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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 12,894,865 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.9% (male 3,083,871/female 2,969,201) 15-64 years: 50.6% (male 3,354,783/female 3,174,039) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 155,430/female 157,541) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 16.5 years male: 16.5 years female: 16.4 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 2.898% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 50.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 20.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.987 male(s)/female total population: 1.047 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 116.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 120.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 112.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 44.03 years male: 44.05 years female: 44 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 7.37 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 70,000 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 4,800 (2003 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

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Ethnic groups: Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Touareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census)

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Religions: Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%

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Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.7% male: 42.9% female: 15.1% (2005 est.)

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 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 a 2.9% population growth rate, 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.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $12.36 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $3.638 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)

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Labor force: 70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (2002 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry: 6% services: 4%

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Unemployment rate: NA%

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Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

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Distribution of family income - Gini index: 50.5 (1995)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.2% (2004 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $320 million; including capital expenditures of $178 million (2002 est.)

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Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

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Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

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Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2003 est.)

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Electricity - production: 232 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 415.8 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 200 million kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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Exports - commodities: uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

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Exports - partners: France 34.7%, US 26.4%, Nigeria 18.3%, Russia 11.3% (2006)

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Imports: $588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

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Imports - partners: US 14.2%, France 12.2%, China 7.9%, Nigeria 7.8%, French Polynesia 7.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (2006)

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Debt - external: $2.1 billion (2003 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $453.3 million (2003)

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Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO)

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Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year