FAX: 73 31 67

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

Niger Economy

Economy - overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $35 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $10 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40%

industry: 18%

services: 42% (1998)

Population below poverty line: 63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8%

highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $377 million, including $146 million from foreign sources

expenditures: $377 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1999 est.)

Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 200 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 401 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 215 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Exports: $385 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions (1998 est.)

Exports - partners: France 45%, Nigeria 27%, UK 11% (1999)

Imports: $317 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners: France 22%, Cote d'Ivoire 15%, Nigeria 8%, US 3% (1999)

Debt - external: $1.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $341 million (1997)

note: the IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Niger Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 16,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,000 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger

domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios: 680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 10 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 125,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ne

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: 3,000 (2000)

Niger Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 10,100 km

paved: 798 km

unpaved: 9,302 km (1996)

Waterways: 300 km

note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March

Ports and harbors: none

Airports: 27 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 6

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 15

under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Niger Military

Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican
Guard, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,202,608 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,190,787 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 108,993 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY96)

Niger Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria

@Nigeria

Nigeria Introduction

Background: Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999 and a peaceful transition to civilian government completed. The new president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability.

Nigeria Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between
Benin and Cameroon

Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 923,768 sq km

land: 910,768 sq km

water: 13,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km

border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km

Coastline: 853 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, tin, columbite, iron ore, coal, limestone, lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33%

permanent crops: 3%

permanent pastures: 44%

forests and woodland: 12%

other: 8% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 9,570 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nigeria People

Population: 126,635,626

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.71% (male 27,842,225; female 27,514,197)

15-64 years: 53.47% (male 34,456,738; female 33,259,194)

65 years and over: 2.82% (male 1,780,862; female 1,782,410) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.61% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 39.69 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 13.91 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 73.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.07 years

male: 51.07 years

female: 51.07 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5.06% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.7 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 250,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s)

adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups: Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 57.1%

male: 67.3%

female: 47.3% (1995 est.)

Nigeria Government

Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria

conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type: republic transitioning from military to civilian rule

Capital: Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices have now made the move to Abuja

Administrative divisions: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Abuja
Federal Capital Territory*, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi,
Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti,
Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi,
Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau,
Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960)

Constitution: NA 1999 new constitution adopted

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (only in some northern states), and traditional law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two four-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 62.8%, Olu FALAE (APP-AD) 37.2%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats, three from each state and one from the Federal Capital Territory; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003); House of Representatives - last held 20-24 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 23%, AD 19%; seats by party - PDP 67, APP 23, AD 19; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 58%, APP 30%, AD 12%; seats by party - PDP 221, APP 70, AD 69

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the Provisional
Ruling Council); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by
the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial
Committee)

Political parties and leaders: All People's Party or APP [Alhaji
Yusuf ALI]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [contested between Yusuf
MAMMAN and Alhasi Adamu ABDULKADIR]; People's Democratic Party or
PDP [Barnabas GEMADE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jibril AMINU

chancery: 1333 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: (202) 986-8400