Niger (country)

C

Plants and Animals

The northern desert of Niger has little vegetation. In the south are extensive savannah grasslands and, in the lowlands, a variety of trees, including baobab, tamarind, kepok, and a species of mahogany. Animal life includes buffalo, antelopes, giraffes, and a few lions.

D

Environmental Concerns

Niger is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world and the country's natural resources are under pressure from its rapidly increasing population. About 7 per cent (1991) of Niger's workforce is involved in agriculture, the majority practising subsistence farming. Soil erosion and desertification resulting from overgrazing and poor land management are reducing the productivity of the country's farmland. Burning wood and other traditional fuels accounts for 80 per cent of the country's energy consumption, and the need for firewood is contributing to deforestation. In 1995 the World Bank approved a US$26.7 million credit towards a management programme to reverse the deterioration of Niger's land and natural resources. Other programmes include promoting family planning in order to try to reduce the population growth rate.

Niger's poorly developed infrastructure contributes to the spread of infectious diseases. Only 61 per cent (1990-1998 estimate) of Niger's population has access to safe water, and only 19 per cent (1990-1998 estimate) of the population is serviced by adequate sewage systems. About 7.7 per cent (1997) of Niger's land is officially protected. Although Niger has banned hunting throughout the country, rampant poaching seriously threatens wildlife populations. Niger has ratified international treaties protecting biodiversity, endangered species, wetlands, and the ozone layer. The country has also signed treaties that limit nuclear weapons testing, chemical and biological weapons, and hazardous waste. Niger is party to the World Heritage Convention, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Program, and the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Reserves. It has also signed the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

III

Population

There are six main ethnic groups in Niger. The largest is the Hausa (56 per cent), who are subsistence farmers in the south. The Songhai and Djerma make up 22 per cent of the population; the Fulani and the Tuareg, 8 per cent each; and the Beriberi-Manga, 4 per cent. The Fulani and Tuareg are pastoralists, following a nomadic, or semi-nomadic lifestyle.

A

Population Characteristics

Niger has a population of 12,894,865 (2007 estimate). The average population density is only 10 people per sq km (26 per sq mi), but approximately 90 per cent of the population lives near the southern border. About 23 per cent of the population is urbanized. Life expectancy at birth is 44 years for men, 44 years for women.

B

Political Divisions

Niger is divided into eight departments, which are subdivided into districts and communes.