[82] Issoufou's time in office has been marked by numerous threats to the country's security, stemming from the fallout from the Libyan Civil War and Northern Mali conflict, a rise in attacks by AQIM, the use of Niger as a transit country for migrants (often organised by criminal gangs), and the spillover of Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgency into south-eastern Niger. The ethnic makeup of Niger in 2001 is as follows: Hausa (55.4%), Zarma & Songhay (21%), Tuareg (9.3%), Fula (French: Peuls; Fula: Fulɓe) (8.5%), Kanuri Manga (4.7%), Tubu (0.4%), Arab (0.4%), Gourmantche (0.4%), other (0.1%). L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde, "Nigerien – definition of Nigerien in English from the Oxford Dictionaries", "Report for Selected Country Groups and Subjects (PPP valuation of country GDP)", World Economic Outlook Database, January 2018, "World Economic Outlook Database. There are also some tiny Boudouma and Songhay animist communities in the southwest.[113]. The Voulet-Chanoine Mission was marred by numerous atrocities, and became notorious for pillaging, looting, raping and killing many local civilians on its passage throughout southern Niger. Africa Imports is the largest wholesale supplier of Afrocentric and ethnic products in the US. Led by Tuareg tribes from the north, camels were as a well-adapted means of transportation through what was now an immense desert. The country's name comes from the Niger River which flows through the west of the country; the origin of the river's name is uncertain, though a popular theory is that it comes from the Tuareg n'eghirren, meaning 'flowing water'. They consist of the Niger Army (Armée de Terre), the Niger Air Force (Armée de l'Air) and the auxiliary paramilitary forces, such as the National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) and the National Guard (Garde Nationale). The Guérewol festival is an international attraction and was featured in films and magazines as prominent as the National Geographic. [19][45] The Hausa kingdoms were not a compact entity but several federations of kingdoms more or less independent of one other. [38] In 1899–1900 France coordinated three expeditions—the Gentil Mission from French Congo, the Foureau-Lamy Mission from Algeria and the Voulet–Chanoine Mission from Timbuktu—with the aim of linking France's African possessions. Despite this, Niger maintains a tradition as a secular state, protected by law. [19], The Military Territory of Niger was subsequently created within the Upper Senegal and Niger colony (modern Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger) in December 1904 with its capital at Niamey, then little more than a large village. [18] The most common pronunciation is the French one of /niːˈʒɛər/, though in Anglophone media /ˈnaɪdʒər/ is also occasionally used. Richard Gray, J. D. Fage, Roland Anthony Oliver, eds. [81][38] The constitution also restored the semi-presidential system which had been abolished a year earlier. The southern parts of Niger are naturally dominated savannahs. The shaded region indicates the furthest expanse of the Songhai Empire at its peak in the sixteenth century. [48] Attacks by the Bulala people in the late 14th century forced Kanem to shift westwards of Lake Chad, where it became known as the Bornu Empire, ruled from its capital Ngazargamu on the modern Niger-Nigeria border. [38] It was also aided by the Arab invasion of North Africa at the end of the 7th century, which resulted in population movements to the south. Songhai began settling this region from the 7th to 9th centuries;[43] by the early 11th century Gao (capital of the former Kingdom of Gao) had become the empire's capital. The Sahara and Central Sudan. The U.S. also is a major partner in policy coordination in such areas as food security and HIV/AIDS. km and 80 percent of Niger is covered by the Sahara. Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. The Gulf of Guinea, a key production hub surrounded by eight oil exporting countries in West Africa, has emerged as a global hot spot. [38] In April 1995 a peace deal with the main Tuareg rebel group was signed, with the government agreeing to absorb some former rebels into the military and, with French assistance, help others return to a productive civilian life. The W National Park, situated in the bordering area to Burkina Faso and Benin, belongs to one of the most important areas for wildlife in Western Africa, which is called the WAP (W–Arli–Pendjari) Complex. Other wildlife includes elephants, buffaloes, roan antelopes, kob antelopes and warthogs. [133] There is also a network of over 80 community radio stations spread across all seven regions of the country, governed by the Comité de Pilotage de Radios de Proximité (CPRP), a civil society organisation. [19], Several European countries already possessed littoral colonies in Africa, and in the latter half of the century they began to turn their eyes towards the interior of the continent. [1] Each is spoken as a first language primarily by the ethnic group with which it is associated. The significance of the Niger River cannot be overemphasized. [38] The sultanate remained nominally subject to the Borno Empire until the reign of Sultan Tanimoune Dan Souleymane in the mid-to-late 19th century, who declared independence and initiated a phase of vigorous expansion. What is now Niger was created from four distinct cultural areas in the pre-colonial era: the Zarma and Songhai dominated the Niger River valley in the southwest; the northern periphery of Hausaland, made mostly of those states which had resisted the Sokoto Caliphate, and ranged along the long southern border with Nigeria; the Lake Chad basin and Kaouar in the far east, populated by Kanuri farmers and Toubou pastoralists who had once been part of the Kanem-Bornu Empire; and the Tuareg nomads of the Aïr Mountains and Saharan desert in the vast north. Government finance is derived revenue exports (Mining, oil and agricultural exports) as well as various forms of taxes collected by the government. Food crisis worsening in West Africa after COVID-19... dailysabah.com - French Press Agency - AFP • 23h. Since independence, Nigeriens have lived under five constitutions and three periods of military rule. Heavy gunfire was heard in the early hours near the country's presidential palace. [38] Several parastatal companies were created, major infrastructure (building and new roads, schools, health centres) constructed, and there was minimal corruption in government agencies, which Kountché did not hesitate to punish severely. In addition to the national and regional radio services of the state broadcaster ORTN, there are four privately owned radio networks which total more than 100 stations. [38][64] In the early 1970s, a combination of economic difficulties, devastating droughts and accusations of rampant corruption and mismanagement of food supplies resulted in a coup d'état that overthrew the Diori regime. [38] Links with France remained deep, with Diori allowing the development of French-led uranium mining in Arlit and supporting France in the Algerian War. [112] Christianity was established earlier in the country by missionaries during the French colonial years. The conference was presided over by Prof. André Salifou and developed a plan for a transitional government; this was then installed in November 1991 to manage the affairs of state until the institutions of the Third Republic were put into place in April 1993. The Republic of Niger has a reputation for being the largest nation in West Africa, however, 80% of this land mass is covered by the Sahara desert. It is an annual traditional courtship ritual practiced by the Wodaabe (Fula) people of Niger. [133], Despite relative freedom at the national level, Nigerien journalists say they are often pressured by local authorities. The ICJ Judgment in the Benin-Niger Border Dispute: the interplay of titles and ‘effectivités’ under the uti possidetis juris principle, "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLES ET LEGISLATIVES DES 16 NOVEMBRE ET 4 DECEMBRE 2004", Niger president rules by decree after court snub, "Military coup ousts Niger president Mamadou Tandja", "Boycott helps Niger President Issoufou win re-election", "France ready to strike extremists on Libya border", "Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou set to exit power", "Niger election: Mohamed Bazoum wins landmark vote amid protests", "Niger: Attack on presidential palace an 'attempted coup, "Africa :: Niger — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Africa – Niger leader dissolves parliament", "West Africa: Ecowas, EU Say Niger Elections Satisfactory", "Niger’s Presidential Election Heads to March Runoff", "Niger Politicians Forge Alliances Before March Election", Niger government adopts $2.53 bln budget for 2013, Niger : le budget 2014 porté à 1.867 milliards, "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa", Niger: Population explosion threatens development gains, "Niger: Regions, Cities & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information", "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2012", "The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity", International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Niger, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, "The Development of the Izala Movement in Nigeria: Its Split, Relationship to Sufis and Perception of Sharia Implementation", International Religious Freedom Report 2001: Niger, "Islam is thriving in impoverished Niger", Dossier 17: The Muslim Religious Right ('Fundamentalists') and Sexuality, "U.S. has second worst newborn death rate in modern world, report says", SEMINAIRE-ATELIER DE FORMATION ET DE SENSIBILISATION "Mission de service public dans les entreprises de presse d’Etat et privée", Media in Niger: the African Development Information Database, Niger : Conseil de presse. The Niger River and the main empires of West Africa are indicated on this map. Niger is one of the largest inland countries in West Africa and is historically a gateway between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. With two-thirds of the country lying within the Sahara Desert, it is one of the hottest countries in the world. It is spoken mainly as a second language by people who have received a formal western education and serves as the administrative language. The Niger is the third … where a burial replete with many iron and ceramic statuettes were discovered. As of 2018[update], the population of Niger was 22,442,831[14][15]. "The Role of the Sahara and Saharians in Relationships between North and South". In 1897 the French officer Marius Gabriel Cazemajou was sent to Niger; he reached the Sultanate of Damagaram in 1898 and stayed in Zinder at the court of Sultan Amadou Kouran Daga—however he was later killed as Daga feared he would ally with the Chad-based warlord Rabih az-Zubayr. 