Topic: Photos of Dominican Republic

Topic: Introduction
Background: The Taino - indigenous inhabitants of Hispaniola prior to the arrival of Europeans - divided the island into five chiefdoms and territories. Christopher COLUMBUS explored and claimed the island on his first voyage in 1492; it became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821 but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930 to 1961. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962 but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the US led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in the presidential election. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. Former President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (first term 1996-2000) won election to a new term in 2004 following a constitutional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term, and was later reelected to a second consecutive term. Following the two-term presidency of Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (2012-2020), Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona was elected president in July 2020.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 48,670 sq km

land: 48,320 sq km

water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 376 km

border countries (1): Haiti 376 km
Coastline: 1,288 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains interspersed with fertile valleys
Elevation: highest point: Pico Duarte 3,098 m

lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m

mean elevation: 424 m
Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 51.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 40.8% (2018 est.)

other: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 3,070 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
Population distribution: coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Geography - note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds makes up the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti); the second largest country in the Antilles (after Cuba); geographically diverse with the Caribbean's tallest mountain, Pico Duarte, and lowest elevation and largest lake, Lago Enriquillo
Map description: Dominican Republic map shows the country’s border with Haiti and its position in the Caribbean Sea.Dominican Republic map shows the country’s border with Haiti and its position in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,694,700 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dominican(s)

adjective: Dominican
Ethnic groups: mixed 70.4% (Mestizo/Indio 58%, Mulatto 12.4%), Black 15.8%, White 13.5%, other 0.3% (2014 est.)

note: respondents self-identified their race; the term "indio" in the Dominican Republic is not associated with people of indigenous ancestry but people of mixed ancestry or skin color between light and dark
Languages: Spanish (official)

major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Roman Catholic 44.3%, Evangelical 13%, Protestant 7.9%, Adventist 1.4%, other 1.8%, atheist 0.2%, none 29.4%, unspecified 2% (2018 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.85% (male 1,433,166/female 1,385,987)

15-24 years: 18.15% (male 968,391/female 937,227)

25-54 years: 40.54% (male 2,168,122/female 2,088,926)

55-64 years: 8.17% (male 429,042/female 428,508)

65 years and over: 6.29% (2020 est.) (male 310,262/female 350,076)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 53.8

youth dependency ratio: 42.2

elderly dependency ratio: 11.6

potential support ratio: 8.6 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 27.9 years

male: 27.8 years

female: 28.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.91% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 18.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: coastal development is significant, especially in the southern coastal plains and the Cibao Valley, where population density is highest; smaller population clusters exist in the interior mountains (Cordillera Central)
Urbanization: urban population: 83.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 3.458 million SANTO DOMINGO (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.9 years (2013 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 95 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 21.18 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.56 years

male: 70.86 years

female: 74.33 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 69.5% (2014)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 98.3% of population

rural: 91.7% of population

total: 97.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.7% of population

rural: 8.3% of population

total: 2.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 5.9% (2019)
Physicians density: 1.45 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 97.4% of population

rural: 91.3% of population

total: 96.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population

rural: 8.7% of population

total: 3.7% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 72,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,900 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 27.6% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 10.6% (2020 est.)

male: 14.6% (2020 est.)

female: 6.5% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4% (2013)
Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.8%

male: 93.8%

female: 93.8% (2016)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years

male: 14 years

female: 15 years (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.9%

male: 11.6%

female: 20.7% (2020 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 12.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 25.26 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 8.1 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Land use: agricultural land: 51.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 16.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 10.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 40.8% (2018 est.)

other: 7.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 83.8% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,063,910 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 333,241 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.2% (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Lago de Enriquillo - 500 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 855 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 659.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 7.563 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 23.5 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Dominican Republic

conventional short form: The Dominican

local long form: Republica Dominicana

local short form: La Dominicana

former: Santo Domingo (the capital city's name formerly applied to the entire country)

etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic)
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Santo Domingo

geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: named after Saint Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221), founder of the Dominican Order
Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regiones, singular - region); Cibao Nordeste, Cibao Noroeste, Cibao Norte, Cibao Sur, El Valle, Enriquillo, Higuamo, Ozama, Valdesia, Yuma
Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Constitution: history: many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 13 June 2015

amendments: proposed by a special session of the National Congress called the National Revisory Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval by at least one half of those present in both houses of the Assembly; passage of amendments to constitutional articles, such as fundamental rights and guarantees, territorial composition, nationality, or the procedures for constitutional reform, also requires approval in a referendum
Legal system: civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Dominican Republic

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age can vote; note - members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote
Executive branch: chief of state: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (since 16 August 2020); Vice President Raquel PENA de Antuna (since 16 August 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a maximum of two consecutive terms); election last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

election results:
2020: Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona elected president in first round; percent of vote - Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 52.5%, Gonzalo CASTILLO Terrero (PLD) 37.5%, Leonel Antonio FERNANDEZ Reyna (FP) 8.9% other 1.1%

