Niger

People

Around half of Niger's population is of the Hausa ethnic group. The Songhai-Djerma group accounts for just over a fifth of the population and the remainder are nomadic animal herders, predominantly Fulani and Tuareg groups. There is a huge disparity between men and women, in education, literacy and health. Nearly 90 per cent of the population is Muslim, with Christianity and traditional beliefs also followed.

History

Between the 10th and 19th centuries, various African empires and states claimed control over parts of Niger because of its location on the trans-Saharan trade route for gold, salt and slaves. In 1922, Niger became a French colony and it gained independence in 1960. A series of coups and new constitutions followed. In 1999, President Mamadou Tandja was elected in the first free multi-party elections. Having brought some political stability to the country, he won a second term in the 2004 elections.

Geography

Niger is West Africa's second largest country. It is a landlocked country and is over 650 kilometres from the sea. As two-thirds of the land area is covered by the Sahara Desert, the majority of the population lives in the greener southwestern part, near the Niger River. Desertification caused by overgrazing and indiscriminate felling of trees for firewood is a major environmental problem.  The hottest months are March to June. Between December and February, the coolest period, temperatures may still reach up to 35°C. The rainy season comes to southern parts of the country from late May to September, even though rainfall is often unreliable.

Economy

As more than 90 per cent of the country's labour force is engaged in subsistence agriculture or livestock rearing, Niger's recurrent droughts severely affect the economy. More than 60 per cent of people live on less than US$1 per day. Niger is heavily dependent on overseas aid and has received significant debt relief. Uranium remains a key export despite a fall in demand and price since the 1980s. Exports of livestock to neighbouring countries are the second largest source of earnings.

Agriculture

There is very little land available for agriculture, with almost all of the country's agricultural production confined to the southwest. Common crops are millet, sorghum, cassava, peanuts and rice, used for domestic consumption, and cowpeas cotton and onions for export. The combined effects of the harsh climate, burgeoning population, regular droughts and locusts, has reduced soil fertility. Farmers' inability to afford fertilisers and farming tools pressures them to increase the size of their plots just to maintain production levels. As a result, farming activities are moving progressively northwards, reducing the pastureland available for nomadic livestock herders, who face similar climatic constraints.

Education

In Niger, primary schooling is theoretically compulsory from age 7 to 13. However, in practice less than 30 per cent of children attend. Although parents may see some value in education, many cannot afford school fees and materials. In rural areas especially, children are often expected to stay at home to help with household or farm chores. As it is common for girls to be married at 12 or 13 years old, parents consider their education unnecessary.

Health

Niger has high infant, child and maternal mortality rates as there is limited access to sanitation facilities and clean water, and few pregnant women receive assistance from a trained midwife. The quality and coverage of government health facilities is limited. Malnutrition is common due to challenging agricultural conditions. Cholera, malaria, respiratory infections, meningococcal disease and guinea worm are prevalent and there is concern about the spread of HIV.

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