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Niger 🇳🇪

Basic facts

Official name: République du Niger (Republic of the Niger)

Capital city: Niamey

Population: 26.3 million (2023)

Demonym: Nigerien

Type of government: unitary republic

Head of state: Abdourahamane Tchiani (President)

Head of government: Ali Lamine Zeine (Prime Minister)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $42.73 billion (2023)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 34% (medium) (2014)

Human Development Index: 0.394 (low) (2022)

Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)

Fun fact: It has the highest fertility rate in the world.

Etymology

The country’s name comes from the Niger River. The origin of its name is uncertain, but Alexandrian geographer Ptolemy wrote a description of the river valley Gir and the Ni-Gir (“lower Gir”), possibly the Niger River.

Geography

Niger is located in West Africa and borders Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Niger to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest.

There are two main climates: hot steppe in the south and hot desert in the rest. Temperatures range from 10 °C (50 °F) in winter to 41 °C (105.8 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 28 °C (82.4 °F).

The country is divided into seven regions (régions), which are further divided into 63 departments (départements) and a capital district (district de la capitale). The largest cities in Niger are Niamey, Maradi, Zinder, Tahoua, and Agadez.

History

700-1380: Kanem Empire

1235-1670: Mali Empire

1380-1893: Bornu Empire

1404-1906: Sultanate of Agadez

1430s-1591: Songhai Empire

1591-1901: Dendi Kingdom

1731-1895: Sultanate of Damagaram

1804-1903: Sokoto Caliphate

1895-1958: French West Africa

1958-present: Republic of the Niger

1974: coup d’état

1990-1995: Tuareg rebellion

2007-2009: Tuareg rebellion

2009-2010: constitutional crisis

2010: military coup

2023: coup

Economy

Niger mainly imports from France, China, and India and exports to France, Mali, and Nigeria. Its top exports are uranium ore, onions, and palm oil.

It has coal, iron, and phosphate reserves. Agriculture represents 44.3% of the GDP, followed by services (40.8%) and industry (14.9%).

Niger is a member of the African Union, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, and the Economic Community of West African States.

Demographics

The Hausa are the largest ethnic group (53.1%), followed by the Songhai (21.2%), Tuareg (11%), Fulani (6.5%), and Kanuri (5.9%). The main religion is Islam, practiced by 99.3% of the population, 80% of which is Sunni.

It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 6.8 children per woman. 16.9% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 60 years and the median age is 14.8 years. The literacy rate is 35.1%.

Languages

The official language of the country is French. There are ten recognized national languages, namely, Arabic, Buduma, Fulani, Gourmanché, Hausa, Kanuri, Songhai, Tamasheq, Tasawaq, and Tebu.

Culture

Nigerien culture has different influences, as the country was at the crossroads of several cultural areas. Values such as generosity and sharing are very important.

Men traditionally wear a loose robe (boubou), pants, and a cloth cap or turban. Women wear a blouse, a matching wraparound skirt, and a headscarf.

Architecture

Traditional houses in Niger are made of mud bricks and have flat roofs. They are often decorated with geometric patterns.

Cuisine

The Nigerien diet is based on meat, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include chakery (sweet couscous with milk and sugar), dambou (a dish made from cereals, meat, and moringa leaves), djerma (a stew of chicken, carrots, onions, and peanut butter), doungououri soko (a stew of white beans, lamb, peppers, and tomatoes), and fonio (a kind or rice soaked in water with a nutty flavor).

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian and Muslim countries, Niger celebrates Easter Monday, Christmas Day, Islamic New Year, Eid al-Adha, Mawlid, Laylat al-Qadr, and Eid al-Fitr. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day.

Specific Nigerien holidays include Concord Day on April 24, Independence Day on August 3, and Republic Day on December 18.

Independence Day

Other celebrations include the Cure Salée, a gathering of Tuareg people that marks the end of the rainy season; Guérewol, a courtship ritual, and the International Storytelling Festival.

Guérewol

Landmarks

There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserve, Historic Center of Agadez, and W-Arly-Pendjari Complex.

Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserve

Other landmarks include the Dabous Giraffes, the Gadabedji Faunal Reserve, the Niamey Grand Mosque, the Palace of the Zarmakoye of Dosso, and the Termit and Tin Toumma National Nature Reserve.

Zarmakoy Palace

Famous people

Adamou Idé - poet and writer

Aïchatou Mindaoudou - politician

Amadou Sadou - movie director

Bombino - singer

Kamilou Daouda - soccer player

Nafissa Souleymane - athlete

Nafissatou Moussa Adamou - swimmer

Oum Ramatou - writer

Rabiou Guero Gao - athlete

Safiath - singer

Bombino

Map of territorial control in Libya’s civil war as of June 2017. Updated map features newly-added colors for a more detailed depiction of control in the country’s far south.

Jakarta, lampungkita.id – Kementerian Pertanian mencatat capaian positif produksi tebu dan gula nasional sepanjang 2025 sebagai fondasi kuat menuju swasembada gula. Hasil evaluasi akhir giling 2025 menunjukkan produksi gula nasional mencapai 2,67 juta ton atau sekitar 97,54 persen dari target yang ditetapkan, menegaskan tren peningkatan produksi dalam negeri. Capaian tersebut sejalan dengan…