2016: Danilo MEDINA Sanchez reelected president; percent of vote - Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (PLD) 61.7%, Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona (PRM) 35%, other 3.3%; Margarita CEDENO DE FERNANDEZ (PLD) reelected vice president
Legislative branch: description: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:
Senate or Senado (32 seats; 26 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, and 6 members indirectly elected based upon province-wide party plurality votes for its candidates to the Chamber of Deputies; all members serve 4-year terms; note - in 2019, the Central Election Commission changed the electoral system for seats in26 constituencies to direct simple majority but retained indirect election for the remaining 6 constituencies; previously all 32 members were indirectly elected; the change had been challenged by the ruling and opposition parties)

House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (190 seats; 178 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method, 5 members in a nationwide constituency and 7 diaspora members directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 5 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024); note - the 2020 election was rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 17, PLD 6, PRSC 6, BIS 1, DXC 1, FP 1; composition - men 28, women 4, percent of women 12.5%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRM 86, PLD 75,  PRSC 6, PRD 4, Broad Front 3, FP 3, AP 2, APD 2, BIS 2, DXC 2, other 5; composition - men 137, women 53, percent of women 27.9%; note - total National Congress percent of women 25.7%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia (consists of a minimum of 16 magistrates); Constitutional Court or Tribunal Constitucional (consists of 13 judges); note - the Constitutional Court was established in 2010 by constitutional amendment

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and a non-governing party congressional representative; Supreme Court judges appointed for 7-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms

subordinate courts: courts of appeal; courts of first instance; justices of the peace; special courts for juvenile, labor, and land cases; Contentious Administrative Court for cases filed against the government
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or APD
Broad Front (Frente Amplio) [Fidel SANTANA]
Country Alliance or AP [Guillermo Antonio MORENO Garcia]
Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Danilo MEDINA Sánchez]
Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]
Dominicans For Change or DXC [Manuel OVIEDO Estrada]
Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS
Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)
Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Luis ABINADER]
National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]
People's Force or FP [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]
Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico Augusto "Quique" ANTUN Batile]
International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia GUZMAN (since 18 January 2021)

chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280

FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057

email address and website:
embassy@drembassyusa.org

http://drembassyusa.org/

consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Glendale (CA), Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)

consulate(s): San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert W. THOMAS (since 20 January 2021)

embassy: Av. Republica de Colombia #57, Santo Domingo

mailing address: 3470 Santo Domingo Place, Washington DC  20521-3470

telephone: (809) 567-7775

email address and website:
SDOAmericans@state.gov

https://do.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are ultramarine blue (hoist side) and vermilion red, and the bottom ones are vermilion red (hoist side) and ultramarine blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by a laurel branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon; in the shield a bible is opened to a verse that reads "Y la verdad nos hara libre" (And the truth shall set you free); blue stands for liberty, white for salvation, and red for the blood of heroes
National symbol(s): palmchat (bird); national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem: name: "Himno Nacional" (National Anthem)

lyrics/music: Emilio PRUD'HOMME/Jose REYES

note: adopted 1934; also known as "Quisqueyanos valientes" (Valient Sons of Quisqueye); the anthem never refers to the people as Dominican but rather calls them "Quisqueyanos," a reference to the indigenous name of the island
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Colonial City of Santo Domingo

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world.   For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP.   The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports.The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world. For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $184.45 billion (2020 est.)

$197.74 billion (2019 est.)

$188.23 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 4.6% (2017 est.)

6.6% (2016 est.)

7% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $17,000 (2020 est.)

$18,400 (2019 est.)

$17,700 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $88.956 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2019 est.)

3.5% (2018 est.)

3.2% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: BB- (2016)

Moody's rating: Ba3 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2015)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 5.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 33% (2017 est.)

services: 61.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 69.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12.2% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 24.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -28.1% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: sugar cane, bananas, papayas, rice, plantains, milk, avocados, fruit, pineapples, coconuts
Industries: tourism, sugar processing, gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco, electrical components, medical devices
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.732 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.4%

industry: 20.8% (2014)

services: 64.7% (2014 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2017 est.)

5.5% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 14.9%

male: 11.6%

female: 20.7% (2020 est.)
Population below poverty line: 21% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 43.7 (2018 est.)

45.7 (2012 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9%

highest 10%: 37.4% (2013 est.)
Budget: revenues: 11.33 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 13.62 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 37.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

34.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 14.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$165 million (2017 est.)

-$815 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $14.44 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$20.51 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$20.05 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United States 54%, Switzerland 8%, Canada 5%, India 5%, China 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, medical instruments, cigars, low-voltage protection equipment, bananas (2019)
Imports: $20.19 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.53 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.11 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United States 50%, China 13% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.873 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.134 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $23.094 billion (2019 est.)

$21.198 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates: Dominican pesos (DOP) per US dollar -

47.42 (2017 est.)

46.078 (2016 est.)

46.078 (2015 est.)

45.052 (2014 est.)

