Republic of Niger: geographical location, standard of living, sights of the country. Who are the nigers? The values ​​of the term and options for interpretations who is the niger

In the center of the Tenere desert, mobile dunes, almost devoid of vegetation, prevail, and in the southern part, dunes up to 15–20 km long, fixed by plants, are dominated by plants. The northernmost part of Niger, on the border with Algeria and Libya, is occupied by high rocky desert plateaus; in the south there is a plateau composed of loams and sandstones. A special natural region forms the most favorable for life valley of the Niger River in the south-west of the country.

Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world. Three-quarters of its territory is occupied by tropical deserts, where annual precipitation is less than 100 mm and average monthly temperatures exceed 30 °C. To the south of the desert lies the Sahel zone with rainfall up to 600 mm, although droughts are common here. Only in the extreme south-west of the country there is slightly more precipitation - 750 mm per year (falls mainly in July and August). The most characteristic feature of the climate is the sharp diurnal temperature fluctuations: in the morning it can be as low as 13 °C, and after a few hours the air warms up to 30 °C. Vegetation is sparse and, moreover, strongly transformed by man: in the Sahel zone, patches of grassy savannahs with separate groups of trees (Senegalese acacia, gao) have been preserved in places. Of the large animals, there are a few giraffes, lions, antelopes, two large herds of elephants. In the southern regions wild boars and warthogs are quite common.

The ethnic composition of the population (about 20.6 million people) is complex: more than half are Hausa - farmers living along the border with Nigeria in the south of the country. The west is inhabited by the peoples of the Songhai language group. To another economic type belong the Tuareg inhabiting the north and north-west of the country, as well as the Fulani, engaged in nomadic cattle breeding. The vast majority of the population is Muslim. Niamey is not only the capital, but also the most important industrial, transport and cultural center. The university and other educational institutions are located here. It should be noted that the inhabitants of the cities of Niger are characterized by the rule of nationalism, in relation to the visiting Europeans.

Nature

The territory of Niger is located within the ancient African platform. The basement rocks - granites, gneisses and crystalline schists - come to the surface in the north - in the Air massif, in the southwest - on the coast of the Niger River and in the south - between the cities of Zinder and Gure. Air divides the country into western and eastern parts. Its steep steep slopes stand out sharply against the background of the surrounding plateaus. The massif is composed of ancient crystalline rocks intruded by volcanic intrusions. In Air, rich deposits of uranium ores are concentrated in the Arlit and Imuraren regions, as well as coal deposits in Anu-Araren.

In the west and east of the country, the foundation is covered by a layer of sedimentary rocks. Thick oil-bearing layers have been discovered here, which are being developed in the Tin-Tumma area. On the right bank of the Niger River, industrial deposits of iron ore were discovered near the city of Sai and phosphorites near Tapoa and Tahua. Gypsum and tin deposits have also been discovered.

The Air massif has a general slope to the west, where heights reach only 700–800 m. There are many deep valleys with dry riverbeds (locally called kori), which occasionally fill with water during rains. In the central part of the massif, average heights reach 1300–1700 m. Here are the highest points of the country - Tamgak (1988) and Idukaln-Tages (2022 m).

The eastern part of Air abruptly breaks off towards the vast desert of Tenere, where mobile dunes predominate, forming dune ridges and massifs.

In the north of Niger, there are the Mangeni and Jado plateaus, dissected by deep canyons. The average heights of the plateau are 800–900 m (the highest point is 1054 m on the Mangeni plateau).

In the southern regions of the country, leveled plateaus, composed of sandstones, sands and loams with separate outcrops of crystalline rocks, predominate. Average heights are 200–500 m. The monotony of the relief is broken by the heavily dissected Adar-Duchi plateau southeast of Tahoua and the picturesque granite hills in the vicinity of Zinder.

Niger is located in one of the hottest regions in the world. The average annual temperature here is 27–29°C. Evaporation reaches 2000–3000 mm, while the annual precipitation almost never exceeds 600 mm.