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. [124], The child mortality rate in Niger (deaths among children between the ages of 1 and 4) is high (248 per 1,000) due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children. Three of them—the Anfani Group, Sarounia and Tenere—are urban-based commercial-format FM networks in the major towns. These subdivisions were administered by officials appointed by the national government. The article will attempt to give you a quick rundown on this West African nation, here goes a list of 50 important facts about Niger that cover its history, culture, economy, people, military, wildlife and the river Niger. The Niger River, for which the country is named, nourishes a ribbon of life as it flows about 550 km through western Niger. [102], A 2005 study stated that over 800,000 people (nearly 8% of the population) in Niger are enslaved. The territory of Niger contains five terrestrial ecoregions: Sahelian Acacia savanna, West Sudanian savanna, Lake Chad flooded savanna, South Saharan steppe and woodlands, and West Saharan montane xeric woodlands.[89]. The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 metres (656 ft). Uranium prices have recovered somewhat in the last few years. These offices will be replaced in the future by democratically elected councils at each level. There were several attempted coups (in 1975, 1976 and 1984) which were thwarted, their instigators being severely punished. [16] Many of the non-desert portions of the country are threatened by periodic drought and desertification. Outside big cities and in rural areas, this responsibility falls on the National Gendarmerie and the National Guard. During this ceremony, young men dressed in elaborate ornamentation and made up in traditional face painting gather in lines to dance and sing, vying for the attention of marriageable young women. The MSA was banned in 1959 for its perceived excessive anti-French stance. The constitution also provides for the popular election of municipal and local officials, and the first-ever successful municipal elections took place on 24 July 2004. Surrounded by chaos, Niger is a nation on the edge. Niger River The Niger River is the principal river of West Africa, extending about 4,180 km.Its drainage basin is 2,117,700 km2 in area. Modern Muslim practice in Niger is often tied to the Tijaniya Sufi brotherhoods, although there are small minority groups tied to Hammallism and Nyassist Sufi orders in the west, and the Sanusiya in the far northeast. The capital is Niamey. [53] The origins of the Hausa are obscure, though they are thought to be a mixture of autochthonous peoples and migrant peoples from the north and/or east, emerging as a distinct people sometime in the 900s–1400s when the kingdoms were founded. [127] There were 3 physicians and 22 nurses per 100,000 persons in 2006.[128]. [110][111] Hausa and Zarma-Songhai, the two most spoken languages, are widely spoken throughout the country as first or second languages. Niger, Africa, West Africa. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. [38] Kountché died in November 1987 from a brain tumour, and was succeeded by his chief of staff, Col. Ali Saibou, who was confirmed as Chief of the Supreme Military Council four days later. The other two main religions of Niger are Christianity, practiced by 0.3% of the population, and Animism (traditional indigenous religious beliefs), practiced by 0.2% of the population. It runs in a crescent through Mali, Niger, on the border with Benin and then through Nigeria, discharging through a massive delta, known as the Niger Delta, into the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. The sector is governed by the Conseil Supérieur de Communications, established as an independent body in the early 1990s, since 2007 headed by Daouda Diallo. [45][48], Circa 1730–40 a group of Kanuri settlers led by Mallam Yunus left Kanem and founded the Sultanate of Damagaram, centred on the town of Zinder. The kingdom gradually expanded, especially during the rule of the Sayfawa Dynasty which began in c. 1075 under Mai (king) Hummay. Les journalistes refusent la mise sous tutelle, Niger: Emergency legislation infringes non-derogable human rights, Unesco manuscript on child work and schooling in Niger, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD), African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Niger&oldid=1015966921, French-speaking countries and territories, Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, States and territories established in 1960, Articles with French-language sources (fr), CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2013, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2006, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018, Pages using Sister project links with default search, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with TDVİA identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 17:01. A lack of adequate staff to guard wildlife in the parks and reserves is another factor cited for loss of wildlife.[90]. In 1515 Aïr was conquered by Songhai, remaining a part of that empire until its collapse in 1591. We live in a world permeated by an evil that has invaded and corrupted every aspect of life, leaving humankind separated from the Creator and trapped in sin. The Niger River is a very important water body located in West Africa. Analysis - The recent discovery of 71 bodies in six mass graves in Niger is not an isolated incident. [38], The Fulani (also called Peul, Fulbe etc. A majority of the population lives in rural areas and has little access to advanced education. In 1325 Songhai was conquered by Mali until regaining its independence in 1375. Niger has been a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie since 1970. [19] In prehistoric times the climate of the Sahara desert was much wetter and more fertile than it is today, a phenomenon archaeologists refer to as the 'Green Sahara', which provided favourable conditions for hunting and later agriculture and livestock herding. Nigerien society reflects a diversity drawn from the long independent histories of its several ethnic groups and regions and their relatively short period living in a single state. [19] Tuareg resistance continued however, culminating in the Kaocen revolt of 1916–17, led by Ag Mohammed Wau Teguidda Kaocen, with backing from the Senussi in Fezzan; the revolt was violently suppressed and Kaocen fled to Fezzan, where he was later killed. Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharan regions. [51][48][52] Bornu prospered during the rule of Mai Idris Alooma (r. circa 1575–1610) and re-conquered much of the traditional lands of Kanem, hence the designation 'Kanem-Bornu' for the empire. Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. [38] When Europeans began exploring the region in the 19th century much of Agadez lay in ruins, and it was taken over, though with difficulty, by the French (see below). The West African giraffe is currently not found in the W National Park, but further north in Niger, where it has its last relict population. [38], In the 19th century Europeans began to take a greater interest in Africa; several European explorers travelled in the area of modern Niger, such as Mungo Park (in 1805–06), the Oudney-Denham-Clapperton expedition (1822–25), Heinrich Barth (1850–55; with James Richardson and Adolf Overweg), Friedrich Gerhard Rohlfs (1865–67), Gustav Nachtigal (1869–74) and Parfait-Louis Monteil (1890–92). Nearly 20 million people are starving in West Africa and the Sahel region as the vast area is torn by conflicts and the coronavirus pandemic, experts … [19] The sultanate managed to resist the advance of the Sokoto Caliphate (see below), but was later captured by the French in 1899. [102][103], This growth rate is one of the highest in the world and is a source of concern for the government and international agencies. [38] The brutal methods of Voulet and Chanoine caused a scandal and Paris was forced to intervene; however when Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-François Klobb caught up with the mission near Tessaoua to relieve them of command he was killed. The seven original Hausa states (often referred to as the 'Hausa bakwai') were: Daura (state of queen Daurama), Kano, Rano, Zaria, Gobir, Katsina and Biram. The westernmost regions of Niger are joined with contiguous regions of Mali and Burkina Faso under the Liptako-Gourma Authority. This is followed by Chad to the east, at 1,175 km (730 mi), Algeria to the north-northwest (956 km or 594 mi), and Mali at 821 km (510 mi). West Africa / West Africa Niger. U.S. Department of State. The reserve is…, Arakao ou la pince de crabe dans l'Aïr ©Richard Julia, De Tabelot à Timia dans l'Aïr ©Richard Julia, W National Park, Niger © Gray Tappan/USGS, Agricultural landscape in the commune of Tondikandia, Tillaberi © Suzanne Cotillon/SGT, Temet, Niger: a wadi in the Sahara © Michiel Kupers, Timia, Aïr Mountains, Niger © Michiel Kupers, The Deforestation of the Upper Guinean Forest, Transforming farmlands through farmer-managed re-greening: The success story in southern Niger, Food insecurity drives deforestation in the Tamou Total Faunal Reserve. [38], The situation in the north also deteriorated significantly in this period, resulting in the outbreak of a Second Tuareg Rebellion in 2007 led by the Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice (MNJ). Niger, in the long form of the Republic of Niger, is a steppe country in West Africa, located between Algeria to the north-northwest, Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin to the south-southwest, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west-southwest. [38] The first action of the military government was to address the food crisis. Niger subvisions were renamed in 2002, in the implementation of a decentralisation project, first begun in 1998. Niger is a developing country, which consistently ranks near the bottom in the United Nations' Human Development Index (HDI); it was ranked 187th of 188 countries for 2015 and 189th out of 189 countries in the 2018 and 2019 reports. The country’s population is concentrated around the Niger River, where the … Established by SERVIR-West Africa, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partner, the program is designed to encourage students, especially girls, in Niger to become more involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subject areas. [98] The military court provides the same rights as civil criminal courts; however, customary courts do not.