Niger Travel Tips
A collection of important information that can make your trip more enjoyable.
Niger is a landlocked country bordered in the north by Libya, Chad to the East, Nigeria in the south, Benin and Burkina Fasso in the southwest, Mali in the west and Algeria in the Northwest.
Two-thirds of Niger is desert with much of the of the northeastern part of the country being uninhabitable. The remaining third of the country is savannah, suitable mainly for raising livestock and limited agriculture. In the north-central region is the volcanic Air Massif, attaining heights of up to 5,900 ft.
The Niger River flows for 300 miles along the south-west border, permitting the cultivation of various crops. A portion of Lake Chad is situated in the eastern part of the country.
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| GENERAL INFORMATION: |
| Official Name |
Republic of Niger |
| Nationality |
Nigerien |
| Flag |
3 equal horizontal bands of orange, white, and green, with a small orange disk representing the sun in the center |
| Location |
West Africa, bordered by Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, and Nigeria |
| Area |
490,000 sq. mi. |
| Population |
9.7 million (1999 World Bank estimate) |
| Annual population growth |
2.75% |
| Infant mortality rate |
124.9 deaths/1000 live births |
| Life expectancy |
47 years |
| Official language |
French |
| Main national languages |
Hausa, Djerma, Fula, Tamashek |
| Religions |
85% Muslim, 15% Christian and animist |
| Independence |
August 3, 1960 (former French colony) |
| National holiday |
Republic Day, December 18 |
| Capital |
Niamey |
| Administrative Division |
7 departments, 35 districts |
| Form of government |
Republic, multiparty Presidential regime |
| Head of State |
President Mamadou Tandja |
| Motto |
Fraternity-Work-Progress |
| Currency |
CFA franc (CFA 725 ~ $1) |
| Climate |
Dry season October-June; rainy season June-October; cool November-February (10 degrees C), hot March-May (44 degrees C) |
| Mineral resources |
Uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum |
| Agricultural products |
Millet, sorghum, rice, corn, fruits, vegetables, cotton, peanuts, cassava, cowpeas |
| Export products |
Cotton, shea nuts, gold, livestock, poultry, vegetables |
| Industry |
Mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals |
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