The vast northern regions, located in the Sahara Desert, are characterized by a tropical desert climate with high air dryness, high daily temperatures and sharp daily temperature fluctuations (more than 20 °). The southern regions that make up the Sahel zone are distinguished by a variable humid tropical climate with one rainy season lasting from two to four months. Here, too, there are great differences in day and night temperatures, and the midday heat can reach 40 ° C.

If the Sahara generally receives less than 100 mm of precipitation per year and there are areas where it does not rain at all for several years, then in the Sahel region the average annual rainfall in the north does not exceed 300 mm, and in the south, at the latitude of Tahoua and Niamey, sometimes increases to 400–600 mm.

In the extreme southwest of Niger, near the border with the Republic of Benin, the climate is more humid. The average annual rainfall exceeds 800 mm, and the rainy season lasts 5–7 months.

The change of seasons and the amount of precipitation depend on the wind regime. In April - June, a hot dry wind dominates - Harmattan, blowing from the Sahara. In July-August, it is replaced by the southwest monsoon, which brings more humid air from the Atlantic Ocean.

Frequent droughts cause great damage to Niger's agriculture. In 1968-1974, a severe drought broke out throughout the country, accompanied by the death of crops and livestock.

The country's largest river, the Niger, is fed by heavy rains that fall in its upper reaches. The flood near the city of Niamey occurs in late January - early February. To the south, near the city of Gaya, two floods are pronounced - in February and September-October. The Niger Valley is the most important agricultural region of the country, in which the waters of the river are widely used for irrigation.

Niger owns part of the water area of ​​Lake Chad, which often changes the shape of the coast and the water level. Depths vary from 1 to 4 m, depending on the amount of precipitation and the volume of river flow. The highest level is in January, the lowest - in July. The lake is rich in fish, but its shores, heavily overgrown with grasses and shrubs, are swampy and difficult to access.

The main part of the territory of Niger is located in the desert zone and only 1/4 is in the savannah zone. In the north, in the desert of Tenere and on the plateau of Air, Jado, etc., only after the rains does a bright carpet of ephemeral herbaceous plants appear, which lasts for several weeks, and then dries up. Palm trees grow in oases - date and doum.

The savannas of the Sahel are dominated by cereals and other grasses, as well as thorny shrubs and rare trees. The natural vegetation here is severely affected by livestock grazing.

As you move south, more trees are found in the savannas, especially acacias with umbrella crowns. Baobabs, palm trees (dum, etc.) also grow, and bearded vulture and elephant grass predominate among the grasses. In the extreme southwest, woody vegetation begins to dominate, large trees with lush green crowns appear: bombaks (cotton tree), mangoes with bright orange fruits, papayas and palms. Bamboos grow along the rivers.

Numerous rodents, fennec fox, oryx and addax antelopes are found in the deserts of Niger. Graceful gazelles, many predators (cheetah, hyena, jackal) live in the expanses of the savannas. The world of birds is rich: there are ostriches, eagles, white-headed vultures, kites.

In the southern savanna, giraffes, antelopes and wild boars have survived in some places among large mammals, and lions among predators. On the right bank of the Niger and near Lake Chad there are large herds of elephants. There are hippos and crocodiles in the rivers. Birds are especially numerous: ducks, geese, waders, herons, cranes, ibises, storks, black marabou. Among them are many migratory species. Lots of insects, especially termites and locusts.

Natural reserves have been created in the area of ​​the Air mountain plateau and the Tener desert.

Story

Before the establishment of French power at the end of the 19th century. Niger's history has included tribal migrations, conflicts between newcomers and natives, the rise and fall of state formations, and rivalries between them. In the 11th century Tuareg, nomadic pastoralists of Berber origin, who came from North Africa, settled in the Air Plateau region. They assimilated some of the Hausa farmers who then lived in the most elevated areas of the plateau, and pushed the rest south to the territory located between the modern cities of Tahoua and Zinder. Starting from the 14th century. The Hausa created their own city-states on the territory of southern Niger. The confederation formed by the Tuareg (the Sultanate of Air) was rather amorphous, but one of its rulers, Yusuf, founded the city of Agadez, which in 1430 became the capital of Air (hence the name "Sultanate of Agadez"). In the 16th century The army of the State of Songhai (centered in Gao) captured vast areas of western and central Niger, including the Sultanate of Agadez. Agadez prospered due to the fact that caravan routes crossed there, connecting the capital of Songhay, the city of Gao on the Niger River, with Tripolitania and Egypt.

