Country	Niger
Capital	Niamey
Continent	Africa
Currency	West African CFA franc(XOF)
Languages	French, Hausa, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Kanuri, Zarma & Tamasheq

Locaion

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic Co ordinates

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Land Boundries

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

Geography - note

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

Population

15,878,271 (July 2010 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 62

Nationality

Noun:Nigerien(s)
Adjective:Nigerien

Ethnic groups

Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

Religions

Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

Languages

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Country Name

Conventional long form:Republic of Niger
Conventional short form:Niger
Local long form:Republique du Niger
Local short form: Niger

Government Type

republic

Capital

Name:Niamey
Geographic coordinates:13 31 N, 2 07 E
Time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence

3 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution

adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state:Salou DJIBO, chairman of the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, and a leader of the military coup that deposed President Mamadou TANDJA on 18 February 2010
Head of government:Prime Minister Mahamadou DANDA (since 19 February 2010); appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president
Cabinet:26-member Cabinet appointed by the president (Cabinet dissolved following the 18 February 2010 coup)
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held on 4 December 2004 (no presidential election currently scheduled)
Election results:Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections:last held on 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
Election results:percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 76, RSD 15, RDP 7, PNA-Alouma 1, Alkalami 1, Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor 1, independents 12

Judicial branch

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

Political Parties and Leaders

Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chief of mission:Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
Chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone:[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
FAX:[1] (202)483-3169

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission:Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
Embassy:Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
Mailing address:B. P. 11201, Niamey
Telephone:[227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64
FAX:[227] 20-73-31-67

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band
note: similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Video

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Government - Government - Niger Presidency - Niger Niger Assemblee Nationale
Newspapers -  AllAfrica Niger IRIN Niger ReliefWeb Niger Afrik.com - Niger Libération
                              IZF - Niger L'autre Observateur L'Evenement La Canard déchaîné
                              La Roue de l'histoire Le Républicain Le Sahel Tam Tam
Tourism -         Ministry Of Tourism

Google News

WFP Niger Country Brief, June 2017 - Reliefweb Reliefweb WFP Niger Country Brief, June 2017 Reliefweb WFP is supporting the Niger government to roll out a Cost of Hunger analysis in Niger. This study will reinforce the sensitization of African governments on the fact that child malnutrition is not only a health and social problem, but also an economic one. and more » Turkish students visit Sudan, Niger - Anadolu Agency Anadolu Agency Turkish students visit Sudan, Niger Anadolu Agency University students in Turkey are visiting Sudan and Niger as part of a volunteering program. Twelve students have reached Sudan and participated in a maintenance work at a school on Tuesday. The students painted the walls of Nur-i Osmaniye education ... Lawmaker commends PANDEF, implores Niger Delta youths to be peaceful - Vanguard Vanguard Lawmaker commends PANDEF, implores Niger Delta youths to be peaceful Vanguard The member representing the Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Daniel Reyenieju has commended the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), for being steadfast, honest and uncompromising in its discussions with the Federal ... and more » "Niger Delta Youths" Storm Abuja In Solidarity Rally For The Nigeria Ailing President - SaharaReporters.com SaharaReporters.com "Niger Delta Youths" Storm Abuja In Solidarity Rally For The Nigeria Ailing President SaharaReporters.com Barely 24hours after a violent attack was staged on anti-Buhari protesters in Wuse Market, Abuja, another Pro-Buhari group claiming to be "Niger Delta Youths" today, stormed Abuja to throw their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari despite his ill ... Protest: 600 Niger-Delta Youths Turn-Up for PMBLeadership Newspapers Niger Delta youths storm Unity Fountain in support of BuhariDaily Trust Fake Niger Delta Pro Buhari Protesters Shutdown Federal SecretariatSundiataPost (press release) (blog) Naija News -NAIJ.COM all 267 news articles » Nigeria – Niger – Boko Haram attacks (August 15, 2017) - France Diplomatie (press release) The Punch Nigeria – Niger – Boko Haram attacks (August 15, 2017) France Diplomatie (press release) We pay tribute to the commitment of the security forces of the countries of the region in their efforts to combat terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin and renew our support for the joint multinational force created at the initiative of Cameroon, Niger ... Boko Haram : Army launches mobile strike force to crush insurgents [PHOTOS]Pulse Nigeria Russia fumes, condemns Boko Haram attacks that killed 30 in Northeastern NigeriaVanguard all 275 news articles » $450m investment: Dangote's pact signing with Niger shifted - Daily Trust Nigeria Today $450m investment: Dangote's pact signing with Niger shifted Daily Trust A Memorandum of Understanding between Dangote Group and Niger State government earlier slated for yesterday has been shifted to next week, Daily Trust learnt. This is to enable the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, to be personally ... Niger govt. signs $3.25bn MoU with firm on fish farmingNigeria Today all 5 news articles » Disregard quit notice, Ijaw group tells northerners, Yorubas in Niger Delta - NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) Disregard quit notice, Ijaw group tells northerners, Yorubas in Niger Delta NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) ''The statement allegedly made by a Niger Delta militants' group is not a true representation of our position. We believe in one Nigeria where every citizen is free to live, visit or do business in any part of the country. Hate speeches will never take ... and more » Niger Delta group asks Yoruba, northerners to disregard quit notice - Guardian (blog) Guardian (blog) Niger Delta group asks Yoruba, northerners to disregard quit notice Guardian (blog) The Niger Delta People's Congress (NDPC) has called on Yoruba and northerners to disregard the quit notice by a coalition of agitators and former militants asking them to leave the oil-rich region on or before October 1 this year. Its convener, Chief ... and more » Dangote to commit $450m to agric business in Niger - Vanguard Vanguard Dangote to commit $450m to agric business in Niger Vanguard According to him, Niger has become the destination of choice for investment in the agricultural sector given its rich and vast arable land. He said that the company was poised to leverage on that toward a virile agriculture based economy. Dangote said ... Niger has capacity to produce food for Africa, says OsinbajoGuardian (blog) Niger has the 10th largest land mass in Nigeria - OsinbajoNAIJ.COM Osinbajo visits Niger State today - Daily Post NigeriaDaily Post Nigeria P.M. News -AllAfrica.com -WorldStage all 20 news articles » Dangote, Niger sign $450m pact in rice, sugar today - Daily Trust - Daily Trust Dangote, Niger sign $450m pact in rice, sugar today - Daily Trust Daily Trust A Memorandum of Understanding between Dangote Group and Niger State government would be signed today for a $450million investment in sugar and rice ... and more »