CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Niger


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!| Background:
 * Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 300 sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: 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 !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.01% other: 96.45% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea !| Geography - note:
 * Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
 * 16 00 N, 8 00 E
 * Africa
 * total: 1.267 million sq km
 * slightly less than twice the size of Texas
 * total: 5,697 km
 * 0 km (landlocked)
 * none (landlocked)
 * desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
 * predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
 * lowest point: Niger River 200 m
 * uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
 * arable land: 3.54%
 * 660 sq km (1998 est.)
 * recurring droughts
 * overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
 * party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
 * landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 50.4% (male 2,799,125; female 2,925,133) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 128,101; female 115,661) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 15.7 years female: 16.7 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 118.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 126.96 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 42.38 years female: 41.97 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Major infectious diseases: overall degree of risk: very high (2004) !| Nationality: adjective: Nigerien !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 17.6% male: 25.8% female: 9.7% (2003 est.)
 * 11,360,538 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 47.5% (male 2,749,039; female 2,643,479)
 * total: 16.2 years
 * 2.67% (2004 est.)
 * 48.91 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 21.51 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * -0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
 * total: 122.66 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 42.18 years
 * 6.83 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 1.2% (2003 est.)
 * 70,000 (2003 est.)
 * 4,800 (2003 est.)
 * typhoid fever, malaria
 * noun: Nigerien(s)
 * 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
 * Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian
 * French (official), Hausa, Djerma
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Niger local short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president cabinet: 23-member Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent of vote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5% !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, Social Democratic Rally 7 RDP 6i ANDP 5, Party for Socialism and Democarcy in Niger 1, other 8 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Niger
 * republic
 * Niamey
 * 7 departments (departements, singular - departement) and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
 * 3 August 1960 (from France)
 * Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
 * a new constitution was adopted 18 July 1999
 * based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
 * unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
 * State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
 * Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA]; Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]
 * NA
 * ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 17% services: 44% (2001) !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 35.4% (1995) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178 million (2002 est.) !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, and reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand. 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 - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000-01, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $105 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation. The IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Further disbursements of aid occurred in 2002. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources.
 * purchasing power parity - $9.062 billion (2003 est.)
 * 3.8% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 39%
 * 63% (1993 est.)
 * lowest 10%: 0.8%
 * 50.5 (1995)
 * 3% (2002 est.)
 * 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)
 * agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
 * NA (2002 est.)
 * revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sources
 * cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
 * uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
 * NA (2001 est.)
 * 242 million kWh (2001)
 * 325.1 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 100 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * $280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 * uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
 * France 42.2%, Nigeria 28.9%, Japan 17.2%, Spain 4.4% (2003)
 * $400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 * foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
 * France 16.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 13.8%, China 10.5%, Nigeria 7.7%, US 5.5%, Japan 4.9% (2003)
 * $1.6 billion (1999 est.)
 * $341 million (1997)
 * Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
 * XOF
 * Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 22,400 (2002)
 * 24,000 (2003)
 * general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
 * AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
 * 680,000 (1997)
 * 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)
 * 125,000 (1997)
 * .ne
 * 134 (2003)
 * 1 (2002)
 * 15,000 (2002)
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!| Highways: paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.) !| Waterways: note: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March (2004) !| Ports and harbors: !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
 * total: 10,100 km
 * 300 km
 * none
 * 27 (2003 est.)
 * total: 9
 * total: 18
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Army, Air Force, National Intervention and Security Force
 * 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
 * males age 15-49: 2,460,637 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 1,333,027 (2004 est.)
 * males: 122,363 (2004 est.)
 * $21.7 million (2003)
 * 1.1% (2003)
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