After the conquest of Songhai by Moroccan troops in 1591, control over part of the Air region and the Hausa lands in the southeast, including Zinder, was established by the state of Bornu with its capital in Ngazargamu (on the territory of modern Nigeria). Other Hausa, who created the city-states of Gobir, Katsina and Daura and withstood the onslaught of the states of Songhai and Kebbi, managed to maintain their independence, albeit a very fragile one. Frequent civil strife and clashes with other Hausan states did not prevent the prosperity of these city-states due to developed agriculture and crafts, as well as participation in the trans-Saharan trade.

At the beginning of the 17th century. many Djerma settlers from the Songhai state settled east of the Niger River and became settled farmers. At the same time, a new wave of Tuareg appeared on the territory of Niger, moving south towards the Niger River. Other Tuareg groups were re-established in the 18th century. their independence and moved west to raid the lands of the former state of Songhai. At the beginning of the 19th century the Hausan lands and the western part of Bornu became the scene of a holy war of jihad, led by the Muslim theologian and reformer Osman dan Fodio, an ethnic Fulbe. He succeeded in establishing Fulbe power in most of Northern Nigeria and in the southern regions of Niger. The state of Bornu, revived under the leadership of the Muslim preacher and commander al-Kanemi, repelled the onslaught of the Fulani and controlled the southeastern part of Niger until the appearance there at the end of the 19th century. Sudanese conqueror Rabbah.

When in the 19th century the first European travelers appeared in Niger, they found this region in a state of complete anarchy and saw disintegrating state formations and small isolated settlements, whose inhabitants could not defend themselves from aggressive warlike neighbors. In 1806, the Scottish traveler Mungo Park went down the Niger River, and in 1822 the Scot Hugh Clapperton and the Englishman Dixon Denham set out from Tripoli across the Sahara and reached Lake Chad. In 1853–1855, the German explorer Heinrich Barth, who was in the British service, went with his expedition from the Niger River to Lake Chad. In 1870, another German explorer, Gustav Nachtigal, crossed the territory of the Sahara from the Bilma oasis to Ngigmi near Lake Chad. Although there were no French among these researchers, at the international Berlin conference of 1884–1885 on the division of Africa, the region of the upper reaches of the Niger River was declared a zone of French interests. In 1890, representatives of Great Britain and France came to an agreement on the establishment of a demarcation line between the zones of interests of Great Britain and France, which ran from the city of Sai on the Niger River to Garoua on Lake Chad. In 1898 and 1904 this boundary was adjusted to reflect the results of new research and "actual occupation". In 1891–1892, Lieutenant Colonel P.L. Montey, on behalf of the French government, surveyed the territory of this region, as a result of which, after 1897, a number of French military posts were created between the Niger River and Lake Chad. Due to the stubborn resistance of the Tuareg to the French colonial expansion, Agadez was captured only in 1904. The Tuareg did not accept the loss of independence and during the First World War raised an uprising against the French authorities, which was suppressed after the war, but the French could not establish effective control over Tuareg nomads. In addition, the French faced fierce resistance from the tuba nomads in the eastern part of Niger, which they managed to break only in 1922.

In 1900, the “military autonomous territory of Zinder” was created (in 1910 it was transformed into the “military territory of Niger”), which was included in the colony of Upper Senegal-Niger, which was part of French West Africa (FZA). In 1922, the territory of Niger was separated into a separate colony within the FZA. In 1926 the administrative center of the colony was moved from Zinder to Niamey.

