country comparison to the world: 81
Electricity - production:
3.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Electricity - consumption:
2.569 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
63.95 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Oil - consumption:
29,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - exports:
212.5 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Oil - imports:
29,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 138
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Current account balance:
-$1.475 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
-$1.048 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.675 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$2.313 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts
Exports - partners:
US 32.3%, El Salvador 14.6%, Costa Rica 6.9%, Honduras 6.8%, Mexico
5.3%, Canada 5%, Guatemala 5% (2008)
Imports:
$4.848 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
$4.117 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum
products
Imports - partners:
US 21%, Venezuela 14.3%, Mexico 8.4%, Costa Rica 8%, China 7.8%,
Guatemala 6.1%, El Salvador 5.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.141 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$1.103 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.596 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
$3.341 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
cordobas (NIO) per US dollar - 19.374 (2008 est.), 18.457 (2007),
17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004)
Communications ::Nicaragua
Telephones - main lines in use:
312,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 114
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.039 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 109
Telephone system:
general assessment: system being upgraded by foreign investment;
nearly all installed telecommunications capacity now uses digital
technology, owing to investments since privatization of the formerly
state-owned telecommunications company
domestic: since privatization, access to fixed-line and
mobile-cellular services has improved but teledensity still lags
behind other Central American countries; fixed-line teledensity
roughly 5 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership
increasing and now exceeds 50 per 100 persons; connected to Central
American Microwave System
international: country code - 505; the Americas Region Caribbean
Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic submarine cable provides
connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean,
and the US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic
Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.ni
Internet hosts:
88,742 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 74
Internet users:
185,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 140
Transportation ::Nicaragua
Airports:
143 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 40
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 132
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 115 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 54 km (2008)
Roadways:
total: 19,036 km
country comparison to the world: 113
paved: 2,299 km
unpaved: 16,737 km (2005)
Waterways:
2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
Ports and terminals:
Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff
Military ::Nicaragua
Military branches:
National Army of Nicaragua (ENN; includes Navy, Air Force) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36
months (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,513,312
females age 16-49: 1,507,999 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,277,878
females age 16-49: 1,339,413 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 72,366
female: 70,118 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 157
Transnational Issues ::Nicaragua
Disputes - international:
memorials and countermemorials were filed by the parties in
Nicaragua's 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia
at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the
western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007;
the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a
tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf
of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal
dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with
Costa Rica
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Niger (Africa)
Introduction ::Niger
Background:
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 coup by military
officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections
that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year.
TANDJA was reelected in 2004. 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. A predominately
Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement
for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's
northern region throughout 2007 and 2008. Events have since evolved
into a fledging insurgency.
Geography ::Niger
Location:
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
16 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1.267 million sq km
country comparison to the world: 22
land: 1,266,700 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Terrain:
predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains
in south; hills in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m
Natural resources:
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum,
salt, petroleum
Land use:
arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 88.56% (2005)
Irrigated land:
730 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
33.7 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.18 cu km/yr (4%/0%/95%)
per capita: 156 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts
Environment - current issues:
overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife
populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion)
threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
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
People ::Niger
Population:
15,306,252 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Age structure:
0-14 years: 49.6% (male 3,840,379/female 3,758,674)
15-64 years: 48% (male 3,658,361/female 3,690,373)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male 159,984/female 198,481) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.2 years
male: 14.9 years
female: 15.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.677% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Birth rate:
51.6 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
Death rate:
14.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
Net migration rate:
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Urbanization:
urban population: 16% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 116.66 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 5
male: 121.72 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 111.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.6 years
country comparison to the world: 201
male: 51.39 years
female: 53.85 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.75 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.8% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
60,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
4,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups:
Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Tuareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri
Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)
Religions:
Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
Languages:
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.7%
male: 42.9%
female: 15.1% (2005 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years
male: 5 years
female: 3 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 134
Government ::Niger
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Niamey
geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district*
(communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua,
Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence:
3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution:
adopted 18 July 1999
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali Badjo GAMATIE (since 2
October 2009); appointed by the president and shares some executive
responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); second round of election last held 4
December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of
vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
MNSD 76, RSD 15, RDP 7, PNA-Alouma 1, Alkalami 1, Nigerien Party of
the Masses for Labor 1, independents 12
Judicial branch:
State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:
Alkalama; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
[Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing
Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social
Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social
Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE];
Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien
Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou
MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Party of the Masses for Labor; Nigerien
Progressive Party or PPN-RDA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or
RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or
RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg
rebel group
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
FAX: [1] (202)483-3169
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone: [227] 20-72-26-61 thru 64
FAX: [227] 20-73-31-67
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with
a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white
band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel
centered in the white band
Economy ::Niger
Economy - overview:
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near
last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human
development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy
centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's
largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, 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 reduces 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
translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in
debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC.
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. Uranium prices have
increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust
infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million
Nigeriens.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.29 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
$9.398 billion (2007 est.)
$9.097 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.382 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
9.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
3.3% (2007 est.)
5.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$700 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
$700 (2007 est.)
$700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 39%
industry: 17%
services: 44% (2001)
Labor force:
4.688 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 78
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 90%
industry: 6%
services: 4% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
63% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 35.7% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.5 (1995)
country comparison to the world: 21
Budget:
revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources)
expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
Central bank discount rate:
4.75% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 121
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA%
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$604.5 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$193.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$318.9 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;
cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Industries:
uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing,
chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate:
5.1% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Electricity - production:
150 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Electricity - consumption:
589.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
450 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Oil - imports:
5,367 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 144
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Current account balance:
-$321 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
-$321 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$428 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 167
$428 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
Exports - partners:
Japan 80.4%, Nigeria 8.5%, France 2.9% (2008)
Imports:
$800 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 176
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners:
France 16.6%, China 10.9%, Algeria 9.6%, Nigeria 7.4%, French
Polynesia 6.5%, Belgium 4.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2% (2008)
Debt - external:
$2.1 billion (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81
(2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29
(2004)
note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Niger
Telephones - main lines in use:
24,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 186
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.677 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 129
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio
telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links
concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity only
13 per 100 persons with cellular subscribership increasing rapidly
from a small base; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations
and 1 planned
international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
5 (2007)
Internet country code:
.ne
Internet hosts:
253 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 182
Internet users:
80,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 160
Transportation ::Niger
Airports:
28 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 119
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 18,550 km
country comparison to the world: 115
paved: 3,803 km
unpaved: 14,747 km (2006)
Waterways:
300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya
between September and March) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 94
Military ::Niger
Military branches:
Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger
Air Force (Force Aerienne du Niger) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
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)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,871,868
females age 16-49: 2,696,966 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,019,553
females age 16-49: 2,046,906 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 170,060
female: 163,996 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 122
Transnational Issues ::Niger
Disputes - international: