Niger
Niger⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Nomadic peoples from the Saharan north and agriculturalists from the south settled present-day Niger. The Taureg kingdom of Takedda was one of the largest kingdoms in the north and played a prominent role in regional trade in the 14th century. In the south, the primary ethnic groups were the Songhai-Zarma in the west, the Hausa in the center, and the Kanuri in the east. When European colonizers arrived in the 19th century, the region was an assemblage of disparate local kingdoms.
In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River, and France began its conquest of what would become the colony of Niger. France experienced determined local resistance -- particularly during the Tuareg uprising (1916-1917) -- but established a colonial administration in 1922.
After achieving independence from France in 1960, Niger experienced single-party or military rule until 1991, when political pressure forced General Ali SAIBOU to allow multiparty elections. Political infighting and democratic backsliding led to coups in 1996 and 1999. In 1999, military officers restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and spearheaded a 2009 constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his presidential term. In 2010, military officers led another coup that deposed TANDJA. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in 2011 and reelected in 2016. In 2021, BAZOUM Mohamed won the presidential election, marking Niger’s first transition from one democratically elected president to another. Nonetheless, a military junta led by General Abdourahamane TIANI once again seized power in July 2023, detaining President BAZOUM and announcing the creation of a National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP).
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. It is ranked fourth to last in the world on the UN Development Program's Human Development Index of 2023/2024. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. In addition, Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict and terrorism in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 1,266,700 sq km
- Water
- 300 sq km
- Total
- 1.267 million sq km
- Climate
- desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
- Terrain
- predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Land Use
- Other
- 62.4% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 0.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 36.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 14% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 22.7% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Niger River 200 m
- Highest point
- Idoukal-n-Taghes 2,022 m
- Mean elevation
- 474 m
- Irrigated land
- 2,881 sq km (2022)
- Major aquifers
- Lake Chad Basin, Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Murzuk-Djado Basin
- Map references
- Africa
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 5,834 km
- Border countries
- Algeria 951 km; Benin 277 km; Burkina Faso 622 km; Chad 1,196 km; Libya 342 km; Mali 838 km; Nigeria 1,608 km
- Maritime claims
- none (landlocked)
- Natural hazards
- recurring droughts
- Geography note
- landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna that is suitable for livestock and limited agriculture
- Natural resources
- uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum
- Area comparative
- slightly less than twice the size of Texas
- Geographic coordinates
- 16 00 N, 8 00 E
- Population distribution
- majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, as shown in this population distribution map
Major Lakes (Area Sq Km)
- Fresh water lake(s)
- Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Chad, Nigeria, and Cameroon) - 10,360-25,900 sq km
note - area varies by season and year to year
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Atlantic ocean drainage
- Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
- Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
- Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
- Major rivers (BY length in km)
- Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, Benin, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 47.9% (2022 est.)
- Female
- 25.7% (2022 est.)
- Total population
- 35.6% (2022 est.)
- Languages
- Hausa, Zarma, French (official), Fufulde, Tamashek, Kanuri, Gurmancema, Tagdal
- Religions
- Muslim 95.5%, ethnic religionist 4.1%, Christian 0.3%, agnostics and other 0.1% (2020 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.92 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 46.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 9.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 14.9 years
- Total
- 15.3 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 15.6 years
Population
- Male
- 13,542,629
- Total
- 27,322,555 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 13,779,926
Nationality
- Noun
- Nigerien(s)
- Adjective
- Nigerien
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 13.7% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 7.5% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 1.2% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 17.1% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 49.5% (male 6,567,460/female 6,463,877)
- 15 64 years
- 47.8% (male 6,146,355/female 6,451,574)
- 65 years and over
- 2.7% (2024 est.) (male 342,388/female 371,130)
- Ethnic groups
- Hausa 53.1%, Zarma/Songhai 21.2%, Tuareg 11%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.5%, Kanuri 5.9%, Gurma 0.8%, Arab 0.4%, Tubu 0.4%, other/unavailable 0.9% (2006 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 108.2 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 102.6 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 17.7 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 5.7 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 5.8% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 7.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 6.55 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 40.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 48.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 88.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 59.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 51.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 11.7% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 12.8% national budget (2023 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 69.2 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 63 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 59.2 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 3.65% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 3.23 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, as shown in this population distribution map
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 59.3 years
- Female
- 62.5 years
- Total population
- 60.9 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 350 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 15.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 26.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 84.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 73.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 1.437 million NIAMEY (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 5.5% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 18.5 years (2012 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 81.3% (2021 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 34.6% (2022 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 7 years (2017 est.)
- Total
- 6 years (2017 est.)
