est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the
Sea

Geography--note: landlocked

People

Population: 9,962,242 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 2,445,536; female 2,346,844)
15-64 years: 50% (male 2,421,971; female 2,518,248)
65 years and over: 2% (male 121,253; female 108,390) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.95% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 52.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 22.78 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 112.79 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 41.96 years
male: 42.22 years
female: 41.7 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.24 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri
Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200
French expatriates

Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians

Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 13.6%
male: 20.9%
female: 6.6% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger

Data code: NG

Government type: republic

Capital: Niamey

Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements,
singular--departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district);
Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence: 3 August 1960