43.556 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 5.674 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 16,330,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.576 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 93.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 1.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 3.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 1.791 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 2.359 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 148,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 24,900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 16,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 108,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 1,602,759,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 28.657 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports: 1,586,449,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 26.808 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 4.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 18.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 3.144 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 39.016 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,155,493 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 8,989,587 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the Dominican Republic’s telecom sector continued its solid form throughout 2020 and into 2021, shrugging off the economic turmoil unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain a decade-long run of low but positive growth across all areas of the market; the Dominican Republic remains behind most of its counterparts in the Latin American region, especially in terms of fixed-line network coverage; mobile subscriptions are on par with the regional average, but at subscription levels of around 88% there is still ample opportunity for growth; in terms of growth, the standout winner was once again the mobile broadband segment; the market is expected to see close to 8% growth in 2021, building further on the gains it already made in 2020 when lock downs and work-from-home rules encouraged many people to find ways to upgrade their internet access and performance; the limited coverage of fixed-line broadband networks makes mobile the first, if not only, choice for most people in the country. (2021)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity is about 11 per 100 persons; multiple providers of mobile-cellular service with a subscribership of nearly 83 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 1-809; 1-829; 1-849; landing point for the ARCOS-1, Antillas 1, AMX-1, SAm-1, East-West, Deep Blue Cable and the Fibralink submarine cables that provide links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media; 1 state-owned TV network and a number of private TV networks; networks operate repeaters to extend signals throughout country; combination of state-owned and privately owned radio stations with more than 300 radio stations operating (2019)
Internet country code: .do
Internet users: total: 8,352,886 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 77% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,031,858 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HI
Airports: total: 36 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 16

over 3,047 m: 3

2,438 to 3,047 m: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 18 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 27 km gas, 103 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 496 km (2014)

standard gauge: 354 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 142 km (2014) 0.762-m gauge
Roadways: total: 19,705 km (2002)

paved: 9,872 km (2002)

unpaved: 9,833 km (2002)
Merchant marine: total: 38

by type: container ship 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 34 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Puerto Haina, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo

oil terminal(s): Punta Nizao oil terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import): Andres LNG terminal (Boca Chica)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic: Army (Ejercito Nacional, EN), Navy (Marina de Guerra, MdG; includes naval infantry), Dominican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Dominicana, FAD) (2022)

note: in addition to the military, the Ministry of Armed Forces directs the Airport Security Authority and Civil Aviation, Port Security Authority, the Tourist Security Corps, and Border Security Corps; the National Police (Policia Nacional) are under the Ministry of Interior
Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.7% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $1.43 billion)

0.7% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $1.33 billion)

0.6% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $1.2 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 60,000 active personnel (30,000 Army; 13,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force); approximately 30,000 National Police (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of material from other countries (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 17-21 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women); recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens (2022)

note: as of 2021, women made up approximately 20% of the active duty military
Military - note: the military's primary focuses are countering illegal immigration and refugees along its 350-kilometer-long border with Haiti and interdicting air and maritime narcotics trafficking, as well as disaster relief (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better workHaitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 115,283 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)

stateless persons: 133,770 (2016); note - a September 2013 Constitutional Court ruling revoked the citizenship of those born after 1929 to immigrants without proper documentation, even though the constitution at the time automatically granted citizenship to children born in the Dominican Republic and the 2010 constitution provides that constitutional provisions cannot be applied retroactively; the decision overwhelmingly affected people of Haitian descent whose relatives had come to the Dominican Republic since the 1890s as a cheap source of labor for sugar plantations; a May 2014 law passed by the Dominican Congress regularizes the status of those with birth certificates but will require those without them to prove they were born in the Dominican Republic and to apply for naturalization; the government has issued documents to thousands of individuals who may claim citizenship under this law, but no official estimate has been released

note: revised estimate includes only individuals born to parents who were both born abroad; it does not include individuals born in the country to one Dominican-born and one foreign-born parent or subsequent generations of individuals of foreign descent; the estimate, as such, does not include all stateless persons (2015)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in the Dominican Republic and Dominicans abroad; Dominican women and children are sex trafficked throughout the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States; victims from Haiti and elsewhere in the Caribbean, Asia, and Latin America are trafficked in the Dominican Republic; Dominican women are lured to the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America to work in nightclubs but are then sex trafficked; domestically, children are forced into domestic servitude, street vending, begging, agricultural work, construction, and moving illicit narcotics, while adults are forced to work in construction, agriculture, and the services sector

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the Dominican Republic does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government has drafted a revised trafficking law that would be consistent with international law by removing the requirement for force, fraud, or coercion of sex trafficking of victims younger than 18; authorities increased investigations and prosecutions but convicted fewer traffickers and issued inadequate sentences; the country lacks a dedicated victim assistance budget and a full-time victim shelter; authorities did not effectively screen for trafficking indicators or refer all vulnerable individuals to care; the government has not allocated specific funds to implement its national anti-trafficking plan beyond the standard operating budget for the 14 institutions that are part of its Inter-Institutional Commission against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (2020)
Illicit drugs: a major transshipment point for cocaine transiting through the Caribbean


