Niger Profile
Location
Niger is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east.
Niger covers a land area of almost 1,270,000 km2; making it the largest nation in West Africa, with over 80 percent of its land area covered by the Sahara desert.
Population
The country’s predominantly Islamic population of 16,899,327 is mostly clustered in the far south and west of the nation
Economy
The economy of Niger centres on subsistence crops, livestock and some of the world’s largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, a 2.9% population growth rate and the drop in world demand for uranium 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.
Languages
The official languages of Niger is French
Religious beliefs
Islam is the dominant religion in Niger and is practiced by 94% the population. The vast majority of Muslims are Sunni of Maliki. Other religions practiced in Niger include Animism and Christianity.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Niger is an overall arid country with 75% of its territory covered by desert ecosystems, including the terrifying Ténéré desert, particularly famous for its aridity, this ecosystem are home to Niger’s largest protected area, refuge for many threatened species.
Climate
Niger’s climate is largely hot and dry with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River Basin.
General information about Niger has been summarized to include the following
Background and Geography of Niger
Membership of regional and international organisations
Population and Health of Niger
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