Niger

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Following the spread of Islam to the region, Niger was on the fringes of some states, including the Kanem–Bornu Empire and the Mali Empire before more significant parts of its territory became included in states such as the Sultanate of Agadez and the Songhai Empire. It was colonized by France during the Scramble for Africa as part of French West Africa, becoming a distinct colony in 1922. Since obtaining independence in 1960, Niger has experienced five coups d'état and four periods of military rule.

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Etymology

The name comes from the Niger River which flows through the west of the country. The origin of the river's name is uncertain. Alexandrian geographer Ptolemy wrote descriptions of the wadi Gir (in neighbouring modern Algeria) and the Ni-Gir 'Lower Gir' to the south, possibly referring to the Niger River. The modern spelling Niger was first recorded by Berber scholar Leo Africanus in 1550, possibly derived from the Tuareg phrase the (e)gărăw-n-gărăwăn meaning literally 'river of rivers'.

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History

Stone tools, some dating as far back as 280,000 years before present (BP), have been found in Adrar Bous, Bilma and Djado in the northern Agadez Region. Some of these finds have been linked with the Aterian and Mousterian tool cultures of the Middle Paleolithic period, which flourished in northern Africa circa 90,000 BP. It is thought that these humans lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. During the prehistoric African humid period, the climate of the Sahara was wetter and more fertile, a phenomenon archaeologists refer to as the "Green Sahara" which provided "favourable" conditions for hunting and later agriculture and livestock herding.

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Geography

Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east. It lies between latitudes 11° and 24°N, and longitudes 0° and 16°E. Its area is 1.267 million km2 (489,191 mi2) of which 300 square kilometres (116 sq mi) is water. Niger borders seven countries and has a perimeter of 5,697 kilometres (3,540 mi). The longest border is with Nigeria (1,497 km or 930 mi).

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Government and politics

Niger's most recent constitution was approved by a 2010 referendum. It restored the semi-presidential system of government of the 1999 constitution (Fifth Republic) in which the president, elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term, and a prime minister named by the president share executive power. Since the July 2023 Nigerien coup d'état, the government has been led by Omar Tiani and the constitution dissolved.

Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with the West and the Islamic world as well as non-aligned countries.

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Economy

The economy of Niger centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. In 2021, Niger was the main supplier of uranium to the EU. Drought cycles, desertification, a 2.9% population growth rate—as well as a drop in world demand for uranium—have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States, with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union.

Two trans-African automobile routes pass through Niger:

the Algiers-Lagos Highway

the Dakar-Ndjamena Highway

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Demographics

As of 2021, the population was 25,252,722, which has rapidly increased from 3.4 million in 1960 and has a current growth rate of 3.3% (7.1 children per mother). This growth rate is one of the highest in the world and is a source of concern for the government and international agencies. The population is predominantly young, with 49.2% under 15 years old and 2.7% over 65 years, and predominantly rural with only 21% living in urban areas. A 2005 study states that over 800,000 people (nearly 8% of the population) in Niger are enslaved.

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Culture

Nigerien culture is marked by variation, evidence of the cultural crossroads which French colonialism formed into a unified state from the beginning of the 20th century.

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