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Polity
Published: 16 Sep 2011
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| Niger | |
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Niger, rated by the United Nations as one of the world's least developed countries, gained independence from France in August 1960, and has spent much of its post-independence period under single-party and military rule. The country is drought-prone, and suffers from food shortages. The country is heavily dependent on uranium as a foreign currency earner, but is seeking to diversify - possibly into oil and gold mining - to reduce this dependence. The attacks by the Nigerian Movement for Justice (MNJ) on military targets has turned into insurgence in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, the MNJ and the government held talks in Libya, at which they committed themselves to a "total and comprehensive" peace. The country's official language is French, with Arabic, Hausa, and Songhai widely spoken. Leader: President Mamadou Tandja (re-elected in October 2009) Capital city: Niamey Economic profileMonetary unit: CFA franc (Communaute Financiere Africaine)GDP per capita: $700 (2010) (CIA) GDP composition by sector: Agriculture: 39% (2001) (CIA) Industry: 17% (2001) (CIA) Services: 44% (2001) (CIA) GDP growth rate: 7.5% (2010) (CIA) Budget: Government revenue, excluding grants: 15,5% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Government expenditure: 22,3% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Consumer price inflation: 11,3% (2008) (World Bank) Industries: Uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, and slaughterhouses Exports of goods and services: 15,8% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Imports of goods and services: 31,0% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Export commodities: Uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, and onions Import commodities: Foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, and cereals Trade balance: -7,9% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Reserves: $705-mil (2008) (World Bank) Total investment: 21,7% of GDP (2007) (IMF) Market capitalisation of listed companies: Figures not available
Population: 15.29-million (2011) (World Bank) |
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