- Female
- 6 years (2017 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green, with an orange disk centered on the white band
meaning: orange stands for the northern Sahara regions, white for purity and innocence, and green for hope and the fertile and productive southern and western areas, as well as the Niger River; the orange disc represents the sun and the people's sacrifices
Capital
- Name
- Niamey
- Etymology
- the origin of the name is unclear; one of many stories says that an African chief told his seven slaves "Wa niammane," meaning "stay here," and the name was later shortened to its present form
- Time difference
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 13 31 N, 2 07 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Niger
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- unknown
Constitution
- Note
- note: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the country's constitution
- History
- several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010
- Amendment process
- formerly proposed by the president of the republic or the National Assembly; consideration of amendments requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires at least four-fifths majority vote; if disapproved, the proposed amendment is dropped or submitted to a referendum; constitutional articles on the form of government, the multiparty system, the separation of state and religion, disqualification of Assembly members, amendment procedures, and amnesty of participants in the 2010 coup cannot be amended
Country Name
- Note
- note: pronounced nee-ZHAIR
- Etymology
- named for the Niger River that passes through the southwest of the country; the name of the river probably comes from the local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen (big rivers)
- Local long form
- République du Niger
- Local short form
- Niger
- Conventional long form
- Republic of Niger
- Conventional short form
- Niger
- Independence
- 3 August 1960 (from France)
- Legal system
- note: following the 26 July 2023 military coup, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland assumed control of all government institutions and rules by decree; formerly, mixed system of civil law, based on French civil law, Islamic law, and customary law
- Government type
- formerly, semi-presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- High Court of Justice (consists of 7 members); Supreme Court (membership NA); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)
- Subordinate courts
- Court of Cassation; Council of State; Court of Finances; various specialized tribunals and customary courts
- Judge selection and term of office
- High Judicial Court members selected from among the legislature and judiciary to 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges nominated/elected - 1 by the president of the Republic, 1 by the president of the National Assembly, 2 by peer judges, 2 by peer lawyers, 1 law professor by peers, and 1 from within Nigerien society; all appointed by the president; judges serve 6-year nonrenewable terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years
Executive Branch
- Note
- note 1: deposed president Mohamed BAZOUM has been under house arrest since a military coup on 26 July 2023
note 2: on 26 March 2025, the CNSP leader TIANI issued a decree promulgating the Charter of the Refoundation and was sworn in as the country’s president for a transition period of five years - Cabinet
- Cabinet appointed by the CNSP
- Chief of state
- President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) General Abdourahame TIANI (since 28 July 2023)
- Election results
2020/2021: Mohamed BAZOUM elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed BAZOUM (PNDS-Tarrayya) 39.3%, Mahamane OUSMANE (MODEN/FA Lumana Africa) 17%, Seini OUMAROU (MNSD-Nassara) 9%, Albade ABOUDA (MPR-Jamhuriya) 7.1%, other 27.6%; percent of vote in second round - Mohamed BAZOUM 55.7%, Mahamane OUSMANE 44.3%- Head of government
- CNSP Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine ZEINE (since 9 August 2023)
- Most recent election date
- 27 December 2020, with a runoff held on 21 February 2021
- Election/appointment process
- the CNSP rules by decree; previously, the president was directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister was appointed by the president, authorized by the National Assembly
- Expected date of next election
- 2030
- National holiday
- Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
- National color(s)
- orange, white, green
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 3 (1 cultural, 2 natural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (n); W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n); Historic Agadez (c)
- Political parties
- Alliance for Democracy and the Republic
Alliance for Democratic Renewal or ARD-Adaltchi-Mutuntchi
Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMIN
Congress for the Republic or CPR-Inganci
Democratic Alternation for Equity in Niger
Democratic and Republican Renewal-RDR-Tchanji
Democratic Movement for the Emergence of Niger Falala
Democratic Patriots' Rally or RPD Bazara
National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara
Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya
Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya
Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa
Nigerien Rally for Democracy and Peace
Patriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-Jamhuriya
Peace, Justice, Progress–Generation Doubara
Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a
Rally for Peace and Progress or RPP Farilla
Social Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya
Social Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira
Legislative Branch
- Note
- note 1: on 26 July 2023, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a military junta which took control of Niger's government, dissolved the National Assembly; a commission recommended to the junta in February 2025 a minimum of a five-year transition to democratic rule
note 2: In May 2025, Transitional President Tiani signed decrees nominating 194 members of the Advisory Council for the Refoundation (Conseil consultatif de la refondation or CCR), CCR Bureau members, and the Speaker, Mamoudou Harouna Djingarey; the first session of the CCR convened on 28 June 2025 - Number of seats
- 194 (all appointed)
- Electoral system
- mixed system
- Legislature name
- Advisory Council for the Refoundation (Conseil consultatif de la refondation)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 5/1/2025
- Expected date of next election
- April 2030
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 19.6%
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "L'Honneur de la Patrie" (The Honor of the Fatherland)
- History
- adopted 2023; replaced previous national anthem, "La Nigérienne" (The Nigerien), that was adopted in 1961
- Lyrics/music
- a government-appointed committee wrote both the lyrics and the music
- National symbol(s)
- zebu
- Administrative divisions
- 7 regions (régions, singular - région) and 1 capital district* (communauté urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 483-3169
- Chancery
- 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 483-4224
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Hassane IDI (since 3 August 2023)
- Email address and website
communication@embassyofniger.org
http://www.embassyofniger.org/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [227] 20-73-55-60
- Embassy
- BP 11201, Niamey
- Telephone
- [227] 20-72-26-61
- Mailing address
- 2420 Niamey Place, Washington DC 20521-2420
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Kathleen FITZGIBBON (since 2 December 2023)
- Email address and website
consulateniamey@state.gov
https://ne.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC, MIGA, MINUSCA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Legislature
NIGER · LEGISLATURE
National Assembly
194 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
194
Majority line
98
Largest party
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism
Parties
11
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Hassoumi Massoudou
- Head of State
Ali Lamine Zeine
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Revenues
- $2.325 billion (2019 est.)
