Niger

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region – West Africa
• Currency symbol of Niger – CFA
• Capital City – Niamey
• Official languages – French language is recognized as the official language of Niger and is used as the primary medium of official communication. The language is based on the French language used in France which was brought to the country by French colonialists while Niger was a French colony
• Population –24,206,644 (2020)
• Country dialling code  – (+ 227) 
• Official website – Niger
• Top 3 biggest industries  – uranium mining, petroleum, cement
• Google Maps link – Niger
• Where is it? – Niger, officially Republic of Niger, French République du Niger, landlocked western African country. It is bounded on the northwest by Algeria, on the northeast by Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria and Benin, and on the west by Burkina Fasoand Mali.

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Niger In Pictures

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Niger History

• How did the country get its first name? – The country takes its name from the Niger River, which flows through the southwestern part of its territory. The name Niger derives in turn from the phrase gher n-gheren, meaning “river among rivers,” in the Tamashek language.
• When and by whom the country was first discovered?– It is known the area was a used for trans-Saharan trade in 5 BC, by Tuareg tribes. Mungo Park was the first European to visit the area in 1805. 
• Who were the first Inhabitants? – Niger has many of the oldest known evidence of human existence. Excavations have identified cultures such as the Aterian and Mousterian, believed to date 90,000 – 20,000 BC. 
• When it was first recognized as a country? – Niger became independent from France 17 May, 1960. 
• Who was the first leader of the country? – The first president was Hamani Diori, ruling from 17 May 1960 – 15 April 1974. 

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Five Significant Events

1. 1890 – French occupy Niger. (https://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Niger.shtml) 
2. 1990 – Ban on parties lifted. Seybou legalizes opposition parties following a wave of strikes and demonstrations. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13944995) 
3. 1996 January – More coups. Ousmane ousted in a coup led by Col Ibrahim Mainassara, who bans all political parties. (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2010/2/19/timeline-instability-in-niger) 
4. 2003 January – Uranium claim. US President George W Bush claims Iraq tried to acquire uranium from Niger for its nuclear programme. The claim also made in UK’s September 2002 dossier on Iraq. (https://carnegieendowment.org/2004/08/28/niger-uranium-still-false-claim-pub-1595)
5. 2007 August – Tuareg rebellion. Government declares alert in the north, giving the army greater powers to fight Tuareg rebels who have staged deadly attacks over the past six months. (https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/tuareg-niger.htm) 

Five Places to Visit in Niger

1. Zinder – A maze of tight-knit lanes and hidden streets weaves and winds to form the hard-to-navigate heart of Zinder. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Zinder) 
   
2. Niamey – Niamey is the capital and largest city of the West African country of Niger. Niamey lies on the Niger River, primarily situated on the east bank. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Niamey)
   
3. Agadez – Climbing the pyramidal minaret of the mud-brick Grand Mosque at sunset provides spectacular views of Agadez, the old Tuareg capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Still a caravan trading city, it has a thriving camel market, but also a lively handicraft trade. (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1268/) 
4. W National Park – The W National Park or W Regional Park is a major national park in West Africa around a meander in the River Niger shaped like the letter W.
   (http://world-heritage-datasheets.unep-wcmc.org/datasheet/output/site/w-national-park-of-niger/) 
5. Maradi – The region of Maradi enjoys very fertile land, and the region is known for its peanuts, groundnuts, and livestock, and for the Nigerien staples of millet and sorghum. … However, intrepid travelers (or even those who simply are stuck in town for a night) will find Maradi a lively and entirely pleasant place to visit. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Maradi) 

References: 

• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-niger.html
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Niger#:~:text=Niger%2C%20officially%20Republic%20of%20Niger,The%20capital%20is%20Niamey.
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13944995
• https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-niger/