2019 Edition

Background

Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base, and is ranked last in the world on the United Nations 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. A Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.

Area

Land

1,266,700 sq km

Total

1.267 million sq km

Water

300 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

Highest Point

Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m

Lowest Point

Niger River 200 m

Mean Elevation

474 m

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed But Not Ratified

Law of the Sea

Geographic Coordinates

16 00 N, 8 00 E

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

Irrigated Land

1,000 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Algeria 951 km, Benin 277 km, Burkina Faso 622 km, Chad 1196 km, Libya 342 km, Mali 838 km, Nigeria 1608 km

Total

5,834 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

35.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

12.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.1% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

22.7% (2011 est.)

Forest

1% (2011 est.)

Other

63.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

recurring droughts

Natural Resources

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum

Population Distribution

majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin

Terrain

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Age Structure

0 14 Years

48.68% (male 4,878,031 /female 4,793,021)

15 24 Years

19.36% (male 1,899,879 /female 1,945,806)

25 54 Years

26.02% (male 2,581,597 /female 2,587,913)

55 64 Years

3.3% (male 340,032 /female 315,142)

65 Years And Over

2.64% (male 268,072 /female 256,738) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

43.6 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

31.4% (2016)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

11% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

6.2% (2016)

Death Rate

11.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 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.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

5.4 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

18.6 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

111.6 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

106.2 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

48.6% of population

Improved Total

58.2% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

51.4% of population

Unimproved Total

41.8% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2017)

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.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.3% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

1,200 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

36,000 (2018 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

75 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

83.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

79.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

57.7 years

Male

55 years

Total Population

56.3 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

11% (2015)

Male

27.3%

Total Population

19.1%

Major Infectious Diseases

Animal Contact Diseases

rabies (2016)

Degree Of Risk

very high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Respiratory Diseases

meningococcal meningitis (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

malaria and dengue fever (2016)

Water Contact Diseases

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.252 million NIAMEY (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

509 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

15.7 years

Male

15.4 years

Total

15.5 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

18.1 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Nigerien

Noun

Nigerien(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

5.5% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

19,866,231 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.16% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 99.3%, Christian 0.3%, animist 0.2%, none 0.1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

4.6% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

10.9% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

37.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

95.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

89.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

62.1% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

6 years (2017)

Male

7 years

Total

6 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.02 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

0.98 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1.08 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

1.04 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

6.35 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

0.4% (2014 est.)

Male

0.9%

Total

0.7%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

4.27% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

16.5% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

7 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district* (communaute urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

13 31 N, 2 07 E

Name

Niamey

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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)

History

several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Niger

Conventional 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"

Local Long Form

Republique du Niger

Local Short Form

Niger

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Eric P. WHITAKER (since 26 January 2018)

Embassy

BP 11201, Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey

Fax

[227] 20-73-55-60

Mailing Address

2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC 20521-2420

Telephone

[227] 20-72-26-61

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Hassana ALIDOU (since 23 February 2015)

Fax

[1] (202) 483-3169

Telephone

[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President ISSOUFOU Mahamadou (since 7 April 2011)

Election Results

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%

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 21 February 2016 with a runoff on 20 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Brigi RAFINI (since 7 April 2011)

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

Government Type

semi-presidential republic

Independence

3 August 1960 (from France)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Legal System

mixed legal system of civil law, based on French civil law, Islamic law, and customary law

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (171 seats; 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); note - the number of National Assembly seats increased from 113 to 171 in the February 2016 legislative election

Election Results

percent of vote by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 44.1%, MODEN/FA Lumana 14.7%, MNSD-Nassara 11.8%, MPR-Jamhuriya 7.1%, MNRD Hankuri-PSDN Alheri 3.5%, MPN-Kishin Kassa 2.9%, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 2.4%, RSD-Gaskiya 2.4%, CDS-Rahama 1.8%, CPR-Inganci 1.8%, RDP-Jama'a 1.8%, AMEN AMIN 1.8%, other 3.9%; seats by party - PNDS-Tarrayya 75, MODEN/FA Lumana 25, MNSD-Nassara 20, MPR-Jamhuriya 12, MNRD Hankuri-PSDN Alheri 6, MPN-Kishin Kassa 5, ANDP-Zaman Lahiya 4, RSD-Gaskiya 4, CDS-Rahama 3, CPR-Inganci 3, RDP-Jama'a 3, RDP-Jama'a 3, AMEN AMIN 3, other 8; composition - men 146, women 24 percent of women 14.6%

Elections

last held on 21 February 2016 (next to be held in 2021)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Maurice Albert THIRIET/Robert JACQUET and Nicolas Abel Francois FRIONNET

Name

"La Nigerienne" (The Nigerien)

National Holiday

Republic Day, 18 December (1958); note - commemorates the founding of the Republic of Niger which predated independence from France in 1960

National Symbol S

zebu; national colors: orange, white, green

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] Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Abdou LABO] 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 Moumouni DJERMAKOYE] Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Hama AMADOU] Nigerien Movement for Democratic Renewal or MNRD-Hankuri [Mahamane OUSMANE] Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU] Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa [Ibrahim YACOUBA] Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger or PSDN-Alheri 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 [Mohamed BEN OMAR] Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (manioc, tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Budget

Expenditures

2.171 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

1.757 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2014

4.25%

31 December 2015

4.25%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

5.3%

31 December 2017

5.4%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$1.181 billion

2017

-$1.16 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016

$2.926 billion

31 December 2017

$3.728 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1995

50.5

2014

34

Economy 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.

