د "نایجر" د بڼو تر مېنځ توپير

{{Infobox_Country

|conventional_long_name = Republic of Niger

|national_motto = Fraternité, Travail, Progrès <br><small>(French for: Fraternity, Work, Progress)</small>

|latd=13 |latm=32 |latNS=N |longd=2 |longm=05 |longEW=E

|leader_title1 = [[List of Presidents of Niger|President]]

|leader_title2 = [[List of Prime Ministers of Niger|Prime Minister]]

|leader_name1 = [[Tandja Mamadou]]

|leader_name2 = [[Hama Amadou]]

|areami²=489,189 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->

|population_estimate_rank = 64th

|population_densitymi² =28 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] -->

|population_density_rank = 206th

|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 171st

|sovereignty_type = [[History of Niger|Independence]]

|established_event1 = Declared

|established_date1 = [[August 3]], [[1960]]

|HDI_year = 2003

|HDI_category = <font color="#E0584E">low</font>

|utc_offset = +1

|time_zone_DST =

|utc_offset_DST = +2

|cctld = [[.ne]]

}}

{{otheruses}}

'''Niger''', officially the '''Republic of Niger''', is a [[landlocked]] [[Sub-Saharan Africa|sub-Saharan]] country in [[Western Africa]], named after the [[Niger River]]. It borders [[نايجېريا]] and [[Benin]] to the south, [[بورکينا فاسو]] and [[مالي]] to the west, [[الجېريا]] and [[ليبيا]] to the north and [[چاډ]] to the East. The capital city is [[Niamey]]. Its proper English pronunciation (in [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]) is {{IPA|/niːˈʒɛə(ɹ)/}}, although {{IPA|/ˈnaɪdʒə(ɹ)/}} is also acceptable. Its adjective form is [[:wikt:Nigerien|''Nigeri'''e'''n'']] {{IPA|/niːˈʒɛɹiən/}}, which should not be confused with [[:wikt:Nigerian|''Nigeri'''a'''n'']] {{IPA|/naɪˈdʒiɹiən/}} for [[Nigeria]] and derives from the French nigérien, -ne. There are different opinions about the adjective form however. [[Merriam-Webster]] lists Nigerois as the adjective form which has - despite its sound - no equivalent form in French. [[CNN]] and other news sources often circumvent using the adjective altogether, using the noun instead, e.g. 'the Niger parliament', 'Niger leader slain' or 'Niger's capital', 'Niger's people'.

{{main|History of Niger}}

Considerable evidence indicates that about 600,000 years ago, humans inhabited what has since become the desolate [[Sahara]] of northern Niger. Niger was an important economic crossroads, and the empires of [[Songhai]], [[Mali]], [[Gao]], [[Kanem-Bornu Empire|Kanem, and Bornu]], as well as a number of Hausa states, claimed control over portions of the area.

The [[2005 Niger food crisis]] struck the country in the wake of drought and [[locust]] attacks in the previous year.

 

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{{morepolitics|country=Niger}}

The current legislature elected in December 2004 contains seven political parties. President Mamadou Tandja was re-elected in December 2004 and reappointed Hama Amadou as Prime Minister. Mahamane Ousmane, the head of the CDS, was re-elected President of the National Assembly (parliament) by his peers. The new second term government of the Fifth Republic took office on [[30 December]] [[2002]]. In August 2002, serious unrest within the military occurred in Niamey, Diffa, and Nguigmi, but the government was able to restore order within several days.

 

''Main articles: [[Departments of Niger]], [[Arrondissements of Niger]]''

 

Arrondissements: see [[Arrondissements of Niger]]

 

[[Image:niger_sm03.png|thumb|Map of Niger.]]

{{MapLibrary|Niger_sat.png|Niger}}

See also : [[List of cities in Niger]]

 

''Main article: [[Economy of Niger]]''

[[Image:Niamey night.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Niamey, Niger's capital and economic hub]]

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. The Treasury of the Government of France supplements the BCEAO's international reserves in order to maintain a fixed rate of 656 CFA to the euro.

 

In January 2000, Niger's newly elected government inherited serious financial and economic problems, including a virtually empty treasury, past-due salaries (11 months of arrears) and scholarship payments, increased debt, reduced revenue performance, and lower public investment. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF) program for [[Highly Indebted Poor Countries]] (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a [[Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility]] (PRGF). In January 2001, Niger reached its decision point and subsequently reached its completion point in 2004. Total relief from all of Niger's creditors is worth about $890 million, corresponding to about $520 million in net present value (NPV) terms, which is equivalent to 53.5% of Niger’s total debt outstanding as of 2000. The debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations, freeing about $40 million per year over the coming years for expenditures on basic [[health care]], primary education, [[HIV/AIDS]] prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. The overall impact on Niger's budget is substantial. Debt service as a percentage of government revenue will be slashed from nearly 44% in 1999 to 10.9% in 2003 and average 4.3% during 2010-19. The debt relief cuts debt service as a percentage of export revenue from more than 23% to 8.4% in 2003, and decreases it to about 5% in later years.

