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Region:
Western Africa
Capital:
Niamey
Population:
11 360 538 (July
2004 est.)
Surface
area:
1 267 000 square
km
Currency:
CFA franc
GDP
per capita:
$800 (2003 est.)
Historic
background:
Not
until 1993, 33
years after independence
from France,
did Niger hold
its first free
and open elections.
A 1995 peace
accord ended
a five-year Tuareg
insurgency in
the north. Coups
in 1996 and 1999
were followed
by the creation
of a National
Reconciliation
Council that
effected a transition
to civilian rule
by December 1999.
Niger is one
of the poorest
countries in
the world with
minimal government
services and
insufficient
funds to develop
its resource
base. The largely
agrarian and
subsistence-based
economy is frequently
disrupted by
extended droughts
common to the
Sahel region
of Africa.
Economy
– overview:
Niger’s
economy centres
on subsistence
agriculture,
animal husbandry,
and re-export
trade. Uranium
is no longer
as important
as it was, because
of declining
world demand.
The government
relies on bilateral
and multilateral
aid.
In
2000-01, the
World Bank approved
a structural
adjustment loan
of $105 million
to help support
fiscal reforms.
However, reforms
could prove difficult
given the government's
bleak financial
situation. The
IMF approved
a $73 million
poverty reduction
and growth facility
for Niger in
2000. $115 million
in debt relief
were also announced
under the Heavily
Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC)
initiative. Further
disbursements
of aid occurred
in 2002. Future
growth may be
sustained by
exploitation
of oil, gold,
coal, and other
mineral resources.
United
Nations Membership
date:
20 September
1960
New
York Mission:
Permanent Mission
of the Niger
to the United
Nations
417 East 50th
Street
New York, N.Y.
10022 USA
Telephone: 212-421-3260
/ 3261 / 3286
Fax: 212-753-6931
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