Exchange Rates

2013

494.42

2014

591.45

2015

593.01

2016

593.01

2017

605.3

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$1.101 billion

2017

$4.143 billion

Exports Commodities

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports Partners

France 30.2%, Thailand 18.3%, Malaysia 9.9%, Nigeria 8.3%, Mali 5%, Switzerland 4.9% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

16.4% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

9.4% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

70.2% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-34.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

38.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

41.6% (2017 est.)

Industry

19.5% (2017 est.)

Services

38.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$8.224 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$1,100

2016

$1,100

2017

$1,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$19.87 billion

2016

$20.84 billion

2017

$21.86 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

4.3%

2016

4.9%

2017

4.9%

Gross National Saving

2015

21.2% of GDP

2016

20.6% of GDP

2017

22.4% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

26.8% (2014)

Lowest 10

3.2%

Imports

2016

$1.715 billion

2017

$1.829 billion

Imports Commodities

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports Partners

France 28.8%, China 14.4%, Malaysia 5.7%, Nigeria 5.4%, Thailand 5.3%, US 5.1%, India 4.9% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

6% (2017 est.)

Industries

uranium mining, petroleum, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

0.2%

2017

2.4%

Labor Force

6.5 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

79.2%

Industry

3.3%

Services

17.5% (2012 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

45.4% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

2016

45.2% of GDP

2017

45.3% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$1.186 billion

31 December 2017

$1.314 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$1.511 billion

31 December 2017

$1.804 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$1.196 billion

31 December 2017

$1.506 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$1.511 billion

31 December 2017

$1.804 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

21.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

0.3%

2017

0.3%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

2.534 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

9,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

150 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

4.7% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

16.2% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

65.4% (2016)

Population Without Electricity

19 million (2017)

Electricity Consumption

1.065 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

95% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

5% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

779 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

184,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

494.7 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

14,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

5,422 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

3,799 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

15,280 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total

8,650

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

Percent Of Population

4.3% (July 2016 est.)

Total

805,702

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity remains 46 per 100 persons despite a rapidly increasing cellular subscribership base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned (2018)

General Assessment

small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in southwestern Niger; mobile services stronger than fixed telecoms; broadband penetration inconsequential; LTE license secured for the future; government tax of telecom sector (2018)

International

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

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

1 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

114,352

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

46 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

8,778,884

Airports

30 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

6 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

3 (2017)

914 To 1 523 M

1 (2017)

Total

10 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

3 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

15 (2013)

Total

20 (2013)

Under 914 M

2 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

5U (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

other 1 (2018)

Total

1

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

15,242 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

2 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

2 (2015)

Pipelines

464 km oil

Roadways

Paved

3,912 km (2010)

Total

18,949 km (2010)

Unpaved

15,037 km (2010)

Waterways

300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2012)

Military And Security Forces

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger), Niger Gendarmerie (GN); Ministry of Interior: Niger National Guard (GNN) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2013

1.38% of GDP

2014

1.78% of GDP

2016

2.22% of GDP

2017

2.47% of GDP

2018

2.45% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

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 (2017)

Disputes International

Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved; 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; the dispute with Burkina Faso was referred to the ICJ in 2010

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Idps

187,359 (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) (2019)

Refugees Country Of Origin

161,359 (Nigeria), 56,499 (Mali) (2019)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Al Mulathamun Battalion

aim(s): replace several African governments, including Niger's government, with an Islamic state area(s) of operation: conducts attacks against Nigerien military and security personnel; targets Westerners for kidnappings for ransom (2018)

Al Qa Ida Affiliated Jama at Nusrat Al Islam Wal Muslimin Jnim

aim(s): establish an Islamic state centered in Mali area(s) of operation: primarily based in northern and central Mali; targets Western and local interests in West Africa and Sahel; has claimed responsibility for attacks in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso note: pledged allegiance to al-Qa'ida and AQIM; holds Western hostages; wages attacks against security and peacekeeping forces in Mali (2018)

Boko Haram

aim(s): establish an Islamic caliphate across Africa area(s) of operation: conducts kidnappings, bombings, and assaults; responsible for displacing thousands of people and contributing to food insecurity note: violently opposes any political or social activity associated with Western society, including voting, attending secular schools, and wearing Western dress (2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Islamic State Of Iraq And Ash Sham Isis West Africa

aim(s): implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia; replace the Nigerian Government with an Islamic state area(s) of operation: based primarily in the southeast along the border with Nigeria, with its largest presence in northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region; targets primarily regional military installations, especially in the southeastern Diffa region (2018)

Islamic State Of Iraq And Ash Sham Networks In The Greater Sahara Isgs

aim(s): replace regional governments with an Islamic state area(s) of operation: mostly concentrated along the Mali-Niger border region; targets primarily security forces (2018)