August 3rd, 1960. Niger gained full independence. It was easy because Europe was at war, and was too busy to deal with a country like Niger. Since Niger isn’t exactly the most important country under European grasp, it was easy to slip out. The Nigerians were very cheerful and help huge celebrations. Immediately afterward, Nigerians created a Republic similar to the United States of America’s Government. They have a President and some similar Government fields. It’s kind of the United States of America’s Government renamed. In 1974, the military overruled this “Republic”. They destroyed how it ran, and later they created the “Second Republic”. This followed the “unexposed” elections for the President as well as the restored Legislator. In 1991, people demanded a reform. This also led to a national conference that ended up with the decision to strip the President, Ali Saibou, of all his government and political powers forever. A new multi-party constitution was created over the period of the early months of 1992.
Geography
Niger covers exactly 489,000 square miles on the earth. This is One Million, two hundred and sixty six thousand kilometers. The metric system is Niger’s Official system for measuring an object’ weight, a liquid’s space, and an object’s mass. The earth covers 197,000,000 square miles, so Niger takes up .002% of the earths mass. It’s normally very dry in the southern half, less up to 4 inches a year. There is a lot more in the Northern half, which explains why there are so many more farms up North. Since there is more rain, it’s easier to raise crops. The biggest and most important river in all of Niger is the Niger River™, which is located in Southwest Niger. It is Two thousand, and Six Hundred miles long. The odd thing is that only One hundred and Eighty Two miles go through Niger, yet the rest of it goes through Mali and other Bordering Countries. The Niger River is a big source of water and is also why the south-west is such a popular fishing center. There are Seven Thousand miles of road in Niger, 2,333 of which are paved (black road, like what we have). This proves that there isn’t a lot of travel in Niger. Most things are closer to home and there isn’t a lot of car traveling. That or they can’t afford paved roads and some areas cars are driven on dirt tracks.
Culture info
Nigerian's main fashion in clothing is to wear sheet like things. They wear turban-like things on thier heads but it almose kind of comes down and goes very low. They need these to protect thier heads from the sun. The educational system is basically the same as in France. Since France had colonized Niger in the first place, Niger learned and adopted the Frenches school system and style. They are struggling to bring up the adult literacy rating (amount of adults that could read and write). It was at a staggering 28.4% at 1990. In 1990 there were 2,807 primary schools, with 8,759 teachers in total. Nigerians like to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fish. Fishing is a popular thing to do, especially on the Niger River. They celebrate New Year's Day, Christmas (the christian people), Labor Day, Anniversary of the 1974 Military Group, Independance Day, and the Proclomation of Republication. They rely mainly on road and air transportation. There is much walking in smaller areas but its more high tech now.
Population
According to the 1988 census, exactly seven million, two hundred and fifty thousand, and three hundred and eighty three poeple live in Niger. By 1994, it rose to being and estimated nine million, thirty one thousand, and one hundred and sixty three people living in Niger. My sources don't go up to it, but they say the 2000 census will have at least Ten Million, Six Hundred and Forty thousand. There is a birthrate of 48 per thousand and a death rate of 16.8 per thousand, in a ratio. Naimey alone has over 500,000 people in it. There are too many people for such a small country, especially since most of it is uninhabitable. About 90% of these people, are into agriculture, and make a living by farming. This data was taken in a 1990 survey.
Government
In Niger, Political Parties didn't come until shortly after World War II. In 1946, the African Democratic Rally (a.k.a ADR) gained foothold in it. There are seven departments of government, devided into Thirty-eight arrondissements. The Legal system is nothing more than the Frenches system in "Civil Law", with modified customary-law. The High Court of Justice (which was appointed by the NA from it's own membership) created this in part. The Government is a in a very well organized fashion. It is also slightly modeled after America's Government too. The presidents were: 1960-1974: Hamani Diori 1974-1987: Seyni Kountche 1987-Present Day: Col. Ali Saibou
Problems
As in most African countries, AIDs is a huge problem. Many men and women are suffering from AIDs all across Africa, and in Niger. Aids is a problem because there aren't enough needles for everyone, so the same are used over and over. This spreads HIV like Wildfire and too many people have AIDs. Poverty is not an extreme problem, unlike in some African Nations and Countries, but there is some starvation due to over population. Another problem is that they aren't getting as much money as before because they are no longer as good at making peanuts and uranium as some other African counties who make it more efficiently. The country also has to rely heavily on foriegn countries for any technological/scientific things. They cannot afford to make computers and mass production of such expensive things. Money is a large problem in he country, even with taxes and the government. If not for natural resources, the entire country would be poor.
Key Exports
Most of Niger's money comes from Exports. They basically rely on Natural Rescources Industries: uranium mining and selling, cement creation, brick creation, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses where they make meat from the many animals raised on farms across the land. Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum. Exports: $385 million made a year off of (as said in percent): uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions (1998 estimate). Imports: $317 million made a year off of: consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals. Major trading partners in the world or Africa are France, it's colonizer, Nigeria, a bordering country closely related. The United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America. Also little is done to other African countries like Mali or Algeria, more bordering countries. Canada gets little and Asia gets some as well.
