ra. Nicaragua's infrastructure and economy - hard hit by the
earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 - are slowly being
rebuilt.

Niger
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.

Nigeria
British influence and control over what would become Nigeria
grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World
War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; independence came in 1960.
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was
adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government
was completed. The president faces the daunting task of reforming a
petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through
corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding
ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation
for economic growth and political stability. Although the April 2003
elections were marred by some irregularities, Nigeria is currently
experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence.
The general elections set for April 2007 would mark the first
civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country's history.

Niue
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
in 1966 to about 2,166 in 2006), with substantial emigration to New
Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island
Two British attempts at