Niger is a landlocked sub-Saharan country in Western Africa situated north of Nigeria, east of Mali, and south of Algeria and Libya, named after the Niger river. The capital city is Niamey. A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... The Sahara is the worlds second largest desert (second to Antarctica), over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), located in northern Africa and is 2. ... The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa and, by far, the most populated nation in Africa. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ... The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. ... The Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya or Libya (Arabic: ليبيا) is a country in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, located between Egypt on the east, Sudan on the southeast, Chad and Niger on the south and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. ... The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending over 2500 miles (about 4000 km). ... Niamey, population 665 918* is the capital of Niger and a capital of a department of Tilabery. ...

Its proper English pronunciation is "nee-ZHAIR", although "NIGH-jer" is also acceptable. Its adjective form is Nigerien ("nee-ZHAIR-ee-an"), which should not be confused with Nigerian ("nigh-JEER-ee-an") for Nigeria. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa and, by far, the most populated nation in Africa. ...

(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: Fraternité, Travail, Progrès (French: Fraternity, Work, Progress)
Official language	French (official), Hausa, Djerma, Tamajaq
Capital and largest city	Niamey 13°32′ N 2°05′ E (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=13_32_N_2_05_E_)
President	Tandja Mamadou
Prime Minister	Hama Amadou
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 21st 1,267,000 km² .02%
Population  - Total (Year)  - Density	Ranked 70th 10,075,511 8/km²
GDP (PPP)  - Total (Year)  - GDP/head	Ranked 136th $8.713 billion $800
Currency	CFA franc
Time zone	UTC +1
Independence	3 August 1960, from France
National anthem	La Nigerienne
Internet TLD	.ne
Calling Code	227

History

Main article: History of Niger This is the history of Niger. ...

Considerable evidence indicates that about 600,000 years ago, humans inhabited what has since become the desolate Sahara of northern Niger. Niger was an important economic crossroads, and the empires of Songhai, Mali, Gao, Kanem, and Bornu, as well as a number of Hausa states, claimed control over portions of the area. The Sahara is the worlds second largest desert (second to Antarctica), over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), located in northern Africa and is 2. ... The Songhai are an ethnic group living in western Africa. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ... GAO may mean: The U.S. Government Accountability Office (formerly General Accounting Office) Golf Association of Ontario Gipuzkoako Aldizkari Ofiziala Grupo de Agricultura Organica This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Kanem can also refer to the ancient Sahelian state of Kanem-Bornu Kanem is one of the 14 prefectures of Chad. ... Bornu may mean: Kanem-Bornu Empire, a historical state of West Africa Borno State, Nigeria This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

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. The Tuareg are an African ethnic group or nation. ... The Hausa are a people of northern Nigeria and south-eastern Niger. ... Sokoto (which is the modern/anglicised version of the local name, Sakkwato; also known as Sakkwato, Birnin Shaihu da Bello or Sokoto, Capital of Shaihu and Bello) is a city located in the Northwestern region of Nigeria, and is the modern day capital of Sokoto State (and its predecessor, the... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

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. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mungo Park Title illustration of (1859) Mungo Park (September 20, 1771 - 1806) was a Scottish explorer of the African continent. ... Heinrich Barth (1821-1865), German explorer, was born at Hamburg on February 16, 1821, and educated at Berlin University, where he graduated in 1844. ... The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending over 2500 miles (about 4000 km). ... Wiktionary has a definition of: French Wikipedia en français French in its formal sense and used in its capitalized form, denotes: Something from or related to France. ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The Tuareg are an African ethnic group or nation. ...

Niger's colonial history and development parallel that of other French West African territories. France administered its West African colonies through a governor general at 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. French West Africa (Afrique occidentale française, or AOF) was a federation of eight French territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), Guinea, Côte dIvoire, Niger, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Dahomey (now Benin). ... (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper ( commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop ( PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... The Republic of Senegal is a country south of the Senegal River in West Africa. ...

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. July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... 1956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on October 5, 1958. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ...

