Foreign missionaries work freely, but their organizations must be registered officially as associations. Active Christian missionary organizations include Southern Baptist, Evangelical Baptist, Catholic, Assemblies of God, Seventh-Day Adventist, SIM, and Jehovah's Witnesses. Beyond proselytizing, most missionary groups generally offer development assistance as well. Language French is the official language, but Hausa is the language of local trade. Other African languages, such as Fulani, Tamachek, and Djerma, are also used extensively.
Most rivers flow only during the rainy season.
The only permanent bodies of water are the Niger River in the southwest and Lake Chad in the southeast. Economy Niger is one of the world's poorest nations. Despite strenuous efforts by the government to boost agricultural production and the development of uranium mining, its gross national product has declined sharply. Millet, sorghum, and beans are the major food crops and peanuts and cotton the major cash crops. Rice is grown along the banks of the Niger.