Topic: Photos of Niger

Topic: Introduction
Background: Present-day Niger originated from the nomadic peoples of the Saharan north and the agriculturalists of the south. The Taureg kingdom of Takedda was one of the largest kingdoms in the north and played a prominent role in regional trade in the 14th century. In the south, the primary ethnic groups were the Songhai-Zarma in the west, the Hausa in the center, and the Kanuri in the east. When European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the region was an assemblage of disparate local kingdoms. In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River, and France began its conquest of what would become the colony of Niger.  France experienced determined local resistance - particularly during the Tuareg uprising (1916-1917) - but established a colonial administration in 1922. After achieving independence from France in 1960, Niger experienced single-party or military rule until 1991 when political pressure forced General Ali SAIBOU to allow multiparty elections. Political infighting and democratic backsliding led to coups in 1996 and 1999. In December of that year, military officers restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and spearheaded a 2009 constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his presidential term. In February 2010, military officers led another coup that deposed TANDJA. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 and reelected in early 2016. In February 2021, BAZOUM Mohammed won the presidential election, marking Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected president to another.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. It is ranked last in the world on the UN Development Programme's Human Development Index. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. In addition, Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict and terrorism in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.Present-day Niger originated from the nomadic peoples of the Saharan north and the agriculturalists of the south. The Taureg kingdom of Takedda was one of the largest kingdoms in the north and played a prominent role in regional trade in the 14th century. In the south, the primary ethnic groups were the Songhai-Zarma in the west, the Hausa in the center, and the Kanuri in the east. When European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the region was an assemblage of disparate local kingdoms.In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River, and France began its conquest of what would become the colony of Niger.  France experienced determined local resistance - particularly during the Tuareg uprising (1916-1917) - but established a colonial administration in 1922.After achieving independence from France in 1960, Niger experienced single-party or military rule until 1991 when political pressure forced General Ali SAIBOU to allow multiparty elections. Political infighting and democratic backsliding led to coups in 1996 and 1999. In December of that year, military officers restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and spearheaded a 2009 constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his presidential term. In February 2010, military officers led another coup that deposed TANDJA. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 and reelected in early 2016. In February 2021, BAZOUM Mohammed won the presidential election, marking Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected president to another.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. It is ranked last in the world on the UN Development Programme's Human Development Index. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. In addition, Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict and terrorism in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 1.267 million sq km

land: 1,266,700 sq km

water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: total: 5,834 km

border countries (7): Algeria 951 km; Benin 277 km; Burkina Faso 622 km; Chad 1,196 km; Libya 342 km; Mali 838 km; Nigeria 1,608 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Elevation: highest point: Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m

lowest point: Niger River 200 m

mean elevation: 474 m
Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
Land use: agricultural land: 35.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 12.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 22.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 1% (2018 est.)

other: 63.9% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major rivers (by length in km): Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin
Population distribution: majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: recurring droughts
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
Map description: Niger map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.Niger map showing major population centers as well as parts of surrounding countries.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 24,484,587 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s)

adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups: 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% (2006 est.)
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Religions: Muslim 99.3%, Christian 0.3%, animist 0.2%, none 0.1% (2012 est.)
Demographic profile: Niger has the highest total fertility rate (TFR) of any country in the world, averaging close to 7 children per woman in 2016. A slight decline in fertility over the last few decades has stalled. This leveling off of the high fertility rate is in large part a product of the continued desire for large families. In Niger, the TFR is lower than the desired fertility rate, which makes it unlikely that contraceptive use will increase. The high TFR sustains rapid population growth and a large youth population – almost 70% of the populace is under the age of 25. Gender inequality, including a lack of educational opportunities for women and early marriage and childbirth, also contributes to high population growth.Because of large family sizes, children are inheriting smaller and smaller parcels of land. The dependence of most Nigeriens on subsistence farming on increasingly small landholdings, coupled with declining rainfall and the resultant shrinkage of arable land, are all preventing food production from keeping up with population growth.For more than half a century, Niger's lack of economic development has led to steady net outmigration. In the 1960s, Nigeriens mainly migrated to coastal West African countries to work on a seasonal basis. Some headed to Libya and Algeria in the 1970s to work in the booming oil industry until its decline in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the principal destinations for Nigerien labor migrants have been West African countries, especially Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, while emigration to Europe and North America has remained modest. During the same period, Niger’s desert trade route town Agadez became a hub for West African and other Sub-Saharan migrants crossing the Sahara to North Africa and sometimes onward to Europe.More than 60,000 Malian refugees have fled to Niger since violence between Malian government troops and armed rebels began in early 2012. Ongoing attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, dating to 2013 in northern Nigeria and February 2015 in southeastern Niger, have pushed tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees and Nigerien returnees across the border to Niger and to displace thousands of locals in Niger’s already impoverished Diffa region.Niger has the highest total fertility rate (TFR) of any country in the world, averaging close to 7 children per woman in 2016. A slight decline in fertility over the last few decades has stalled. This leveling off of the high fertility rate is in large part a product of the continued desire for large families. In Niger, the TFR is lower than the desired fertility rate, which makes it unlikely that contraceptive use will increase. The high TFR sustains rapid population growth and a large youth population – almost 70% of the populace is under the age of 25. Gender inequality, including a lack of educational opportunities for women and early marriage and childbirth, also contributes to high population growth.Because of large family sizes, children are inheriting smaller and smaller parcels of land. The dependence of most Nigeriens on subsistence farming on increasingly small landholdings, coupled with declining rainfall and the resultant shrinkage of arable land, are all preventing food production from keeping up with population growth.For more than half a century, Niger's lack of economic development has led to steady net outmigration. In the 1960s, Nigeriens mainly migrated to coastal West African countries to work on a seasonal basis. Some headed to Libya and Algeria in the 1970s to work in the booming oil industry until its decline in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the principal destinations for Nigerien labor migrants have been West African countries, especially Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, while emigration to Europe and North America has remained modest. During the same period, Niger’s desert trade route town Agadez became a hub for West African and other Sub-Saharan migrants crossing the Sahara to North Africa and sometimes onward to Europe.More than 60,000 Malian refugees have fled to Niger since violence between Malian government troops and armed rebels began in early 2012. Ongoing attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, dating to 2013 in northern Nigeria and February 2015 in southeastern Niger, have pushed tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees and Nigerien returnees across the border to Niger and to displace thousands of locals in Niger’s already impoverished Diffa region.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 50.58% (male 5,805,102/female 5,713,815)