 

In addition to strengthening the budgetary process and public finances, the Government of Niger has embarked on an ambitious program to privatize 12 state-owned companies. To date, seven have been fully privatized, including the water and telephone utilities, with the remainder to be privatized in 2005. A newly installed multisectoral regulatory agency will help ensure free and fair competition among the newly privatized companies and their private sector competitors. In its effort to consolidate macroeconomic stability under the PRGF, the government is also taking actions to reduce corruption, and as the result of a participatory process encompassing civil society, has devised a Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan that focuses on improving health, primary education, rural infrastructure, agricultural production, environmental protection, and judicial reform.

 

The most important donors in Niger are [[France]], the [[European Union]], the [[World Bank]], the [[IMF]], and [[UN]] agencies--[[UNDP]], [[UNICEF]], [[FAO]], [[WFP]], and [[UNFPA]]. Other donors include the [[United States]], [[Belgium]], [[Germany]], [[Switzerland]], [[Japan]], [[China]], [[Italy]], [[Libya]], [[Egypt]], [[Morocco]], [[Iran]], [[Denmark]], [[Canada]], and [[Saudi Arabia]]. While the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) does not have an office in Niger, the United States is a major donor, contributing on average $8 million each year to Niger’s development increasing to $12 million in FY 2004. The United States also is a major partner in policy coordination in food security, education, water management and HIV/AIDS sectors. The importance of external support for Niger's development is demonstrated by the fact that about 45% of the government's FY 2002 budget, including 80% of its capital budget, derived from donor resources.

 

Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with the West and the [[Islam|Islamic]] world as well as nonaligned countries. It belongs to the [[United Nations]] and its main specialized agencies and in 1980-81 served on the [[UN Security Council]]. Niger maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations with its [[West Africa]]n neighbors. It is a charter member of the [[African Union]] and the [[West African Monetary Union]] and also belongs to the [[Niger River and Lake Chad Basin Commissions]], the [[Economic Community of West African States]], the [[Nonaligned Movement]], and the [[Organization of the Islamic Conference]]. The westernmost regions of Niger are joined with contiguous regions [[Mali]] and [[Burkina Faso]] under the [[Liptako-Gourma Authority]].

 

The Niger Armed Forces total 10,000 personnel with approximately 3,700 gendarmes, 300 air force, and 6,000 army personnel. The air force has four operational transport aircraft. The armed forces include general staff and battalion task force organizations consisting of two paratroop units, four light armored units, and nine motorized infantry units located in Tahoua, Agadez, Dirkou, Zinder, Nguigmi, N'Gourti, and Madewela. Since January 2003, Niger has deployed a company of troops to Cote d’Ivoire as part of the ECOWAS stabilization force. In 1991, Niger sent a 400-man military contingent to join the American-led allied forces against Iraq during the Gulf War.

 

Niger's high infant mortality rate is comparable to levels recorded in neighboring countries. However, the child mortality rate (deaths among children between the ages of 1 and 4) is exceptionally high (248 per 1,000) due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children. According to the organization [[Save the Children]], Niger has the world's highest infant mortality rate [http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/05/08/mothers.index/index.html]. Nonetheless, Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world (7.2 births per woman), means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15. Between 1996 and 2003, primary school attendance was around 30% [http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/niger_statistics.html], including 36% of males and only 25% of females. Additional education occurs through [[madrassa]]s.

 

''Main article: [[Culture of Niger]]''

 

{{sectstub}}

 

Niger started to develop diverse media in the late 1990s. Niamey boasts scores of newspapers and magazines, many of which are fiercely critical of the government.

 

The sector is governed by the Conseil Superieur de Communications, established as an independent body in the late 1990s, headed by Maryam Keita, a former TV presenter at ORTN.

 

* [[List of Nigeriens]]

* [[Communications in Niger]]

* [[Association des Scouts du Niger]]

 

*Samuel Decalo, ''Historical Dictionary of Niger'', 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997, ISBN 0-8108-3136-8) - a comprehensive collection of Niger topics

*[[CIA World Factbook]]

*[http://www.nsu.newschool.edu/internationalaffairs/papers/thiam.pdf Unesco manuscript on child work and schooling in Niger]

 

{{sisterlinks|Niger}}

'''Government'''