Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF NIGER
RÉPUBLIQUE DU NIGER

General Information

Total Land Area:	1,267,000 km²
Land boundaries:	5,697 km
Coastline:	0 km (Landlocked)
Capital:	Niamey
Other Large Cities:	Zinder, Tahoua, Maradi, Agadez, Tillaberi, Dosso, Diffa
Official Language:	French
National Currency Unit:	Communauté Financière Africaine Franc (XOF)
National Day:	December 18 and August 3

Location and Geography

Niger is located in the heart of the Sahel, the transitional zone between the tropical West African coast and the Sahara Desert and is bordered by Algeria and Libya in the North, Chad in the East, Nigeria and Benin in the South, Burkina Faso in the South-west, and Mali in the West. Northern Niger is part of the Sahara, with vast expanses of rocky and sandy wilderness broken by occasional oases. Its climate varies with distinct seasons and is generally very hot. During autumn, a hot, dry wind carries dust from the Sahara. The terrain consists of desert plains, dunes and flat to rolling plains in the South and hills in the North.

Demography

Population:	11.60 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	49 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	20 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	155 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 46 years, Female: 47 years (2002)
Urban Population:	22.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	16.50 percent (2001)

Economy

Mining, particularly extraction and export of uranium is one the main economic activities in Niger. The uranium industry generates most of the employment and income in the country. Other major natural resources are coal, iron ore, tin and phosphates. The largest enterprise is a publicly owned electric power generation unit. Hides, skin, cotton, maize, sorghum, cowpeas and cassava are the main agricultural products. Recurrent drought and desertification have a detrimental impact on livestock rearing. Manufacturing is concentrated in the processing of agricultural commodities such as sugar refining, brewing and cotton ginning.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	1944 million US$ (2002)
Per Capita GDP:	168 US$ (2002)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	40.0% Agriculture, 17.0% Industry, 43.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	156 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	395 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, cotton and onions
Major Imports Items:	Consumer goods, primary materials, machinery parts and petroleum
Major Trading Partners:	France, Nigeria, Japan, Côte d'Ivoire and China