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NIGER REPORT

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Republic of Niger is a landlocked sub-Saharan 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's subtropical climate is mainly hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin . The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling plains in south and hills in the north.

It a landlocked nation which is one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture.

Its economy centers 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.The country covers 1.267 million square kilometers.

 

 

Data
Date of independence 3 August 1960
Capital Niamey
Population 12,525,094
Major languages French (Official) ,Hausa, Djerma, Arabic, Songhai
Major religions Islam 80% remainder indigenous religions and Christianity
Life expectancy

Total population: 43.76 years
Male: 43.8 years
Female: 43.73 years (2006 est.)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 17.6%
Male: 25.8%
Female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Monetary unit 1 CFA franc =100 Centimes
Major exports Uranium ore, livestock and livestock products, cowpeas, onions
GDP Purchasing Power Parity $11.28 billion (2005 est.)
GDP Per Capita $900 (2005 est.)
Goverment type Republic
President

Mamadou Tandja.

Vice President Hama Amadou
Judicial Branch Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, High Court of Justice
T.I Corruption Index Rank 138 worldwide with a score of 2.3 out of 10

 

GOVERNMENT

Niger has a presidential system of government with the President serving as both the chief of state and head of government. The President is elected by popular vote for a maximum of two five-year terms. The Prime Minister appointed and a 26-member Cabinet are appointed by the president. The current president, Mamadou Tandja, took office in December 2004 on a 65.5% vote against the lead opposition candidate, Mahamadou Issoufou, who polled 34.5%. The current Prime Minister is Hama Amadou, in office since December 1999.

 

PARLIAMENT

Niger has a unicameral National Assembly with 113 seats elected by popular vote for a five-year term.

Parliamentary elections are held together with the presidential elections. Elections were last held 4 December 2004 and the next to be held December 2009.

 

 

POLITICAL PARTIES

The ruling party is the National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara (MNSD) with 47 seats in parliament. Main opposition parties are the Democratic and Social Convention (CDS) with 22 seats; Niger Social Democratic Party (PSDN) with 25 seats; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress (ANDP) with 5 seats; Nigerien Party for Autonomy (PNA); Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS); Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN-RDA); Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and the Social and Democratic Rally (RSD).

JUDICIARY

The Niger judicial system includes Constitutional Court , Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and the High Court.

 

 

 

 

 

Source of all data: CIA World Fact Book and Wikipedia