[19] Formerly a small trading post inhabited by a mixture of Hausa and Tuaregs, the sultanate grew rich due to its strategic position on the Trans-Saharan trade routes. A parliamentary election was held at the same time.[92][93][94]. Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. Niger’s Dosso Partial Faunal Reserve is a mixed-use reserve along the border of the famous Regional Parc W. It protects a host of wildlife, including the last West African giraffe population. Niger is divided into 7 Regions and one capital district. [102], A 2005 study stated that over 800,000 people (nearly 8% of the population) in Niger are enslaved. [45][53] During the later 18th century many Fulani were unhappy with the syncretic form of Islam practised there; exploiting also the populace's disdain with corruption amongst the Hausa elite, the Fulani scholar Usman Dan Fodio (from Gobir) declared a jihad in 1804. West Africa / West Africa Niger. [38] Meanwhile, trouble re-emerged in Agadez Region when a group of armed Tuaregs attacked the town of Tchintabaraden (generally seen as the start of the first Tuareg Rebellion), prompting a severe military crackdown which led to many deaths (the precise numbers are disputed, with estimates ranging from 70 to up to 1,000). [19] Some of these finds have been linked with the Aterian and Mousterian tool cultures of the Middle Paleolithic period, which flourished in northern Africa circa 90,000 BC-20,000 BC. The chief administrator (governor) in each department is appointed by the government and functions primarily as the local agent of the central authorities. Niger. Other urban Christian expatriate communities from Europe and West Africa are also present. [122] Alcohol, such as the locally produced Bière Niger, is sold openly in most of the country. Rural communes may contain official villages and settlements, while Urban Communes are divided into quarters. Lt. Paul Joalland, Klobb's former officer, and Lt. Outside big cities and in rural areas, this responsibility falls on the National Gendarmerie and the National Guard. Islam is the most dominant religion, practiced by 99.3% of the population according to the 2012 census.[112]. The ICJ Judgment in the Benin-Niger Border Dispute: the interplay of titles and ‘effectivités’ under the uti possidetis juris principle, "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLES ET LEGISLATIVES DES 16 NOVEMBRE ET 4 DECEMBRE 2004", Niger president rules by decree after court snub, "Military coup ousts Niger president Mamadou Tandja", "Boycott helps Niger President Issoufou win re-election", "France ready to strike extremists on Libya border", "Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou set to exit power", "Niger election: Mohamed Bazoum wins landmark vote amid protests", "Niger: Attack on presidential palace an 'attempted coup, "Africa :: Niger — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency", "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm", "Africa – Niger leader dissolves parliament", "West Africa: Ecowas, EU Say Niger Elections Satisfactory", "Niger’s Presidential Election Heads to March Runoff", "Niger Politicians Forge Alliances Before March Election", Niger government adopts $2.53 bln budget for 2013, Niger : le budget 2014 porté à 1.867 milliards, "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa", Niger: Population explosion threatens development gains, "Niger: Regions, Cities & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information", "Recensement général de la population et de l'habitat 2012", "The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity", International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Niger, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, "The Development of the Izala Movement in Nigeria: Its Split, Relationship to Sufis and Perception of Sharia Implementation", International Religious Freedom Report 2001: Niger, "Islam is thriving in impoverished Niger", Dossier 17: The Muslim Religious Right ('Fundamentalists') and Sexuality, "U.S. has second worst newborn death rate in modern world, report says", SEMINAIRE-ATELIER DE FORMATION ET DE SENSIBILISATION "Mission de service public dans les entreprises de presse d’Etat et privée", Media in Niger: the African Development Information Database, Niger : Conseil de presse. These offices will be replaced in the future by democratically elected councils at each level. There are also some tiny Boudouma and Songhay animist communities in the southwest.[113]. Niger is mostly a vast plateau, with an average elevation of 500 m, with low local relief. Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism, Economic Community of West African States, Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa, National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale), Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, République du Niger, "Loi n° 2001-037 du 31 décembre 2001 fixant les modalités de promotion et de développement des langues nationales." [38] It was also aided by the Arab invasion of North Africa at the end of the 7th century, which resulted in population movements to the south. [45] Many of these surviving states harassed the Caliphate and a long period of small-scale wars and skirmishes commenced, with some states (such as Katsina and Gobir) maintaining independence, whereas elsewhere new ones were formed (such as the Sultanate of Tessaoua). The Republic of Niger has a reputation for being the largest nation in West Africa, however, 80% of this land mass is covered by the Sahara desert. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund for Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. Nigerien culture is marked by variation, evidence of the cultural crossroads which French colonialism formed into a unified state from the beginning of the 20th century. [19] Tuareg resistance continued however, culminating in the Kaocen revolt of 1916–17, led by Ag Mohammed Wau Teguidda Kaocen, with backing from the Senussi in Fezzan; the revolt was violently suppressed and Kaocen fled to Fezzan, where he was later killed. The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 metres (656 ft). According to the constitution, a new parliament was elected within three months. [23] Agriculture became widespread, notably the planting of millet and sorghum, as well as pottery production. Expanding from a population of 3.4 million in 1960, Niger's population has rapidly increased with a current growth rate of 3.3% (7.1 children per mother). It was during this period that the Nigerien Progressive Party (Parti Progressiste Nigérien, or PPN, originally a branch of the African Democratic Rally, or Rassemblement Démocratique Africain – RDA) was formed under the leadership of former teacher Hamani Diori, as well as the left-wing Mouvement Socialiste Africain-Sawaba (MSA) led by Djibo Bakary. [74] The elections were generally found to be free and fair by international observers. One of the largest reserves of the world, the Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve, was founded in the northern parts of the Niger to protect these rare species. Niger is a secular country and separation of state and religion is guaranteed by Articles 3 and 175 of the 2010 Constitution, which dictate that future amendments or revisions may not modify the secular nature of the republic of Niger. The reserve lacked proper management to ensure a healthy ecosystem. As of 2013[update], Niamey is home to a U.S. drone base. Niger's new constitution was approved on 31 October 2010. [38], The Fulani (also called Peul, Fulbe etc. While successive post-independence governments have tried to forge a shared national culture, this has been slow forming, in part because the major Nigerien communities have their own cultural histories, and in part because Nigerien ethnic groups such as the Hausa, Tuareg and Kanuri are but part of larger ethnic communities which cross borders introduced under colonialism. As per the constitution, a run-off election was held on 20 February 2021, with Bazoum taking 55.75% of the vote and opposition candidate (and former President) Mahamane Ousmane taking 44.25%, according to the electoral commission. The country's name comes from the Niger River which flows through the west of the country; the origin of the river's name is uncertain, though a popular theory is that it comes from the Tuareg n'eghirren, meaning 'flowing water'. A few samples of pyramid deterioration below. Nohlen, D, Krennerich, M & Thibaut, B (1999), Walter S. Clarke, "The National Conference Phenomenon and the Management of Political Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa," in, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (. Tomb of unknown Egyptian queen discovered. Wanké then withdrew from governmental affairs.[38]. [91] This began a political struggle between Tandja, trying to extend his term-limited authority beyond 2009 through the establishment of a Sixth Republic, and his opponents who demanded that he step down at the end of his second term in December 2009. [19][38] The borders of Niger were drawn up in various stages and had been fixed at their current position by the late 1930s. It runs in a crescent through Mali, Niger, on the border with Benin and then through Nigeria, discharging through a massive delta, known as the Niger Delta, into the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a charter member of the African Union and the West African Monetary Union and also belongs to the Niger Basin Authority and Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Economic Community of West African States, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). This was adopted on 9 August 1999 and was followed by presidential and legislative elections in October and November of the same year. [121] Divorce and polygyny are unremarkable, women are not secluded, and head coverings are not mandatory—they are often a rarity in urban areas. The highest point is Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès in the Aïr Mountains at 2,022 m (6,634 ft). Landlocked Niger — a country twice the size of Ukraine — is ranked last in the UN’s Human Development Index of 189 countries. Other wildlife includes elephants, buffaloes, roan antelopes, kob antelopes and warthogs. Niger has ten recognized national languages, namely Arabic, Buduma, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma, Hausa, Kanuri, Zarma & Songhay, Tamasheq, Tassawaq, Tebu. [19][45] The Hausa kingdoms were not a compact entity but several federations of kingdoms more or less independent of one other. [48][49] The kingdom reached its greatest extent in the 1200s, largely thanks to the effort of Mai Dunama Dibbalemi (r. 1210–1259), and grew rich from its control of many Trans-Saharan trade routes; much of eastern and south-eastern Niger, notably Bilma and Kaouar, was under Kanem's control in this period. Niger remained a one-party state throughout this period, with Diori surviving a planned coup in 1963 and an assassination attempt in 1965; much of this activity was masterminded by Djibo Bakary's MSA-Sawaba group, which had launched an abortive rebellion in 1964. The literacy rate of Niger is among the lowest in the world; in 2005 it