Prior to the introduction of the French constitution in 1946, there were no political organizations of the modern type in Niger. The constitution provided for African representation in the local governments of the colonies, which became "overseas territories" and were also represented in the French National Assembly. In 1946, the first political party in Niger, the Niger Progressive Party (NPP), was created, which became one of the sections of the African Democratic Union (ADO), which operated in all the FZA colonies. Pretty soon, the NPP began to lose its authority, and in 1951 a split occurred in it, caused by the unwillingness of the left wing, led by the radical trade union leader Djibo Bakari, to follow the political line of part of the leadership of the DOA to refuse to cooperate with the French Communist Party. In 1957, D. Bakari created a new party in opposition to the NPP - the Niger Democratic Union (since 1958 - Sawaba). In the first elections held in 1957 after the introduction of a law that granted the "overseas territories" greater autonomy, Bakari's party won the majority of seats in the Niger parliament, and he himself took the post of prime minister. During the campaign on the eve of the referendum on the draft French constitution of 1958, in which the population of the French colonies in Africa had to vote either for joining the French Community or for breaking all ties with the mother country, Sawaba advocated the complete independence of Niger. In this situation, the NPP, together with the leaders and other political forces, formed the coalition "Union for the Franco-African Community". In the referendum, the results of which, however, are considered controversial, 78% of the votes were cast for the entry of Niger into the French Community. The new government was headed by NPP leader Amani Diori. In the December 1958 parliamentary elections, the NPP won a majority of seats in the National Assembly. The following year, Sawaba's party was banned, MPs on its lists expelled from parliament, and party leaders expelled from Niger.

After Niger's independence was proclaimed in August 1960, A. Diori became president of the country; in 1965 and 1970 he was re-elected for a new term. Diori's conservative regime maintained close political and economic ties with France. Throughout the 1960s, there were clashes between supporters of the Sawaba party and state law enforcement forces. Niger suffered more than other countries in the Sahel zone from the drought of 1969-1974, which caused massive famine. The number of livestock has been sharply reduced in the country. After the information spread that foreign aid did not reach the starving population due to the inefficiency and venality of the authorities, the authority of the Diori regime was sharply shaken. In April 1974 he was overthrown in a military coup. Power passed to the Supreme Military Council (VVS), headed by Lieutenant Colonel Seini Kunche. The end of the drought and rising world prices for uranium helped the military government make some headway in rebuilding the economy, although the country continued to languish in poverty. The military leadership of Niger sought to maintain close ties with France, and when Libya invaded neighboring Chad in 1980, it began to strengthen relations with the Arab countries and the states of West Africa.

Since 1989, power in Niger has passed into the hands of Ali Saibu, the chief of staff of the armed forces. He introduced a new constitution that allowed for a multiparty system and founded the National Development Society Movement (Nassara) party. In 1989 the constitution was suspended and the National Assembly dissolved. Amadou Cheiffou became the head of the interim government and began preparations for the parliamentary and presidential elections. In 1993, for the first time, a representative of the Hausa people Mahamane Usman was elected president of the country, who held this post until January 1996, when a coup d'état took place. The prime minister and the speaker of parliament were removed from their positions. The Council of National Reconciliation (CNR) was created, headed by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, I. Barre Mainasara. The new constitution, introduced on May 22, 1996, banned the activities of political parties. In July 1996, Mainasara was elected president of the country, and in November 1996 parliamentary elections were held.

In early 1999, parliamentary and local elections were held. However, their results were annulled by the Supreme Court in February, as they did not suit the country's leadership (many representatives of opposition parties emerged as winners). Dissatisfaction with the ruling regime is ripening in the country. And on April 9, Mainasara was killed. The head of the presidential guard, Major Dauda Malam Vanke (a native of the Hausa people), was appointed head of state and chairman of the SNP.

The 1999 presidential elections were held in two rounds - October 17 and November 24. 7 candidates participated in the first round, in the second - the struggle for the presidency unfolded between the candidate from the party "National Movement for a Development Society - Nassara" (NDO - Nassara) Mamadou Tanja and Mahamadou Issoufou - leader of the "Nigerian Party for Democracy and Socialism" (NPDS ). M. Tanja was elected President of the country, who received 59.89% of the votes.

