate).

Primary and secondary schools are supported and operated by the Ministry of National Education. Institutions for higher education include the Islamic University of Niger, Abdou Moumouni University (formerly the University of Niamey), and the College of Mining, Industry, and Geology, as well as teacher training colleges.

Health Care: Niger has a weak health-care system, and public health and welfare are threatened by poverty, hunger, and a lack of adequate treatment facilities. Administered by the Ministry of Public Health, Niger’s health-care system provides primary health care such as vaccination services.

The country is in need of trained health-care professionals and has been aided by nongovernmental organizations such as Doctors without Borders. Common diseases in Niger include diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis, and meningococcal meningitis. Vaccination efforts have been effective against sleeping sickness and meningitis. Malnutrition is also a major health crisis.

Niger has a very high total fertility rate, estimated at 6.73 children born per woman in 2023—one of the highest in the world. It also has a high rate of maternal mortality, at 441 deaths per 100,000 live births (2020 estimate), and one of the world's highest rates of infant mortality, at 64.3 deaths per 1,000 live births (2024 estimate). Disease and health problems related to malnutrition contribute to maternal and child health concerns.

Food: There have been very serious food shortages in Niger in the twenty-first century, due in part to drought conditions and the destruction of crops by locusts. During the 2010 drought, an estimated 17 percent of Nigerien children were acutely malnourished. Niger’s government was accused of not doing enough to alleviate the problem. Nongovernmental organizations such as Oxfam and the United Nations World Food Programme worked to help malnourished people in the region, and foodstuffs represent a significant portion of the country's total imports.

During a traditional dinner in Niger, families sit around the food, which is served in a large bowl. A typical meal consists of bread that is dipped into a variety of sauces made from vegetables such as sorrel. Instead of using knives and forks, many people eat with their fingers or by dipping their bread into the dish. Traditional meals include kopto, which is made from groundnut paste, tomatoes, and onions. Mutton, rice, couscous, and yogurt are other common foods.

Arts & Entertainment: Niger has made many contributions to the arts and literature. Alfred Dogbé and Rahmatou Keïta are two well-known Nigerien writers. Dogbé is known for his play Tiens bon, Bonkano! (Hold on, Bonkano!) and for his short stories, and Keïta has been successful both as a journalist and in the documentary film industry. Other accomplished Nigerien writers include poet and novelist Ide Adamou, playwright and novelist Mahamadou Halilou Sabbo, playwright and filmmaker Idi Nouhou, and French-language novelist Oum Ramatou.

There have also been a number of successful Nigerien visual artists, including the painters Akili Adama (also a storyteller), Alichina Allakaye, Lawson Attikpasso, Boubacar Boureima, and Malam Zabeirou. Traditional Nigerien crafts include intricately designed tribal daggers, carved calabashes and gourds, Mirrah pottery, and woven rugs. Batik fabrics are dyed with designs of rural life, people, and animals.

One of the most famous Nigerien athletes is Issake Dabore, who won a bronze medal in the light-welterweight boxing competition during the 1972 Olympic Games. Other popular sports are football (soccer) and traditional wrestling. Tourists in Niger may spend time fishing, horseback riding, or canoeing.

Holidays: Because most of its population is Muslim, Niger honors all official Islamic holy days, including Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of fasting. Niger’s Christian population celebrates holidays such as Easter and Christmas. The country celebrates its independence on August 3.

In addition to public holidays, there are tribal celebrations and rituals at different times of the year. One ritual celebrated by the Fulani tribe is known as the guerewol. This dance celebrates the beginning of the rainy season.

Environment and Geography

Topography: Niger’s terrain consists mostly of desert and mountains, with some fertile savannahs in the south. The southern third of the country consists of plateaus with sandy valleys and dallol, or fossilized valleys. There are many dry riverbeds and a rocky landscape, as well as sandstone highlands and a sandy plain. The Niger River, an important source of water in the country, is located in the south.

Toward the north, the land becomes more arid and desert-like. The northern part of Niger contains the mountainous Aïr Massif, which runs across the middle of the country. There are a number of valleys that separate groups of mountains and also many high plateaus. The tallest mountain is Idoukal-n-Taghes, which measures 2,022 meters (6,634 feet) high.

The Niger Sahara is a sandy desert that surrounds the Aïr Massif. The desert to the west of the mountains is called the Talak region, while to the east it is called the Ténéré region. In the northern part of the Sahara, the sand dunes in the Tamesna region constantly drift due to wind conditions there.

Natural Resources: Niger is rich in mineral resources such as gold, coal, iron ore, and tin. It has one of the richest deposits of uranium in the world, which has formed the backbone of its industrial economy. Niger has also begun to exploit its gold resources and has large deposits of phosphates, limestone, and gypsum. The country may have potentially valuable oil resources, although most have not yet been developed.

Plants & Animals: As in other desert countries, the plant life in Niger primarily grows wherever there is water. In the most barren parts of the country, plants such as date palms and maize can be found near oases. Less arid portions of the country are covered with grazing land, where grasses such as cram-cram (Cenchrus biflorus) grow, as well as the doum palm. Other plants commonly found in Niger include acacia trees, palmyra palms, and baobabs. The country’s southern savannas contain kapok and tamarind trees.