15-24 years: 19.99% (male 2,246,670/female 2,306,285)

25-54 years: 23.57% (male 2,582,123/female 2,784,464)

55-64 years: 3.17% (male 357,832/female 364,774)

65 years and over: 2.68% (2020 est.) (male 293,430/female 317,866)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 109.5

youth dependency ratio: 104.1

elderly dependency ratio: 5.4

potential support ratio: 18.4 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 14.8 years

male: 14.5 years

female: 15.1 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.66% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 47.08 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 9.87 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 16.9% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.384 million NIAMEY (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 18.5 years (2012 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 509 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 66.81 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 71.73 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 61.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.09 years

male: 58.55 years

female: 61.68 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.82 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 11% (2017/18)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 95.8% of population

rural: 63.1% of population

total: 68.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.2% of population

rural: 36.9% of population

total: 31.4% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 5.7% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density: 0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 81.9% of population

rural: 13.5% of population

total: 24.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 18.1% of population

rural: 86.5% of population

total: 75.2% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 31,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,100 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Niger is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 5.5% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 7.4% (2020 est.)

male: 13.7% (2020 est.)

female: 1.1% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 31.3% (2019)
Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 35.1%

male: 43.6%

female: 26.7% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 6 years

male: 7 years

female: 6 years (2017)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 16.6%

male: 16.1%

female: 17.5% (2017 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; contaminated water; inadequate potable water; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 70.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 2.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 22.99 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Land use: agricultural land: 35.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 12.3% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 22.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 1% (2018 est.)

other: 63.9% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 16.9% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 4.41% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Niger is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Food insecurity: exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies: due to internal conflict and shortfall in cereal production - as of January 2022, an estimated 265,000 people have been displaced due to civil conflict; in addition, domestic cereal production was estimated at a below-average level in 2021, due to effects of adverse weather and the civil conflict, which is expected to further aggravate conditions; the aggregate cereal production in 2021 is officially estimated at 3.5 million mt, nearly 40% below the five‑year average; as a result, between June and August 2022, 3.64 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity; this is a 40% increase compared to the current post‑harvest period, underpinned by the reduced cereal production in 2021, high food prices and the high likelihood of persisting disruptions of markets and agricultural activities amid increasing insecurity (2022)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,865,646 tons (1993 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 74,626 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4% (2005 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Fresh water lake(s): Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major rivers (by length in km): Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Major aquifers: Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 178.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 36 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 1.536 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 34.05 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger

conventional short form: Niger

local long form: Republique du Niger

local short form: Niger

etymology: named for the Niger River that passes through the southwest of the country; from a native term "Ni Gir" meaning "River Gir"

note: pronounced nee-zhair
Government type: semi-presidential 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)

etymology: according to tradition, the site was originally a fishing village named after a prominent local tree referred to as "nia niam"
Administrative divisions: 7 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district* (communaute urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960
Constitution: history: several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; consideration of amendments requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires at least four-fifths majority vote; if disapproved, the proposed amendment is dropped or submitted to a referendum; constitutional articles on the form of government, the multiparty system, the separation of state and religion, disqualification of Assembly members, amendment procedures, and amnesty of participants in the 2010 coup cannot be amended; amended 2011, 2017
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law, based on French civil law, Islamic law, and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohamed BAZOUM (since 2 April 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou MAHAMADOU (since 3 April 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27 December 2020 with a runoff held on 21 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly

election results: 2020/2021: percent of vote in first round - Mohamed BAZOUM (PNDS-Tarrayya) 39.3%, Mahamane OUSMANE (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 9%, Albade ABOUDA (MPR-Jamhuriya) 7.1%, other 27.6%; percent of vote in second round - Mohamed BAZOUM (PNDS-Tarrayya) 55.7%, Mahamane OUSMANE (RDR Tchanji) 44.3%

2016: ISSOUFOU Mahamadou reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (PNDS-Tarrayya) 48.6%, Hama AMADOU (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17.8%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 11.3%, other 22.3%; percent of vote in second round - ISSOUFOU Mahamadou 92%, Hama AMADOU 8%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (171 statutory seats - 166 currently; 158 members directly elected from 8 multi-member constituencies in 7 regions and Niamey by party-list proportional representation, 8 reserved for minorities elected in special single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 5 seats reserved for Nigeriens living abroad - l seat per continent - elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 27 December 2020 (next scheduled in December 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - percent of vote by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 37.04%, MODEN/FA Lumana 8.71%, MPR-Jamhuriya 7.59%, MNSD-Nassara 6.77%,  RDR-Tchanji 4.41%, CPR-Inganci 4.15%, MPN-Kishin Kassa 3.97%, PJP Generation Dubara 2.88%, ANDP Zaman Lahya 2.46%, RPP Farrilla 2.10%, ARD Adaltchi-Mutuntchi 1.74%, AMEN AMIN 1.43%, MDEN Falala 1.42%, other 15.33%; seats by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 79, MODEN/FA Lumana 19, MPR-Jamhuriya 14, MNSD-Nassara 13, CPR-Inganci 8, MPN-Kishin Kassa 6, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 3, RPP Farrilla 2, PJP Generation Dubara 2, ARD Adaltchi-Mutuntchi 2, AMEN AMIN 2, other 16; composition - men 123, women 43, percent of women 25.9%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges); High Court of Justice (consists of 7 members)

judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges nominated/elected - 1 by the president of the Republic, 1 by the president of the National Assembly, 2 by peer judges, 2 by peer lawyers, 1 law professor by peers, and 1 from within Nigerien society; all appointed by the president; judges serve 6-year nonrenewable terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years; High Judicial Court members selected from among the legislature and judiciary; members serve 5-year terms

subordinate courts: Court of Cassation; Council of State; Court of Finances; various specialized tribunals and customary courts
Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMIN [Omar Hamidou TCHIANA]
Congress for the Republic or CPR-Inganci [Kassoum MOCTAR]
Democratic Alliance for Niger or ADN-Fusaha [Habi Mahamadou SALISSOU]
National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Seini OUMAROU]
Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moussa BARAZE]
Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Seydou TAHIROU]
Nigerien Movement for Democratic Renewal or MNRD-Hankuri [Mahamane OUSMANE]
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mohamed BAZOUM]
Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa [Ibrahim YACOUBA]
Patriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-Jamhuriya [Albade ABOUBA]
Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]
Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Amadou CHEIFFOU]
Social Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira [Sanoussi MAREINI]
Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]

note: the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSMA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou Kiari LIMAN-TINGUIRI (since 19 April 2022)

chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224

FAX: [1] (202) 483-3169

email address and website:
communication@embassyofniger.org

http://www.embassyofniger.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d’Affaires, Susan N’GARNIM (since 23 August 2021)

embassy: BP 11201, Niamey

mailing address: 2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC  20521-2420

telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61

FAX: [227] 20-73-55-60

email address and website:
consulateniamey@state.gov

https://ne.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk centered in the white band; the orange band denotes the drier northern regions of the Sahara; white stands for purity and innocence; green symbolizes hope and the fertile and productive southern and western areas, as well as the Niger River; the orange disc represents the sun and the sacrifices made by the people

note: similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
National symbol(s): zebu; national colors: orange, white, green
National anthem: name: "La Nigerienne" (The Nigerien)

lyrics/music: Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET

note: adopted 1961
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (n); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Historic Agadez (c)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Niger is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes approximately 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for over 80% of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the second least developed country in the world in 2016 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding.   Since 2011 public debt has increased due to efforts to scale-up public investment, particularly that related to infrastructure, as well as due to increased security spending. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity near its uranium mines and by instability in Mali and in the Diffa region of the country; concerns about security have resulted in increased support from regional and international partners on defense. Low uranium prices, demographics, and security expenditures may continue to put pressure on the government’s finances.   The Government of Niger plans to exploit oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources to sustain future growth. Although Niger has sizable reserves of oil, the prolonged drop in oil prices has reduced profitability. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in irrigation. Niger’s three-year $131 million IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) agreement for the years 2012-15 was extended until the end of 2016. In February 2017, the IMF approved a new 3-year $134 million ECF. In June 2017, The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) granted Niger $1 billion over three years for IDA18, a program to boost the country’s development and alleviate poverty. A $437 million Millennium Challenge Account compact for Niger, commencing in FY18, will focus on large-scale irrigation infrastructure development and community-based, climate-resilient agriculture, while promoting sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and sales.   Formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country’s limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness. Although President ISSOUFOU is courting foreign investors, including those from the US, as of April 2017, there were no US firms operating in Niger. In November 2017, the National Assembly passed the 2018 Finance Law that was geared towards raising government revenues and moving away from international support.Niger is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes approximately 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for over 80% of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the second least developed country in the world in 2016 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding. Since 2011 public debt has increased due to efforts to scale-up public investment, particularly that related to infrastructure, as well as due to increased security spending. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity near its uranium mines and by instability in Mali and in the Diffa region of the country; concerns about security have resulted in increased support from regional and international partners on defense. Low uranium prices, demographics, and security expenditures may continue to put pressure on the government’s finances. The Government of Niger plans to exploit oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources to sustain future growth. Although Niger has sizable reserves of oil, the prolonged drop in oil prices has reduced profitability. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in irrigation. Niger’s three-year $131 million IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) agreement for the years 2012-15 was extended until the end of 2016. In February 2017, the IMF approved a new 3-year $134 million ECF. In June 2017, The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) granted Niger $1 billion over three years for IDA18, a program to boost the country’s development and alleviate poverty. A $437 million Millennium Challenge Account compact for Niger, commencing in FY18, will focus on large-scale irrigation infrastructure development and community-based, climate-resilient agriculture, while promoting sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and sales. Formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country’s limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness. Although President ISSOUFOU is courting foreign investors, including those from the US, as of April 2017, there were no US firms operating in Niger. In November 2017, the National Assembly passed the 2018 Finance Law that was geared towards raising government revenues and moving away from international support.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $28.97 billion (2020 est.)