In the parliamentary elections held on November 24, 1999, the NDOR-Nassara party also won a landslide victory (38 out of 86 seats in the National Assembly).

In 2000, the government launched a two-year program of intensive economic reforms. The program envisaged, first of all, the privatization and re-profiling of state-owned enterprises, as well as the reduction of budget expenditures for social needs. Until 2003, real GDP was negative.

In the presidential elections of 2004, which were held in two rounds (November 16 and December 4), Tanja again won. In the second round of elections, M. Issufu was his political opponent.

In the elections to the National Assembly, held on December 4, 2004, the NDOR-Nassara party won a landslide victory (47 out of 113 seats). The Party for Democracy and Socialism of the Niger (NPDS) won 25 seats, the Democratic and Social Convention (DSC) 22 seats, the remaining 19 seats went to the SDS, UDP, the Niger Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress and the NSDP. Mahaman Usman, Chairman of the DSK, was elected Chairman of the Parliament.

The country's economy is largely dependent on foreign aid. The main financial donors are France, the IMF, and Japan (in 1997, it provided Niger with gratuitous assistance in the amount of 300 million yen for the development of the country's agricultural sector). Niger receives IMF financial assistance under the HIPC (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) program, provided to the poorest countries with high external debt. In April 2004, the IMF canceled $663.1 million of Niger's debt. In February 2005, the Fund decided to provide Niger with a loan of $10 million to implement an economic development program up to 2008. At the same time, the IMF put forward a requirement for the government of Niger to use the funds received to fight poverty and ensure annual GDP growth of 4 %. In 2004, GDP amounted to 9.7 billion dollars, and its growth was 3.5%.

By the summer of 2005, an extremely difficult situation had developed in the country: due to a long drought, as well as an invasion of locusts that destroyed crops, famine began. The UN estimates that 2.5 million people in Niger are in need of urgent food assistance. A particularly critical situation has developed in the northwestern regions of the country. France was the first to provide food aid under the auspices of the UN: in July, a batch of 18 tons of humanitarian supplies was sent to Niger. The total amount of French aid to Niger will be approx. 5 million euros (together with additional food aid of 1.5 million euros). Germany also sent a large consignment of food in July. Nigeria donated 1,000 tons of grain to help the famine-stricken Niger.

In January 2005, President Tanja was elected chairman of ECOWAS. The last changes in the government were made on February 12, 2005. In December 2005, the Francophone Games will be held in Niamey. In order to prepare sports events, France has allocated more than 10 million euros to Niger for the development of the infrastructure of the capital.

Economy

Niger is an agricultural country. It ranks second (after Sierra Leone) in the world in terms of poverty. According to the UN ca. 3.5 million people suffer from hunger. The annual income of 75% of the population is $365, of which 35% live below the poverty line. 40% of the population (mostly in rural areas) suffers from chronic malnutrition.

The share of the agricultural sector in GDP is 39% (2001), 85% of the population is employed in it (2005, estimate). 3.54% of the land is cultivated (2001). Agricultural production is almost entirely dependent on rainfall. The annual growth of production in the agricultural sector is approx. 2%. The main export crops are peanuts and vegetables. Oranges, bananas, legumes, corn, millet, rice, sugarcane, sorghum, cotton and tobacco are also grown. Nomadic animal husbandry is developed (breeding of camels, horses, cattle, donkeys, sheep and goats). Fish catch in 2000 amounted to 16.27 thousand tons.

Share in GDP - 17% (2001). The main industries are mining and manufacturing. Niger ranks third (after Canada and Australia) in the world in terms of uranium mining. Its share in the country's exports is constantly decreasing, in 2002 it was 32% (in 1990 - 60%). Coal and gold are also mined. There are enterprises for processing agricultural products, including the production of peanut butter, flour and beer. There are small factories of the textile and leather industries.

The volume of imports significantly exceeds the volume of exports: in 2002, imports (in US dollars) amounted to 400 million, and exports - 280 million. The main imports are grain, foodstuffs, machinery and oil. Main import partners: France (17.4%), Ivory Coast (11.3%), Italy (8.4%), Nigeria (7.3%), Germany (6.5%), USA (5 .5%) and China (4.8%) - 2004. Main export commodities - uranium ore, livestock, livestock products and vegetables. Main export partners - France (47.1%, is the main importer of Niger uranium), Nigeria (22.7%), Japan (8.6%) and USA (5.4%) - 2004.

