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 that would allow him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, a military coup deposed TANDJA, immediately suspended the constitution and dissolved the Cabinet. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou emerged victorious from a crowded field in the election following the coup and was inaugurated in April 2011. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Movement for Justice, a predominately Tuareg ethnic group, emerged in February 2007, and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Successful government offensives in 2009 limited the rebels' operational capabilities.

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

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

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

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

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

Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

16,344,687 (July 2012 est.)

50.06 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

13.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)

NIAMEY (capital) 1.004 million (2009)

590 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

7.16 children born/woman (2012 est.)

0.019 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

0.31 beds/1,000 population (2005)

8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

3 August 1960 (from France)

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

adopted 31 October 2010

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

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Constitutional Court (7 judges with 6-year terms, nominated by the President); Court of Cassation (highest court dealing with judicial matters); Council of State (highest court dealing with administrative matters); Court of Finances (highest court dealing with public finances)

Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]; Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat; Union of Independent Nigeriens or UNI; note: the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties

The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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 about 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for about 80% of the population. Niger also has sizable reserves of oil, and oil production, refining, and exports are expected to grow significantly between 2011 and 2016. Drought, desertification, and strong population growth have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduced Niger''s annual debt service obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translated into the forgiveness of approximately US$86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. The economy was hurt when the international community cut off non-humanitarian aid in response to TANDJA''s moves to extend his term as president. Nearly half of the government''s budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. The government has announced an expansionary budget for 2012 with anticipated revenue increases from uranium, oil production, and donor aid, and it has made efforts to secure a new three-year extended credit facility with the IMF following the one that completed in 2011. Food security remains a problem in the north of the country, exacerbated by the return of Libyan migrants.

$11.78 billion (2011 est.)

$11.52 billion (2010 est.)

$10.67 billion (2009 est.)

$6.022 billion (2011 est.)

4.688 million (2007)

20.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

-2.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

4.5% (31 December 2011 est.)

4.3% (31 December 2010 est.)

$939.6 million (31 December 2011 est.)

$917.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.201 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.171 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$825.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)

$715.4 million (31 December 2010 est.)

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

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

-$1.343 billion (2011 est.)

-$1.338 billion (2010 est.)

$1.166 billion (2011 est.)

$1.04 billion (2010 est.)

uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

US 49.1%, Nigeria 29.3%, Russia 10.3%, Ghana 4.1% (2011)

$1.969 billion (2011 est.)

$1.821 billion (2010 est.)

foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

France 15.8%, China 9.8%, Nigeria 9%, French Polynesia 8.5%, Belgium 6.9%, India 5%, Togo 4.8% (2011)

$1.331 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$1.125 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

210 million kWh (2009 est.)

695.3 million kWh (2009 est.)

500 million kWh (2009 est.)

145,000 kW (2009 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

6,712 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

NA bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

5,629 bbl/day (2011 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

3,330 bbl/day (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

1.796 million Mt (2010 est.)

state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has only radio station with a national reach; about 30 private radio stations operate locally; as many as 100 community radio stations broadcast; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

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

Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2010)

17-21 years of age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2009)

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