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 Kountche and a small group of military ruled the country until Kountche'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. Andre 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. This page contains a list of presidents of Niger. ... Diori Hamani (b. ... A drought is an extended period where water availability falls below the statistical requirements for a region. ... This article is about political corruption. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Seyni Kountché Seyni Kountché (1 July 1931 – 10 November 1987) was a Nigerien military officer who led a 1974 coup d’état that deposed the government of Niger’s first president Hamani Diori. ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ali Saibou (b. ... A political prisoner is anyone held in prison or otherwise detained, perhaps under house arrest, because their ideas or image either challenge or pose a real or potential threat to the state. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... This article deals with democracy in its modern sense. ... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ...

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, Bare enlisted specialists to draft a new constitution for a Fourth Republic announced in May 1996. After dissolving the national electoral committee, Bare organized and won a flawed presidential election in July 1996 and 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 Bare 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, beaten, and deported by an unofficial militia composed of police and military; and independent media offices were looted and burned with impunity. Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara ( May 9, 1949 - April 9, 1999) was a military officer in the West African country of Niger who overthrew the government of President Mahamane Ousmane on January 27, 1996. ... January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... The Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya or Libya (Arabic: ليبيا) is a country in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, located between Egypt on the east, Sudan on the southeast, Chad and Niger on the south and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. ...

In the culmination of an initiative started under the 1991 national conference, however, the government signed peace accords in April 1995 with all Tuareg and Toubou groups that had been in rebellion since 1990, claiming 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. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... The Tuareg are an African ethnic group or nation. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ...

In April 1999, Bare was overthrown in a coup led by Maj. Daouda Mallam Wanke, 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 presidency. April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... The semi-presidential system is a system of government that features both a prime minister and a president who are active participants in the day to day functioning of government. ...

In July 2004, Niger held municipal elections nationwide as part of its decentralization process. Some 3,700 people were elected to new local governments in 265 newly established communes. The ruling MNSD party won more positions than any other political party; however, opposition parties made significant gains. July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ...

In November and December 2004, Niger held presidential and legislative elections. Tandja Mamadou was elected to his second 5-year presidential term with 65% of the vote in an election that international observers called generally free and fair. This was the first presidential election with a democratically elected incumbent and a test to Niger’s young democracy. November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Politics of Niger Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Niger ...

In the 2004 legislative elections, the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD), the Democratic and Socialist Convention (CDS), the Rally for Social Democracy (RSD), the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), the Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ANDP), and the Social Party for Nigerien Democracy (PSDN) coalition, which backed Tandja, won 88 of the 113 seats in the National Assembly. Rally for Democracy and Progress (Chad) Rally for Democracy and Progress (Mali) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Niger Nigers new constitution was approved in July 1999. ...

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 legislature 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. Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of voting privileges to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief or social status. ... Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ...

Niger's independent judicial system is composed of four higher courts--the Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court, the High Court of Justice, and the Constitutional Court.

The constitution also provides for the popular election of municipal and local officials, and the first-ever successful municipal elections took place July 24, 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 December 30, 2004. 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.

Departments

Main article: Departments of Niger Niger is divided into 7 departments (departements; singular - departement) (each departments capital is the same as its name): Agadez Diffa Dosso Maradi Tahoua Tillaberi Zinder Additionally, the national capital, Niamey, comprises a capital district. ...

• Agadez
• Diffa
• Dosso
• Maradi
• Tahoua
• Tillaberi
• Zinder

Agadez is the largest city in northern Niger, lying in the Sahara and is the capital of Aïr, one of the traditional Tuareg federations. ... Diffa is a town in southeast Niger, near that countrys border with Nigeria, with a population of 23,600 (2004). ... Dosso is the name of both a department and a town in the south-west corner of Niger. ... This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Tahoua is a city in Niger and the administrative center of the Departement of Tahoua. ... Tillabéri is a town in north west Niger on the River Niger. ... Zinder is the second largest city in Niger, lying north of Kano in Nigeria. ...

Geography

Map of Niger

Main article: Geography of Niger File links The following pages link to this file: Niger Geography of Niger Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... File links The following pages link to this file: Niger Geography of Niger Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. ...

Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. Its geographic coordinates are a longitude of 16°N and a latitude off 8°E. Its area is 1.267 million square kilometers, of which 1,266,700 km² is land and 300 km² water. This makes Niger slightly less than twice the size of the U.S. state of Texas. A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and... The Sahara is the worlds second largest desert (second to Antarctica), over 9,000,000 km² (3,500,000 mi²), located in northern Africa and is 2. ... Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa south of the Sahara Desert, is the term used to describe those countries of Africa that are not part of North Africa. ... This article is about longitude and latitude; see also UTM coordinate system Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically); large version (pdf) The geographic (earth-mapping) coordinate system expresses every horizontal position on Earth by two of the three coordinates of a spherical coordinate system which... Map of Earth showing curved lines of longitude Longitude, sometimes denoted λ, describes the location of a place on Earth east or west of a north-south line called the Prime Meridian. ... Latitude, denoted φ, gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the Equator. ... A U.S. state is any one of the 50 states which have membership of the federation known as the United States of America (USA or U.S.). The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty. ... State nickname: Lone Star State Other U.S. States Capital Austin Largest city Houston Governor Rick Perry Official languages None Area 696,241 km² (2nd)  - Land 678,907 km²  - Water 17,333 km² (2. ...

Niger borders seven countries on all sides and has a total of 5,697 km of borders. The longest border is Chad to the east, at 1,175 km. This is followed by Nigeria to the south (1,497 km), Algeria to the north-northwest (956 km), and Mali at 821 km. Niger also has small borders in its far southwest frontier (Burkina Faso at 628 km and Benin at 266 km) and to the north-northeast (Libya at 354 km). The Republic of Chad (تشاد) is a land-locked nation in central Africa. ... The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa and, by far, the most populated nation in Africa. ... The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ... Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation of western Africa. ... The Republic of Benin is a nation of western Africa, formerly known as Dahomey. ... The Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya or Libya (Arabic: ليبيا) is a country in North Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, located between Egypt on the east, Sudan on the southeast, Chad and Niger on the south and Algeria and Tunisia to the west. ...

Niger's subtropical climate is mainly hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Congo River Basin. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling plains in south and hills in the north. Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... A dune in the Egyptian desert Desert in California In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... Image of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, taken by NASA; the Congo River is visible in the center of the photograph Length 4,380 km Elevation of the source m Average discharge 41,800 m³/s Area watershed 3,680,000 km² Origin Mouth Atlantic Ocean Basin countries Dem. ... This article is about the sand formations, for other meanings see Dune (disambiguation) Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ...

The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 m. The highest point is Mont Greboun at 1,944 m. The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending over 2500 miles (about 4000 km). ...

See also : List of cities in Niger This is a list of cities in Niger: Abalagh Agadez Arlit Ayourou Bilma Birnin-Konni Diffa Dosso Gaya Maradi Nguigmi Niamey Tahoua Tchin-Tabaraden Tillabéri Timia Zinder Categories: Lists of cities | Niger ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Niger Economy - overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, re-export trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. ...

One of the poorest countries in the world, Niger's economy is based largely on subsistence farming, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, a 3.3% population growth rate, and the drop in world demand for uranium have undercut an already marginal economy. Traditional subsistence farming, herding, small trading, seasonal migration, and informal markets dominate an economy that generates few formal sector jobs. Subsistence farming is a mode of agriculture in which a plot of land produces only enough food to feed the family working it. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Uranium, U, 92 Chemical series Actinides Period, Block 7 , f Density, Hardness 19050 kg/m3, ND Appearance silvery-white metal Atomic properties Atomic weight 238. ... Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas into desert, resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities. ... Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group, maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place - or any combination of those. ...

Niger's agricultural and livestock sectors are the mainstay of all but 18% of the population. Fourteen percent of Niger's GDP is generated by livestock production--camels, goats, sheep, and cattle--said to support 29% of the population. The 15% of Niger's land that is arable is found mainly along its southern border with Nigeria. Rainfall varies and when insufficient, Niger has difficulty feeding its population and must rely on grain purchases and food aid to meet food requirements. Although the rains in 2000 were not good, for the past three years rains were relatively plentiful and well distributed, contributing to good cereal harvests. Millet, sorghum, and cassava are Niger's principal rain-fed subsistence crops. Cowpeas and onions are grown for commercial export, as are limited quantities of garlic, peppers, gum arabic, and sesame seeds. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... For other uses, see Camel (disambiguation). ... Categories: Animal stubs ... This article is about the animal, sheep; for other meanings of Sheep, see Sheep (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Gum arabic is a substance that is taken from two sub-Saharan species of the acacia tree. ...