Large animal species such as elephants, hippopotamuses, and giraffes are threatened due to poaching. There are small surviving populations of elephants, warthogs, lions, buffalo, and giraffes. These large species are primarily found in the Parc National du W (“W” National Park), where they are protected. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles live in the Niger River.

The Arabian camel or dromedary is able to survive in the desert because it can withstand the temperature and lack of water. Ostriches, the largest birds in the world, inhabit the grazing regions, along with herds of gazelles.

Climate: Niger is a dry country that is mostly covered by desert. Contributing to the land’s dryness is the dusty harmattan wind, which blows off the Sahara.

Temperatures in Niger are extremely hot and only abate during the rainy season, which is typically very short and occurs around August. April and May are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching between 42 degrees and 45 degrees Celsius (108 degrees and 113 degrees Fahrenheit), depending on the region.

During the coldest months, generally between November and February, the temperature can reach freezing in the desert, but it usually averages around 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Niger also has generally high levels of humidity, particularly in October.

Rain in the northernmost part of the country is scarce and unpredictable. However, the rainy season typically varies throughout the country both in duration and volume of precipitation. The north can receive up to 160 millimeters (6 inches) of rain during the course of the year, while around 600 millimeters (23 inches) fall in the south between June and September.

Economy

Despite its rich natural resources, Niger remains an underdeveloped country. Most people survive through subsistence farming and raising livestock. However, underdeveloped agricultural methods, desertification, and drought have made farming difficult. The most important natural resource is uranium. The country has also begun developing mines in order to exploit its gold reserves and has the potential to eventually become an important oil-producing nation.

The government has attempted to attract private investors to develop its industrial sectors. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided Niger with debt relief, and the country has also received aid from the United Nations Development Programme. In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) of Niger was estimated at US$44.561 billion, or US$1,600 per capita—one of the lowest in the world.

Industry:Major industries include uranium mining, petroleum, textile and soap manufacturing, cement and brick manufacturing, and food processing. Uranium mining has been a major source of income for Niger. With foreign investment, the country has started to develop its gold mines and to begin petroleum exploration.

Agriculture: Although agriculture made up an estimated 47.8 percent of Niger’s GDP in 2023, its success is dependent on weather conditions. During times of drought, the country is unable to adequately feed its population; food must be imported or donated in order to prevent problems such as malnutrition and starvation.

Only a small portion of the country’s land is suitable for farming, and soil depletion can be a problem. The most important subsistence crops in Niger are millet, sorghum, and cassava. The country exports cowpeas and onions. Gum arabic and sesame seeds are exports of lesser importance.

Livestock is a major source of food and livelihood for many Nigeriens, and is also one of the country’s most important exports. Livestock production centers primarily on herd animals like camels, sheep, goats, and cattle. The animals are valued for their meat and hides.

Tourism: Niger has struggled to attract tourists due to outbreaks of violence, such as the Tuareg rebellion in 2007 and 2008. There have also been terrorist attacks by Boko Haram militants in the region, which have prompted travel warnings. Even so, tourism and travel have been seen as an important development opportunity.

Tourist attractions in Niger include the Sahara, camel racing, and traveling down the Niger River by dugout canoe or pirogue. Tourists may also travel through the desert by camel with tour guides. The large Parc National du W game reserve features lions, elephants, baboons, and cheetahs.

Government

Niger gained independence from France on August 3, 1960. In 1974, the country’s first president was overthrown in a military coup. The military government remained in power until 1990, when democratic reforms were enacted and a multiparty political system was put in place. These reforms accompanied a period of political leadership known as the Third Republic, which was overthrown in 1996. Democratic rule was restored in 1999, but another a military coup took place in 2010.

After the 2010 coup a new constitution was enacted and elections installed a new government in April 2011. The government remained in power when President Issoufou Mahamadou was reelected in 2016, though government services remained minimal and insufficient to develop the country’s vast natural resources. Political instability also continued into the 2020s, including a failed coup attempt by the military in March 2021. In April 2021 a new president, Mohamed Bazoum, was sworn into office, marking the first peaceful democratic transfer of power since the country's independence. However, yet another coup in 2023 overthrew the democratic government and installed military rule.

According to the 2010 constitution, Niger is a republic with three separate branches of government. The executive branch consists of a president, prime minister, and a cabinet, and there is also a unicameral National Assembly. The highest courts of the judicial branch are the Constitutional Court and the High Court of Justice. However, the constitution was suspended indefinitely following the 2023 military coup.

The country is divided into seven administrative regions and one capital district. Suffrage in Niger is universal at age eighteen.

In 2023, Military coup overthrows civilian government and deposes President Bazoum.

Interesting Facts

• Niger is a Tamashek word meaning “river among rivers.”
• Each year during the Islamic holiday of Tabaski, Tuareg camel racers follow a course that winds through the city streets of Agadez.
• In Niger, valleys are called kori, while dried-up valleys of former tributaries of the Sokoto River are called gulbi and valleys or ravines that are dry except during the rainy season are called wadis.

Bibliography

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

"Niger." UNICEF Data: Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women, UNICEF, data.unicef.org/country/ner/. Accessed 30 July 2019.

"Niger." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/niger. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Niger." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/niger/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Niger Country Profile." BBC News, 4 Aug. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13943662. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 March 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.