Niger

**Niger** or **the Niger** ( or ; ), officially the **Republic of the Niger**, is a country in western Africa. The capital is Niamey, and the official language is Hausa. It is surrounded by Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the south, and Burkina Faso and Mali to the west. Niger is landlocked, meaning it has no coastline. Niger gets its name from the Niger River, whose name possibly comes from the Berber word "River of Rivers".

The Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire both had land in what is now Niger. Later France controlled the land that is now Niger. Niger has a population, or the number of people living in an area, of 15,306,252 and an area of 1,267,000 square kilometres. Much of Niger is desert.

Most of the people live in rural areas, and have little access to advanced education.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with a lack of contraception. 41.4% live in poverty. Hunger plagues the country.

Niger’s main exports are uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas and onions. Millet and sorghum are grown in the south, as well as cassava and sugarcane. Rice is grown in the Niger River valley. Peanuts are the most important cash crop. Other important crops are cotton and pulses.

Niger is home to the critically endangered addax antelope. West African giraffes are the only giraffes in West Africa that exist in Niger.

History: There was a military coup in 2010. The 2023 Niger coup d'état happened.

## Geography

Niger is on the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. Niger's area is  of which  is water. It is the world's twenty-second largest country. Niger borders seven countries. The longest border is with Nigeria to the south.

The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of . The highest point is Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès in the Aïr Mountains at .

### Regions

- **Northern Niger**: Agadez Region
- **South-Central Niger**: Maradi Region, Tahoua Region, Zinder Region
- **South-Eastern Niger**: Diffa Region, Zinder Region
- **South-Western Niger**: Tillabéri Region, Dosso Region, Niamey, Tahoua Region
Zinder Region and Tahoua Region are intermediates between Central Niger.

### Cities

This table shows cities with a population over 10,000, according to 2001 census.
|City|Census division|Population 2001|Position|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|Abalak|Tahoua|12,764|<small></small>|
|Agadez|Agadez|78,289|<small></small>|
|Aguié|Maradi|11,475|<small></small>|
|Arlit|Agadez|69,435|<small></small>|
|Birni Ngaouré|Dosso|10,775|<small></small>|
|Birni Nkonni|Tahoua|44,663|<small></small>|
|Dakoro|Maradi|18,875|<small></small>|
|Diffa|Diffa|23,409|<small></small>|
|Dogondoutchi|Dosso|29,244|<small></small>|
|Dosso|Dosso|43,561|<small></small>|
|Filingué|Tillabéri|11,661|<small></small>|
|Gaya|Dosso|28,385|<small></small>|
|Gouré|Zinder|13,422|<small></small>|
|Guidan Roumji|Maradi|10,744|<small></small>|
|Illéla|Tahoua|15,805|<small></small>|
|Kollo|Tillabéri|10,533|<small></small>|
|Madaoua|Tahoua|22,175|<small></small>|
|Magaria|Zinder|17,776|<small></small>|
|Maïné-Soroa|Diffa|10,176|<small></small>|
|Maradi|Maradi|148,017|<small></small>|
|Matameye|Zinder|17,930|<small></small>|
|Mirria|Zinder|19,161|<small></small>|
|Nguigmi|Diffa|15,922|<small></small>|
|Niamey|Niamey Capital District|707,951|<small></small>|
|Say|Tillabéri|10,502|<small></small>|
|Tahoua|Tahoua|73,002|<small></small>|
|Tânout|Zinder|15,779|<small></small>|
|Tchirozérine|Agadez|10,032|<small></small>|
|Téra|Tillabéri|19,508|<small></small>|
|Tessaoua|Maradi|31,667|<small></small>|
|Tillabéri|Tillabéri|16,683|<small></small>|
|Zinder|Zinder|170,575|<small></small>|

### Climate

Niger's subtropical climate is mainly very hot and dry. Much of it is covered by desert. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin. The land is mostly desert plains and sand dunes. There is flat to rolling savanna in the south and hills in the north.

## Demographics

There are several ethnic groups in Niger:
- Hausa 53.1%
- Zarma/Songhai 21.2%
- Tuareg 11%
- Fulani (Peuhl) 6.5%
- Kanuri 5.9%
- Gurma 0.8%
- Arab 0.4%
- Tubu 0.4%
- other/unavailable 0.9%

## Education

The literacy rate (the amount of the adult population who can read or write) of Niger is among the lowest in the world. In 2005 it was estimated to be only 28.7% (42.9% male and 15.1% female). Primary education in Niger is required for six years. The primary school enrollment and attendance rates are low, particularly for girls. Children are often made to work rather than attend school. This is particularly true during planting or harvest periods.

## Related pages

- List of rivers of Niger
- Niger at the Olympics
- Niger national football team

## Other websites

- Niger - CIA world factbook

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Republic of the Niger
- **common name**: Niger
- **image flag**: Flag of Niger.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of Arms of Niger.svg
- **symbol width**: 125px
- **image map**: Niger_(orthographic_projection).svg
- **national anthem**: _L'Honneur de la Patrie_
- **official languages**: Hausa language, Hausa
- **languages type**: National languages
- **languages2 type**: Working languages
- **languages2**: English, French
- **demonym**: Demographics of Niger, Nigerien ( 
- **capital**: Niamey
- **largest city**: Niamey
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary Semi-presidential system, semi-presidential republic under a military junta
- **leader title1**: List of heads of state of Niger, Interim President and National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, CNSP Chairman
- **leader name1**: Abdourahamane Tchiani, Omar Tchiani
- **leader title2**: List of Prime Ministers of Niger, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Ali Lamine Zeine
- **legislature**: National Assembly of Niger, National Assembly
- **area rank**: 21st
- **area km2**: 1,267,000
- **area sq mi**: 489,678
- **percent water**: 0.02
- **population estimate**: 23,196,002
- **population estimate rank**: 57th
- **population estimate year**: 2020
- **population census**: 17,138,707
- **population census year**: 2012
- **population density km2**: 12.1
- **population density sq mi**: 31.2
- **gdp ppp**: $23.475 billion
- **gdp ppp rank**: 140th
- **gdp ppp year**: 2018
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $1,213
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: 183rd
- **gdp nominal**: $9.869 billion
- **gdp nominal rank**: 136th
- **gdp nominal year**: 2018
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $510
- **gdp nominal per capita rank**: 179th
- **sovereignty type**: History of Niger, Independence
- **sovereignty note**: from France
- **established event1**: Republic proclaimed
- **established date1**: 18 December 1958
- **established event2**: Declared
- **established date2**: 3 August 1960
- **gini year**: 2014
- **gini change**: increase
- **gini**: 34.0
- **gini rank**: 70th
- **hdi year**: 2019
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi**: 0.394
- **hdi rank**: 189th
- **currency**: West African CFA franc
- **currency code**: XOF
- **time zone**: West Africa Time, WAT
- **utc offset**: +1
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: +227
- **cctld**: .ne
- **footnote a**: Lowest ranked.