was estimated to be only 28.7% (42.9% male and 15.1% female). For the neighboring country, see, Empires and kingdoms in pre-colonial Niger, The Hausa states and other smaller kingdoms (1400s–1800s), First military regime: The Supreme Military Council and Second Republic (1974–1991), National Conference and Third Republic (1991–1996), Second military regime, Fourth Republic and third military regime (1996–1999), Sixth Republic and fourth military regime (2009–2010). [75][76] In August 2002, serious unrest within military camps occurred in Niamey, Diffa, and Nguigmi, but the government was able to restore order within several days. Mamoudou Djibo. Environmental issues in Niger include destructive farming practices as a result of population pressure. [18] The most common pronunciation is the French one of /niːˈʒɛər/, though in Anglophone media /ˈnaɪdʒər/ is also occasionally used. Following the adoption of a new constitution in 2010 and presidential elections a year later, Mahamadou Issoufou was elected as the first president of the Seventh Republic; he was then re-elected in 2016. This is followed by Chad to the east, at 1,175 km (730 mi), Algeria to the north-northwest (956 km or 594 mi), and Mali at 821 km (510 mi). Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. [113], A small center of followers of Salafi movement within Sunni Islam have appeared in the last thirty years, in the capital and in Maradi. Three of them—the Anfani Group, Sarounia and Tenere—are urban-based commercial-format FM networks in the major towns. The Voulet-Chanoine Mission was marred by numerous atrocities, and became notorious for pillaging, looting, raping and killing many local civilians on its passage throughout southern Niger. [84], On 27 December 2020, Nigeriens went to the polls after Issoufou announced he would step down, paving the way to Niger's first ever peaceful transition of power. [38] Following fraudulent local elections in 1999 the opposition ceased any cooperation with the Maïnassara regime. Bilateral Economic Relations. Travel & Tourism. Boubou Hama and M Guilhem, "L’histoire du Niger, de l’Afrique et du Monde"; Edicef, H. J. Fisher. in The Cambridge History of Africa: From C 1600 to C 179. [38] In 1985 a small Tuareg revolt in Tchintabaraden was suppressed. [125], Niger also has the highest fertility rate in the world (6.49 births per woman according to 2017 estimates[126]); this means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15. [72][73], Maj. Daouda Malam Wanké then took over, establishing a transitional National Reconciliation Council to oversee the drafting of a constitution with a French-style semi-presidential system. [112] Christianity was established earlier in the country by missionaries during the French colonial years. Niger’s natural landscape is what travelers generally seek out, and we too think it’s simply breathtaking. [85] However, no candidate won an absolute majority in the vote: Mohamed Bazoum came closest with 39.33%. [38] Several parastatal companies were created, major infrastructure (building and new roads, schools, health centres) constructed, and there was minimal corruption in government agencies, which Kountché did not hesitate to punish severely. These subdivisions were administered by officials appointed by the national government. [98] The military court provides the same rights as civil criminal courts; however, customary courts do not. [38] However the economic boom ended following the collapse in uranium prices, and IMF-led austerity and privatisation measures provoked opposition by many Nigeriens. Niger River The Niger River is the principal river of West Africa, extending about 4,180 km.Its drainage basin is 2,117,700 km2 in area. Following the Overseas Reform Act (Loi Cadre) of 23 July 1956 and the establishment of the Fifth French Republic on 4 December 1958, Niger became an autonomous state within the French Community. Aside from Nigerien radio stations, the BBC's Hausa service is listened to on FM repeaters across wide parts of the country, particularly in the south, close to the border with Nigeria. In. [102] The Zarma and Songhay dominate the Dosso, Tillabéri, and Niamey régions, the Hausa dominate the Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua regions, Kanuri Manga dominate the Diffa region, and Touaregs dominate the Agadez region in Northern Niger.[109]. [38] A Second Republic was declared and a new constitution was drawn up, which was adopted following a referendum in 1989. [133], Despite relative freedom at the national level, Nigerien journalists say they are often pressured by local authorities. [134] The state ORTN network depends financially on the government, partly through a surcharge on electricity bills, and partly through direct subsidy. A notable culture of this late period is the Bura culture (circa 200–1300 AD), named for the Bura archaeological site. Les journalistes refusent la mise sous tutelle, Niger: Emergency legislation infringes non-derogable human rights, Unesco manuscript on child work and schooling in Niger, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD), African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Niger&oldid=1015966921, French-speaking countries and territories, Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, States and territories established in 1960, Articles with French-language sources (fr), CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia pages semi-protected against vandalism, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2013, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2006, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018, Pages