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

Dozens abandoned in Niger desert feared dead - Aljazeera.com Aljazeera.com Dozens abandoned in Niger desert feared dead Aljazeera.com Dozens of people are feared dead after human traffickers abandoned them in Niger's northern desert without food or water, a senior local official said on Monday. Fatoumi Boudou, the prefect of Niger's northern region of Bilma, told the AFP news agency ... Niger migrants: 52 die during desert crossing - BBC NewsBBC News 51 Migrants Presumed Dead After Abandonment in Niger DesertU.S. News & World Report Over 50 African migrants feared dead in Niger's Sahara desert | ReutersFirstpost Belfast Telegraph all 10 news articles » 52 migrants have been found dead in the deserts of central Niger - Trend News Agency Trend News Agency 52 migrants have been found dead in the deserts of central Niger Trend News Agency Fifty-two migrants have been found dead in the deserts of central Niger, near Seguedine, BBC reported. A group of 75 set out in three vehicles but were abandoned by traffickers, who feared the security forces. A local official told the BBC that dozens ... and more » 2 policemen killed in Niger - Vanguard 2 policemen killed in Niger Vanguard It was alleged that some criminals in the area had been declared wanted by Niger and Kaduna Police Commands. Members of the notorious gang, said to be headed by a wanted criminal, is allegedly responsible for the kidnap of seven persons from a ... and more » Senator calls for restraint over killing of 2 policemen in Niger - NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) Senator calls for restraint over killing of 2 policemen in Niger NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog) Senator David Umaru, representing Niger East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Abuja, has called for restraint from all parties involved in the recent incidents at Allawa Village and Suleja town in Shiroro and Suleja local government areas ... Niger Gov Accuses Security Agencies of Failing in Discharge of ... - THISDAY Newspapers THISDAY Newspapers Niger Gov Accuses Security Agencies of Failing in Discharge of ... THISDAY Newspapers The Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, in Minna on Tuesday came down heavily on the country's security agencies, saying they have failed in ... Abubakar Bello : We spend N100M monthly on security and still remain unsafe - Niger govPulse Nigeria I've lost confidence in security agencies – Gov BelloVanguard Niger Gov Bemoans Rising Insecurity In StateNigeria Today all 13 news articles » NIGER: Wanted criminals murder 2 policemen - Ripples Nigeria Ripples Nigeria NIGER: Wanted criminals murder 2 policemen Ripples Nigeria Two policemen identified as Alfa Idris and Sergeant Joseph Peter, have reportedly been murdered in the Allawa village, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State by wanted criminals. Reports say the policemen, an Inspector and a Sergeant were killed ... Niger Delta militants threaten to stop oil exploration if Osinbajo's regime is toppled - NAIJ.COM NAIJ.COM Niger Delta militants threaten to stop oil exploration if Osinbajo's regime is toppled NAIJ.COM The group, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), in a statement by its spokesperson, WOI Izon-Ebi, on Monday, June 26 alleged that the north was aware that President Muhammadu Buhari was incapacitated and was planning to hijack power from ... and more » Africard, the company that gives Issoufou nightmares - Africa Intelligence (subscription) Africard, the company that gives Issoufou nightmares Africa Intelligence (subscription) Africard, an affiliate of Lebanon's Inkript company, is doing everything it can in the United States and France to recover the $25 million that Niger refuses to pay after cancelling the delivery of two million passports in 2011. The government had ... Fashola lying, refused to spend a kobo on Second Niger Bridge in 2016 budget- NASS - Vanguard Vanguard Fashola lying, refused to spend a kobo on Second Niger Bridge in 2016 budget- NASS Vanguard He said that because part of funds allocated to Second Niger Bridge in 2016 was returned at the end of the year, the national assembly reduced allocation to the project in the 2017 Budget by N5 billion. Namdas said that the deduction was applied to ... Senate attacks Fashola; explains Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan budget cutsPremium Times Reps: Executive budgeted N12bn for 2nd Niger bridge in 2016 but a kobo wasn't spent on itTheCable all 23 news articles » Greensboro man arrested, faces deportation to Niger - Greensboro News & Record Greensboro News & Record Greensboro man arrested, faces deportation to Niger Greensboro News & Record WINSTON-SALEM — Federal immigration officers last week arrested a Niger man living in Greensboro as part of an ongoing federal investigation. Family and friends say Ali Marounfa, 56, an outspoken critic of the Niger government, will be killed if he is ...