$28.54 billion (2019 est.)

$26.95 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 4.9% (2017 est.)

4.9% (2016 est.)

4.3% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $1,200 (2020 est.)

$1,200 (2019 est.)

$1,200 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $12.926 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -2.5% (2019 est.)

6.3% (2018 est.)

2.3% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: B3 (2019)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 41.6% (2017 est.)

industry: 19.5% (2017 est.)

services: 38.7% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 70.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 9.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 38.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 16.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -34.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: millet, cow peas, sorghum, onions, milk, groundnuts, cassava, cabbages, goat milk, fruit
Industries: uranium mining, petroleum, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 6.5 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 79.2%

industry: 3.3%

services: 17.5% (2012 est.)
Unemployment rate: 0.3% (2017 est.)

0.3% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 16.6%

male: 16.1%

female: 17.5% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40.8% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 34.3 (2014 est.)

50.5 (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 26.8% (2014)
Budget: revenues: 1.757 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 2.171 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 45.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

45.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 21.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$1.16 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.181 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $1.39 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$1.45 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United Arab Emirates 54%, China 25%, France 7%, Pakistan 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, sesame seeds, uranium, natural gas, refined petroleum (2019)
Imports: $3.4 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.37 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: China 19%, France 9%, United Arab Emirates 7%, Cote d'Ivoire 6%, India 6%, Nigeria 5%, Togo 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: rice, packaged medicines, palm oil, cars, cement (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.314 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.186 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $3.728 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.926 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

605.3 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 14% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 71% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 2% (2019)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 324,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 1,325,420,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports: 1.057 billion kWh (2019 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 313 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 94.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 5.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 224,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 224,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 6 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 8,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 13,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 15,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 5,422 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 3,799 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.374 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 499,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 1.875 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 1.54 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 58,000 (2020)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 14.239 million (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 59 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Niger is one of the largest countries in West Africa but also one of the poorest in the world; as with many African markets, a lack of fixed telecoms infrastructure has led to growth in mobile services; Niger’s mobile penetration is modest compared to other countries in the region, while fixed broadband penetration is negligible; recent international investment to complete the Trans-Saharan Dorsal optical fibre (SDR) network has extended the reach of fiber infrastructure in the country, and also increased international capacity; new cables linking the country with Chad and Burkina Faso have extended Niger’s connectivity with international cable infrastructure; following years of financial difficulties, the state-owned fixed line operator, Sonitel, was merged with its wholly owned mobile unit, SahelCom, in late 2016 to form a new entity, Niger Telecom; the merged company secured a global telecom license in November 2017 and is aiming to develop greater efficiency through sharing resources and infrastructure; the economic difficulties in the country in recent years, as well as a regulatory spat with authorities which saw its offices being shut down, encouraged Orange Group to sell its local business to its minority shareholder partner; the unit, once operating as Orange Niger, was rebranded as Zamani Telecom in December 2020; at the same time, the company secured funds to embark on a large-scale network upgrade program; Niger also hosts foreign investors Airtel, which leads the market, and Moov Africa, formerly Maroc Telecom. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity at nearly 41 per 100 persons; a rapidly increasing cellular subscribership base; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern Niger; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned (2019)

international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has only radio station with national coverage; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available
Internet country code: .ne
Internet users: total: 2,331,072 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 10% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 12,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.1 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5U
Airports: total: 30 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 2 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 464 km oil
Roadways: total: 18,949 km (2010)

paved: 3,912 km (2010)

unpaved: 15,037 km (2010)
Waterways: 300 km (2012) (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March)
Merchant marine: total: 1

by type: general cargo 1 (2021)

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force, Niger Gendarmerie (GN); Ministry of Interior: Niger National Guard (GNN; aka Republican Guard), National Police (includes the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance, which is charged with border management) (2022)

note: the Gendarmerie is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and has primary responsibility for rural security; the National Guard is responsible for domestic security and the protection of high-level officials and government buildings
Military expenditures: 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.7% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $260 million)

1.9% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $270 million)

2% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $270 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 12,000 active FAN troops (8,000 Army; 200 Air Force; 4,000 Gendarmerie); approximately 3,000 National Guard (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAN's inventory consists of a wide variety of older weapons; since 2010, the FAN has received small amounts of mostly second-hand equipment and donations from several countries with the US as the top provider (2022)
Military service age and obligation: has conscription, although it is reportedly not always enforced; 18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2022)
Military deployments: 875 Mali (MINUSMA) (May 2022)

note 1: Niger is part of a four (formerly five)-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 (now G4) Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali (withdrew in 2022), and Mauritania; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; as of 2022, defense forces from each of the participating states were allowed to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the force is backed by France, the UN, and the US

note 2: Niger also has about 1,000 troops committed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically
Military - note: as of 2022, the FAN was conducting counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against Islamic militants on two fronts; in the Diffa region, the Nigeria-based Boko Haram terrorist group has conducted dozens of attacks on security forces, army bases, and civilians; on Niger’s western border with Mali, the Islamic State-West Africa (ISWA) has conducted numerous attacks on security personnel; a series of ISWA attacks on FAN forces near the Malian border in December of 2019 and January of 2020 resulted in the deaths of more than 170 soldiers; terrorist attacks continued into 2022 (2022)

