Niger is a large, landlocked country in West Africa. A harsh, dry land, it covers parts of the Sahara Desert and the semiarid region known as the Sahel. Niger is home to a range of desert dwellers. The most famous are the Tuareg, a nomadic (wandering) people known for their camel caravans and blue clothing. The capital of Niger is Niamey.
Niger covers an area of 458,075 square miles (1,186,408 square kilometers). It is bordered on the north by Algeria and Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria, on the southwest by Benin and Burkina Faso, and on the west by Mali.
The northern two thirds of Niger is desert. The country's landscape is dominated by the dry highlands of the north. In the north-central region are the Aïr Mountains. The country's highest point is Mount Gréboun at 6,379 feet (1,944 meters). To the northeast is a series of high plateaus. In the south are a series of lower plateaus, and in the west is the Niger River basin. The Lake Chad basin lies in the extreme southeast. Most rivers in Niger flow only during the rainy season. The Niger River and Lake Chad are the only permanent bodies of water.
Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world. Temperatures are high year-round, with averages of between 81° and 84° F (27° and 29° C). During May, the hottest month, the temperature averages over 38° C (100° F) in the afternoon. Rainfall amounts are low and uncertain. The average annual rainfall ranges from 31 inches (79 centimeters) in the far south to less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) in the northern regions that are part of the Sahara. Rainfall varies widely from year to year, and droughts are frequent.
Vegetation in Niger varies between regions. The northern desert has few trees and a little grass cover. The south receives enough rainfall to support some vegetation. The density of trees, grass, and bushes is greater in this region.
The south is in danger of becoming a desert as well. The vegetation has been drastically reduced as more and more people collect firewood and clear the land for farming and grazing. These actions, combined with the effects of drought, have the potential for making the semiarid south into a desert.
Elephants, giraffes, gazelles, hyenas, and lions are found in southern Niger. Hunting and loss of habitat as the area turns into desert threaten the survival of these animals. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses live in the Niger River. “W” National Park (so called because the Niger flows through the area in the form of a W) in the southwest is one of the best wildlife preserves in West Africa.
The people of Niger are ethnically diverse. The largest group is the Hausa, who make up more than half of the population. The other major groups are the Songhai-Zerma, Fulani, Tuareg, and the Kanuri-Nanga. The official language of Niger is French, but most people use the language of their ethnic group on a daily basis. The majority of Nigeriens are Muslim.
The Nigerien population is unevenly distributed across the country. A small segment of the population lives in the dry northern regions. Most of these people, including the Tuareg, are nomadic herders. Other people of the north work in mines or live in market towns such as Agadez. The majority of Nigeriens live in the south, where the climate makes farming possible. In this area rapid population growth is a concern. Many people worry that the land will be unable to sustain such a large population, and that drought conditions will make life in the region increasingly difficult.
Niger has one of the lowest literacy rates in West Africa. In the mid-1990s only about 14 percent of the population could read and write. The country's major institution of higher education is the University of Niamey, which was established in 1973. The Islamic University of Niger was founded in 1987.
About 80 percent of Niger's population lives in rural areas. The main city is Niamey, the capital, which is located on the Niger River. The city's cultural highlights are its large market known as Grande Marché, the Niger National Museum, and a large mosque. The other principal cities are Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua. The ancient city of Agadez, long a center of Tuareg culture, is an enchanting desert town with a famous camel market.
Niger is one of the world's poorest nations. About 90 percent of the population is involved in agriculture. Farmers grow millet, sorghum, cassava, beans, and rice for consumption. The most important export crop is cowpeas. Peanuts and cotton are also widely grown. In the drier areas Nigeriens raise livestock such as goats, sheep, cattle, and camels. There is fishing on the Niger River and Lake Chad, and dried fish are sold widely.
Mining is the major industry in Niger. Uranium is the nation's most important export. Niger's economy was seriously hurt when world uranium prices fell in the 1980s. Other minerals found in Niger include cassiterite (tin ore), coal, iron ore, and salt. Manufacturing industries produce cement, soaps and other chemical products, textiles, and food products.
In recent years tourism has become a part of Niger's economy. The Aïr Mountains, which have sites of prehistoric settlements, are a popular tourist destination. Other attractions include Niamey and “W” National Park.
According to scientists, humans first began to settle in the region of present-day northern Niger some 600,000 years ago. At the time, the area now covered by the Sahara Desert was lush grassland. Many archaeologists believe that people migrated to areas in southern Niger as the grasslands gradually turned to desert.
In the 8th and 9th centuries AD the kingdoms of Songhai and Kanem-Bornu began to develop in the region. The two kingdoms eventually came to control much of southern Niger. They grew rich from their role in trade across the Sahara. After the Songhai kingdom dissolved in the 16th century, various Hausa kingdoms ruled its former territory. The Tuaregs took control of the north. During the early 19th century southern Niger came under Islamic rule.
Europeans explored the region in the 18th and 19th centuries. The French first tried to take control of the area in the 1890s. The local population fiercely resisted French attempts to establish colonial rule, but the French fought back. Finally, after many years of fighting, the French made Niger a colony in 1922.
Niger became independent of France in 1960. The first president, Hamani Diori, remained in office for 14 years. In 1974 he was overthrown by the military leader Seyni Kountché. Kountché served as president until his death in 1987.
After Kountché's death Niger experienced a long period of instability. During the late 1980s and 1990s the country suffered from severe economic problems as well as drought. In the early 1990s the government faced a rebellion by the Tuaregs in the north. Fighting continued until a peace agreement was signed in 1995.
Niger held its first multiparty presidential elections in 1993, but the elected government was ousted by the military in 1996. Another military coup followed in 1999. Later that year, however, Niger held democratic elections once again. The new government set out to improve the country's economy. Population (2001 estimate), 10,355,000.
