NIGER

1/3 LARGER THAN TEXAS

Early History

• First people farmers
• Desertification=becoming nomadic
• Songhai Empire extended here

19th Century

• First contact with Europeans
• Interested in Niger River
• France claimed Niger

LATER

• People rebelled
• Niger no longer a colony

INDEPENDENCE

POPULATION

• Total: 16,899,326
• Live in big cities
• By border for trade
• Hard to live northern Niger

MAIN ETHNIC GROUPS

• Hausa & Zarma Songhay
• Big farmers
• Islam

RELIGION

• Islam & Animist
• Believe all things have souls

LANGUAGES

• FRENCH
• HAUSA
• ZARMA/SONGHAI
• TOUBOU
• GURMANTCHE
• KENURI
• ARABIC
• TAMAJEQ
• FULFULE
• TAMAJEQ

PHYSICAL FEATURES

• Niger River (important)
• Lake Chad
• Mount Idoukal-n-Taghès (heights the point)
• Sahara desert

NATURAL RESOURCES

• Uranium
• Coal
• Iron ore
• Tin
• Gold
• Petroleum

CLIMATE

• Arid & Tropical
• Dry because of Sahara Desert

ISSUES/CHALLENGES

• 91% of people in poverty
• Poorest country
• Starvation
• Water is scarce
• A meningitis epidemic is spreading
• 5000 infected, over 300 killed

THE END