The monetary unit is the CFA franc (XOF), consisting of 100 centimes. In December 2004, the national currency rate was: 1 USD = 528.3 XOF.

Niamey 02:32 22°C
It's clear

Hotels

Niger is visited by a record low number of tourists per year, so the choice of hotels here is appropriate. Most of the hotels are located in the capital of the country, Niamey. But finding a good and comfortable room with modest amenities is a real rarity.

The Grand Hotel du Niger and the Hotel Terminus, judging by the reviews on the tourist portals, are the most comfortable places to stay. The rooms even have air conditioning (which is a rarity for most hotels in Niger).

Attractions

Niger is a unique and beautiful country. The only pity is that 80% of its territory is located in the Sahara desert. The remaining 20% ​​are under the threat of drought and desertification.

National Park "W" - the main pride of West Africa. It got its unusual name because of the shape of the river flowing through its territory. This is one of the few places in the country surrounded by greenery. Buffaloes, hippos, elephants, antelopes, more than 100 species of birds live here.

The West African giraffe is the main pride of the park. There are only 200 individuals left in the world, but the population of the park is gradually replenished. A great place to explore the nature of Africa and safari adventure.

The oasis of Timia is also called the "pearl" of the Sahara desert. The local nature differs from the harsh landscapes of the country. Here is a real kingdom of orchards, date palms and exotic birds that fly here for the winter. Here live the Tuareg, a nomadic tribe of West Africa. This is a very hospitable people with a rich culture, history and amazingly delicious cuisine.

There are very few architectural sights in the country. The Great Mosque of Niamey is the most beautiful and well-maintained building in the capital. Built at the expense of Gaddafi.

Museums

The National Museum of Niger is the largest and most diverse of the country. Founded in 1959. The age for the main museum of the country is relatively small, but the presented collection is impressive. Historical artifacts will tell about the history of the country, its multinationality and the life of ordinary people. In the museum's collection you can see quite unusual exhibits: the last tree of the Sahara desert, the remains of dinosaurs, traditional costumes of numerous African tribes inhabiting the country.

Climate of Niger:: Desert. Mostly hot, dry, dusty. Tropical south.

Resorts

Niger has no access to the sea, so there are no resort places, in the traditional sense of the word. Most tourists visit the capital of the country, Niamey, the city of Agadez and the National Park "W".

Leisure

Niger is not a tourist country. There is no infrastructure, good transport and interesting leisure activities, for which it was worth coming. A casual tourist can be entertained by a safari in the National Park or a trip to the National Museum of Niger.

Niger Terrain: Predominantly desert plains and sand dunes. Hills in the north.

Transport

There are no direct flights from Russia to Nigeria. Transfers are possible in France or Morocco. To obtain a tourist visa, you need a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.

There are no railways in the country (but projects for its construction are being developed). Local residents travel by bus or car. In the central part of the country, traffic is difficult due to the lack of paved roads.

Standard of living

Niger is the poorest country in the world. Even agriculture here is extremely difficult to engage in due to desertification of land. 70% of the population lives below the poverty line. The country lives mainly on foreign aid. New deposits of uranium and oil have recently been discovered. Perhaps the standard of living in the future will be higher.

Niger has resources like: : Uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, oil.

Cities of Niger

Niamey is the capital of the country. Tourists will have to pay 126 US dollars to obtain a permit to stay in the city (per day). The city is located on the banks of the Niger River, one of the few green places in the country. Like any African capital, Niamey is growing rapidly. But its infrastructure is in a deplorable state.

Zinder is the second largest city in the country. Former capital of colonial Niger. Once it was the richest city in Africa due to its advantageous geographical position. The city was on the trade route with Nigeria. Its colonial architecture has partially survived to this day.

Population

Coordinates

13.5125 x 2.11178