using Sister project links with default search, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with TDVİA identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 17:01. [38] The brutal methods of Voulet and Chanoine caused a scandal and Paris was forced to intervene; however when Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-François Klobb caught up with the mission near Tessaoua to relieve them of command he was killed. Niger, Africa, West Africa. [62] On 11 July 1960, Niger decided to leave the French Community and acquired full independence on 3 August 1960; Diori thus became the first president of the country. [38], In 2009, President Tandja Mamadou decided to organize a constitutional referendum seeking to extend his presidency, which was opposed by other political parties, as well as being against the decision of the Constitutional Court which had ruled that the referendum would be unconstitutional. [20][19] It is thought that these early humans lived a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Les enjeux politiques dans la colonie du Niger (1944-1960). Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea. [120] Interfaith relations are deemed very good, and the forms of Islam traditionally practiced in most of the country are marked by tolerance of other faiths and lack of restrictions on personal freedom. As a result of an autochthonous process called farmer- managed…, The Tamou Total Faunal Reserve was created in 1962 to serve as a buffer zone for the W National Park of Niger and for the large transboundary W Regional Park that it is a part of. Niger borders seven countries and has a total perimeter of 5,697 kilometres (3,540 mi). The country’s population is concentrated around the Niger River, where the … Niger is West Africa's largest country. The … Population: 17.83 million (2013) World Bank. NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s security forces thwarted an attempted military coup at the West African country’s presidential palace overnight just two days before the newly elected president is to be sworn into office in a peaceful transfer of power, the government said Wednesday. The attack took place just two days before newly-elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was due to be sworn into office. Previously, Niger was divided into 7 Departments, 36 Arrondissements, and Communes. While USAID does not have an office in Niger, the United States is a major donor, contributing nearly $10 million each year to Niger's development. Official language: French. Niger has a population of 16,068,994 as at 2011 and this number is very much concentrated in the south and western parts of the country. It is an annual traditional courtship ritual practiced by the Wodaabe (Fula) people of Niger. [38] The political environment worsened in the following year as President Tandja Mamadou sought out to extend his presidency by modifying the constitution which limited presidential terms in Niger. Seven countries border Niger. In the extreme south there is a tropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin. Their history does not fit easily within the modern boundaries of Niger, which were created during the period of European colonialism; the following adopts a roughly chronological account of the main empires. Niger maintains a special relationship with former colonial power France and has close relations with its West African neighbors. The north of Niger is covered by large deserts and semi deserts. French humanitarian workers, their Nigerien driver and a guide were killed, according to the authorities. [23] Several empires and kingdoms flourished in the Sahel during this era. [104] The population is predominantly young, with 49.2% under 15 years old and 2.7% over 65 years, and predominantly rural with only 21% living in urban areas. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}16°N 8°E / 16°N 8°E / 16; 8. where a burial replete with many iron and ceramic statuettes were discovered. Proponents of the extended presidency, rallied behind the 'Tazartche' (Hausa for 'overstay') movement, were countered by opponents ('anti-Tazartche') composed of opposition party militants and civil society activists. As detailed in the Epic of Sundiata, Mali emerged as a breakaway region of the Sosso Empire, which itself had split from the earlier Ghana Empire. [38] The first action of the military government was to address the food crisis. [44] The Hausa Kingdoms began as seven states founded, according to the Bayajidda legend, by the six sons of Bawo. As of 2018[update], the population of Niger was 22,442,831[14][15]. [39][42] The empire began declining in the 15th century due to a combination of internecine strife over the royal succession, weak kings, the shift of European trade routes to the coast, and rebellions in the empire's periphery by Mossi, Wolof, Tuareg and Songhai peoples. Mamadou then modified and adopted a new constitution by referendum, which was declared illegal by the Constitutional Court, prompting Mamadou to dissolve the Court and assume emergency powers. The central part of Niger is dominated by an extensive pastoral zone — mostly steppes or short grass savannas with shrubs and sparsely scattered trees. The Presidential Guard arrested several people during the incident.[87]. Octave Meynier eventually took over the mission following a mutiny in which Voulet and Chanoine were killed. Tuareg expansion from the north, culminating in their seizure of the far eastern oases from the Kanem-Bornu Empire in the 17th centuries, spread distinctively Berber practices.