Facts | Africa | 19 Noteworthy Facts about Niger

1. Niger, a former French colony, is a large landlocked country in Western Africa.
2. Niger is actually named after the river Niger which twists and turns through this incredible country.
3. It is bordered by Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria and Benin to the south and Burkina Faso and Mali to the west.

Flag of Niger

4. The adventurists amongst you will want to take note of the coordinates for Niger, which are 13.5333° N, 2.0833°
5. The international dialling code for Niger is +227
6. The terrain here is mostly desert plains and sand dunes, with hills in the north and flat to rolling plains in the south. Great for an off-road dune buggy adventure!

7. The total land area of Niger is 489,191 square miles (1,267,000 square kilometres). This makes it one of the largest countries in Western Africa!
8. Niger’s population was 22.44 million in 2018.
9. The capital is Niamey which covers an area of 92.4 square miles (239.3 square kilometres) and has a population of 1.027 million (2012).

10. The average life span here is 60.06 years (2016).
11. The majority of Niger experiences a desert climate, with hot, dry and dusty conditions, whilst there is a tropical climate in the extreme south.
12. In fact, Niger is one of the hottest countries on Earth! This has earned it the nickname ‘Frying Pan of the World’… blimey!
13. Niger is home to the largest protected area in Africa; covering an amazing 7.7 million hectares, the Air and Tenere National Nature Reserve boasts an amazing mix of flora and fauna, amongst Cheetahs, Gazelles and Oryx!
14. The official language of Niger is French, although Hausa and Djerma are also spoken here.
15. Like many African countries, the CFA Franc is the official currency here.

16. A dinosaur discovered in Niger, that roamed the Earth about 115 to 105 million years ago has been named… Nigersaurus! Should’ve seen that one coming!
17. Niger grows cowpeas, peanuts, onions, millet and cotton and rears cattle.
18. Its industry consists of textiles, uranium mining, cement and bricks.
19. Niger also exports uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas and onions… must be the French influence!

Do you know any interesting or fun facts about Niger that we’ve missed? Share them with us in the comments section below!

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