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa (ISIS-WA); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Niger-Benin-Nigeria: location of Niger-Benin-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved Niger-Burkina Faso: the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2010; the ICJ ruled in 2013 that 786 sq km should go to Burkina Faso and 277 sq km to Niger; the ruling was implemented in 2015 and 2016, with Burkina Faso gaining 14 towns and Niger 4 Niger-Cameroon-Nigeria: only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries Niger-Libya: Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tummo regionNiger-Benin-Nigeria: location of Niger-Benin-Nigeria tripoint is unresolvedNiger-Burkina Faso: the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2010; the ICJ ruled in 2013 that 786 sq km should go to Burkina Faso and 277 sq km to Niger; the ruling was implemented in 2015 and 2016, with Burkina Faso gaining 14 towns and Niger 4Niger-Cameroon-Nigeria: only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty that also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundariesNiger-Libya: Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tummo region
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 187,134 (Nigeria), 63,155 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)

IDPs: 347,648 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2022)
Illicit drugs: a transit point for illicit drugs narcotics trafficked through the Sahara; drugs from South America, particularly cocaine, heroin, cannabis products, and synthetic drugs, transit en route to European and Middle Eastern markets; synthetic opioid tramadol is shipped from Nigeria through Niger to other African countries; hashish from Morocco is trafficked to Libya, Egypt, Europe, and the Middle East; traffickers are formalized networks of Arab, Tuareg, and Toubou transportation groupsa transit point for illicit drugs narcotics trafficked through the Sahara; drugs from South America, particularly cocaine, heroin, cannabis products, and synthetic drugs, transit en route to European and Middle Eastern markets; synthetic opioid tramadol is shipped from Nigeria through Niger to other African countries; hashish from Morocco is trafficked to Libya, Egypt, Europe, and the Middle East; traffickers are formalized networks of Arab, Tuareg, and Toubou transportation groups


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens exercise increased caution in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to terrorism and land mines. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 3 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 2 blank pages in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 3 months.
US Embassy/Consulate: [387] (33) 704-000; US Embassy in Sarajevo, 1 Robert C. Frasure Street, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; https://ba.usembassy.gov/; sarajevoACS@state.gov
Telephone Code: 387
Local Emergency Phone: Ambulance: 124; Fire: 123; Police: 122
Vaccinations: See WHO recommendations

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Hot summers and cool winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast
Currency (Code): Konvertibilna markas (BAM)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F

Major Languages: Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian
Major Religions: Muslim 50.7%, Orthodox 30.7%, Roman Catholic 15.2%, atheist 0.8%. Agnostic 0.3%, other 1.2%, undeclared/no answer 1.1%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Sarajevo; Mostar (includes Old Bridge); Blagaj; Pocitelj; Kravica Waterfalls; Stecci Medieval tombstone graveyard; Medjugorje
Major Sports: Soccer, basketball
Cultural Practices: Most hostels will request you to remove shoes before entering.
Tipping Guidelines: It is common to leave a 10-15% tip for good restaurant service. Bartenders and wait staff do not include a tip on the bill. Taxi drivers will often round their fare up, but a few extra markas will go a long way. A tip of 50 cents (USD) a night is appropriate for hotel maid staff.Please visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Monday, April 25, 2022


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens exercise normal precautions in Rwanda. Some areas have increased risk. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws, and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 2 blank pages in their passport for each entry stamp/visa that will be required. A visa is required. US citizens will need to get in touch with the country’s embassy or nearest consulate to obtain a visa prior to visiting the country.
US Embassy/Consulate: +(250)-252-596-400 (Monday through Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.); EMER: +(250)-252-596-400, and dial 1; U S Embassy Kigali, 2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kacyiru), PO Box 28, Kigali, Rwanda; consularkigali@state
Telephone Code: 250
Local Emergency Phone: Local numbers only
Vaccinations: An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations.

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Currency (Code): Rwandan francs (RWF)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, J

Major Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili/Kiswahili
Major Religions: Protestant 49.5% (includes Adventist 11.8% and other Protestant 37.7%), Roman Catholic 43.7%, Muslim 2%, other 0.9% (includes Jehovah's Witness)
Time Difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Kigali Genocide Memorial; Volcanoes National Park; Nyungwe Forest National Park; Ethnographic Museum; Murambi Genocide Memorial; King's Palace Museum
Major Sports: Soccer
Cultural Practices: Personal space is often much tighter in Rwanda, so do not be surprised if conversations occur at closer distances.
Tipping Guidelines: Tipping private guides $5-10 (USD) per person per day is common. Hotel and lodge staff would appreciate $5 (USD) per day.
Souvenirs: Imigongo art; tribal wall hangings, masks, weapons, and musical instruments; baskets with painted lids, embroidered cloth items
Traditional Cuisine: Brochettes — meat (typically goat, beef, chicken, or pork) or fish on a skewer, sometimes with vegetables, and roasted over hot coals; typically served with roasted potatoes, deep-fried bananas, or saladPlease visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Wednesday, July 20, 2022