Of Niger's exports, foreign exchange earnings from livestock, although difficult to quantify, are second only to those from uranium. 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 Inc. and a Canadian company, ETRUSCAN. Both companies own 80% (40% - 40%) of SML and the GON 20%. The first year’s production is predicted to be 135,000 troy ounces (4,200 kg) 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) 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". General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6, d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ... Burkina Faso is a landlocked nation of western Africa. ... An ingot is a mass of metal or semiconducting material, heated past the melting point, and then recast, typically into the form of a bar or block. ...

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. In chemistry, a phosphate is a polyatomic ion or radical consisting of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground either by underground mining, open-pit mining or strip mining. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metal Group, Period, Block 8 (VIIIB), 4 , d Density, Hardness 7874 kg/m3, 4. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. Chemical structure Gypsum from New South Wales, Australia Heating gypsum above approximately 150°C (302°F) partially dehydrates the mineral, by driving off exactly 75% of the water contained in its chemical structure. ... Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), headquartered in Irving, Texas, is an oil producer and distributor formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. ... Categories: Corporation stubs | Oil companies | Companies of Malaysia ... Lake Chad in a 2001 satellite image, with the actual lake in blue, and vegetation on top of the old lake bed in green. ...

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. The countries using the CFA franc The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, or just franc in everyday conversation if no ambiguity is possible) is a currency used in 12 formerly French-ruled African countries, as well as in Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese colony) and in Equatorial Guinea (former Spanish...

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 Program (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. The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative aims at assisting the worlds poorest countries by bringing their external debt to sustainable levels, conditional on their governments showing satisfactory performance levels. ... Health care or healthcare is one of the worlds largest and fastest growing professions. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

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 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. 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 European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, in Romance languages: BIRD), better known as the World Bank, is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by WWII. Now, its mission has expanded to fight poverty by means of financing states. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... UNICEF logo The United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946. ...

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. Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... The Non-Aligned Movement, or NAM is an international organization of over 100 states which consider themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. ...

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 a 400-man military contingent 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 materiel 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. The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, or Algeria, is a nation in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent. ... The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6,700 km, was erected beginning in the 3rd century BC to guard the north from raids by men on horses. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Niger The largest ethnic groups in Niger are the Hausa, who also constitute the major ethnic group in northern Nigeria, and the Zarma Songhay (also spelled Djerma-Songhai), who also are found in parts of Mali. ...

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. The Hausa are a people of northern Nigeria and south-eastern Niger. ... The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa and, by far, the most populated nation in Africa. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ... Communities of nomadic people move from place to place, rather than settling down in one location. ... Categories: Africa-related stubs | Burkina Faso | Cameroon | Ethnic groups of Africa | Fulani Empire | Mali | Nigeria ... The Tuareg are an African ethnic group or nation. ... The Kanuri are an African ethnic group living in northeastern Nigeria in the state of Bornu. ...

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. Nonetheless, Niger's very high fertility rate (7.2%), means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15. School attendance is 50%, including 38% of males and only 27% of females. Additional education occurs through Koranic schools.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Niger Islamic influences from North Africa have had a powerful effect on the culture of Niger. ...

• Music of Niger
• List of writers from Niger

This section is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Niger&action=edit).
Niger is an African country inhabited by a mix of ethnic groups, mostly Hausa, Beriberi, Songhai, Djerma, Dendi, Puel - Woodabe and Bororo and Tuareg peoples. ... African Writers (by country): This is a list of literary figures from the African continent, listed by country, including poets, novelists, childrens writers, essayists, and scholars, listed by country. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Niger
• Transportation in Niger
• Military of Niger
• Foreign relations of Niger

Telephones - main lines in use: 13,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995) Telephone system: 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... Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996 est. ... The Niger Armed Forces total 8,000 personnel, in addition to 2,700 national gendarmes and 4,000 members of the Garde Republicaine. ... Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with both East and West. ...

References

• Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Niger, 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997, ISBN 0-8108-3136-8) - a comprehensive collection of Niger topics
• CIA World Factbook
• US State Department [1] (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5474.htm)

World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ...

External links

• Map of Niger with departements (http://www.izf.net/izf/Documentation/Cartes/Pays/supercartes/niger.htm)
• Maps of Niger, pictures of Agadez, Tuaregs and handcraft from Niger (http://www.agadez-niger.com)