Niger
Type of Government: Republic
Independence: 1960 from France
Head of State: President Mamadou Tandja (since December 22, 1999)
2007/2008 UN Development Index ranking (out of 177 countries): 174
2007 TI Corruption Perception Index (out of 179): 123
Political Development: Niger experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali Saibou was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim Bare. In 1999 Bare was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou Tandja to power in December of that year. Tandja was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base.
Adult HIV Rate: 1.2%
Life Expectancy: 44.03
GDP: $3.638 billion
Inflation: 0.2%
Poverty: 63%
Petroleum: N/A
Leading Export Partner: France (34.8%)
Economic Note: Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world’s largest uranium deposits. Nearly half of the government’s budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years.