- Expenditures
- $2.785 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5.4B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2021
- $1.487 billion (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $1.376 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $1.223 billion (2023 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $4.5B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2021
- $4.027 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $4.194 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $3.808 billion (2023 est.)
- Industries
- uranium mining, petroleum, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
- Labor force
- 10.486 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 45.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 45.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 3.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 575.586 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 554.531 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 623.76 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 606.57 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 606.345 (2024 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $3.793 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- low-income Sahel economy; major instability and humanitarian crises limit economic activity; COVID-19 eliminated recent antipoverty gains; economy rebounding since December 2020 Nigerian border reopening and new investments; uranium resource rich
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 0.4%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 0.5% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 0.4% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- UAE 31%, France 23%, China 18%, India 6%, Sweden 5% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 26%, France 15%, India 12%, Nigeria 7%, UAE 6% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $2,050
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $1,700 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $1,700 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $1,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 10.3%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 11.9% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 1.7% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 8.4% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- millet, cowpeas, sorghum, onions, milk, sugarcane, cabbages, cassava, groundnuts, tomatoes (2023)
- Exports commodities
- gold, oil seeds, uranium and thorium ore, radioactive chemicals, refined petroleum (2023)
- Imports commodities
- rice, aircraft parts, iron structures, refined petroleum, centrifuges (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$1.2B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2021
- -$2.099 billion (2021 est.)
- Current account balance 2022
- -$2.5 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- -$2.333 billion (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $19.538 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 59.2% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 11.8% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 0% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 18.7% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 31.2% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -20.8% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 45.5% (2021 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 9.1%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 4.2% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 3.7% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 9.1% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- 12.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $47.921 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $43.474 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $44.199 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $47.921 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 0.4% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 0.3% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 0.2% (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 17.8% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 45.4% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 33.8% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 3.8% (2021 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 27.8% (2021 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2021
- 32.9 (2021 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 400 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 427,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 426,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 90 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 150 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 18,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Imports
- 1.213 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 1.645 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 377,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 372.245 million kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Production
- 26.805 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 26.872 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 7.7%
- Electrification urban areas
- 66.1%
- Electrification total population
- 19.5% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 1.772 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 97% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 23% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- state-run TV station; 3 private TV stations provide a mix of local and foreign programming; state-run radio has the only radio station with national coverage; about 30 private local radio stations; as many as 100 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available
- Internet country code
- .ne
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 58,000 (2021 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 17.2 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 66 (2023 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 14,000 (2022 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2022 est.) less than 1
Transport
- Airports
- 26 (2025)
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- 5U
Environment
- Climate
- desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Land Use
- Other
- 62.4% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 0.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 36.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 14% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 22.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 17.1% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 11.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 128.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 137.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 713.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 1.866 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 20.3% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; contaminated water; inadequate potable water; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened by poaching and habitat destruction
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 193.247 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 38.654 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 2.351 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 3.132 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 52,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 622,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 2.457 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 59.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 34,050,000,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the military of Niger is responsible for territorial defense, but most of its focus is on internal and border security operations; the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) and the al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) terrorist groups are active in western Niger and in adjacent strongholds in Burkina Faso and Mali, while the Nigeria-based Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa groups threaten southeast Niger; parts of Niger also face spillover from communal, criminal, and vigilante violence in neighboring Nigeria; since the 2023 coup, some former ethnic separatist rebels have taken up arms in support of deposed President BAZOUM
the military has played a role in Niger's domestic politics since its establishment in 1960-61; prior to seizing control of the government in 2023, it attempted coups in 1974, 1996, 1999, 2010, and 2021, and ruled the country for much of the period before 1999 (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.2%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 1.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Nigerien Air Force, Niger Gendarmerie
Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and Decentralization: Niger National Guard, National Police (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- 18 is the legal minimum age for selective compulsory or voluntary military service for unmarried men and women; 24-month service term (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the FAN's inventory is comprised of older, typically Soviet-era weapons and equipment, along with smaller quantities of more modern armaments such as unmanned aerial vehicles/drones, air defense systems, and armored vehicles; suppliers over the past decade include China, France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- estimated 50,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie; estimated 15-20,000 National Guard (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa (ISIS-WA); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in Persons
- Tier rating
- Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Niger remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/niger/
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 891,565 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 421,795 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index29.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4136 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.18as of 2024-Q4114 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (33/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.400as of 2022—2022
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Niger — vintage 2026-Q1: Niger factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/niger
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata