Niger | West Africa Gateway | Portail de l’Afrique de l’Ouest

Along with Chad, Mali and Mauritania, Niger is one of the four large Saharo-Sahelian countries in West Africa. Its large size does not, however, isolate it from the rest of the region. On the contrary, all of its major ethno-linguistic groups are transnational: the Hausa in the south are also present in Nigeria, the Shonghai and Gourmanché in the West are also in Burkina Faso, the Fulah can be found from western Niger through Mali to Guinea, and the Tuaregs in the North are also in Mali. The country is, therefore, a fluid economic and social space that is intensely involved in Trans-Saharan trade as well as in trade with Nigeria.

Niger is also rich in natural resources. The Arlit uranium mine has been in operation since the 1970s, and the Imouraren mine is the largest uranium deposit in Africa. In addition, oil should begin to be extracted in Agadem by the end of 2011. Niger is becoming an increasingly strategic zone. Intense prospecting operations are being conducted in the country, and large multinational companies have begun to compete for access rights to the most profitable areas. As a landlocked country, it is crucial for Niger to reinforce its regional co-operation, particularly as the oil extracted in Agadem will have to be exported through Chad and Cameroon.

Overall, development prospects in the mid-term seem, therefore, to be promising for this country which is often cited as being one of the poorest in the world and which has the youngest and fastest- growing population worldwide. Security remains, however, a key challenge for Niger. With the probable presence of AQIM-associated groups and the return of armed combatants from Libya, Niger still has to contend with some serious threats to security.

Source: CIA Factbook, Country Profile Niger

• Land boundaries:  5697 km
• Border countries:  Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
• Coastline:  0km (landlocked)
• Airports: 27 with paved runways:  10 (2010)
• Railways: ----
• Roadways:  18 949 km; paved: 3 912 km; unpaved: 15 037 km (2008)
• Waterways: 300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2010)
• Ports and terminals:  -----

• Population 2010: 15 512 000
• Projection 2050: 55 435 000
• Population < 15 years:  7 600 880 (49% *15 512 000 = 7 600 880)
• Population density: 12/ sq. km
• Urban agglomeration:  Niamey (1 048 000 =6.6%)
• Annual Growth: 3.54% (2005-2010)> 3.52 (2010-2015)
• Woman fertility (children per women): 7.19 (2005-2010)> 6.92
• Median age: 15.5
• Dependency ratio: 105

Migration and Mobility

• Number of emigrants (2010): 386 900 =2.4% of pop
• Number of immigrants (2010): 202 200 = 1.3% of pop
• Top destination countries: Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, France, Guinea, the United States
• Refugees within country: 300 (2009)

• GDP 2010: USD 10 979 million
• GDP per capita: USD 691
• Annual Growth: -1.2%
• Average growth (2002-10): 4.7%
• Currency: CFA Franc
• Inflation Rate:  4.9%
• Main Exports: uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
• Main Export partners: France 52.9%, Nigeria 22.5%, US 18.3% (2009)
• Main Imports: foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
• Main Import partners: China 19.7%, France 15.8%, Netherlands 7.6%, French Polynesia 6.1%, Nigeria 5.4%, Algeria 4.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.1%, US 4% (2009)
• Trade balance:  USD -619 million
• Foreign Direct Investment inflows:  USD  739 million
• Public finance (% of GDP 2009):
• Revenue and grants: 18.9%
• Expenditures and net lending: 25.5%
• Overall balance: -6.6
• Estimated Diaspora Remittances 2009: 1.5% of GDP
• = USD 75 million
• = USD 4.83 per capita
• ODA received: USD 470 million
• =as % of GDP: 4.28%
• =per capita: USD 30.29
• Category: Low income (2011)
• Public Spending on:
• Education as a percentage of total government expenditure (2000-2007): 17.6%
• Health as a percentage of total government expenditure (WHO, 2009): 10.6%
• Military: 53.1 million 1% of GDP (2008)
• External Debt:  USD  832 million
• Debt service (as % of Exports 2010e): 1.7%
• IMF Adjustment Programme: yes
• Corruption Perception Index (xx/10):  2.6 (123/178)
• Index of Economic Freedom (xx/100):  54.3 (126/178)
• WB Doing Business index:  173/183
• Ibrahim African Governance index:  55.5

Land use

Source: FAOStat and FAO Country Profile

Religion & Ethnicity

• Ethnic Groups : Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
• Major Religions: Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

Health

• Life Expectancy: 51.1 (2005-2010)
• Under-five Mortality Rate (per 1000 live births) (2008): 167
• Number of physicians (for 100 000 people) (2004): 2.9
• Hospital Beds (for 10 000 people): N.A
• Estimated HIV prevalence (2007): 0.8%

Education:

• Adult literacy rate: (% age 15 and above): 28,7% (2005)
• Youth Literacy Rate: 36,5% (2005)
• Net Primary Enrolment Ratio: 1 554 102 (2009)
• Net Secondary Enrolment Ration: 255637 (2009)
• Tertiary Students: 1232 (2009)
• University attendance Ration: 1.4 (2009)

ICT & Media:

• Internet Access (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 0.76
• Internet domain: .ne
• International dialing code: 227
• Mobile line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 17
• Main telephone line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 0.43

Basic Services:

• Access to electricity 2007: kWh 585 millions
• Water supply coverage 2008: 48% (urban 96%, rural 39%)
• Sanitation coverage2008: 9% (urban 34%, rural 4%)