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West Africa

Niger

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria.

Muslim population95.5%of the population

Population27.5 millionpeople (current)

CapitalNiameyUTC+1

Currency606 = $1Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) (2024)

Country basics

Niger is a landlocked West African republic, with the Sahara covering most of its territory.

Niger is a republic with Niamey as its capital and Hausa, Zarma and other national languages in use alongside French. The West African CFA franc is the currency, and uranium, gold, crude oil and livestock lead its export earnings.

Official name

Republic of Niger

Region

Africa · Western Africa

Government

Unitary semi-presidential republic under a military junta

Time zonesCheck the offset for your own city

UTC+01:00

Driving side

Right

Phone code

+227

Currency

West African CFA franc (XOF, Fr)

Member of

UN; African Union

Website

https://www.gouvernement.ne

Faith and language

Religions

Muslim 95.5%, ethnic religionist 4.1%, Christian 0.3%, agnostics and other 0.1%

Languages

French

People and cities

Population

27.5 million (current)

Median ageHalf the population is younger than this

15.3 years (2025)

Living in cities

17.1% (2023)

Largest cities

Niamey (capital) 1.437 million

Money and cost of living

Exchange rateYearly average; check today’s rate before you budget

606 Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar (2024)

Income per personGDP per person, adjusted for local prices (2021 dollars)

$1,800 (2024)

InflationHow much prices rose over the year

9.1% (2024)

Unemployment

0.4% (2024)

Health and daily life

Life expectancy

60.9 years (2024)

Doctors

0.04 per 1,000 people (2023)

Hospital beds

0.3 per 1,000 people (2020)

Safe drinking water

48.9% of people (2022)

Electricity

19.5% of people (2022)

Internet users

23% of people (2023)

Literacy

35.6% of adults (2022)

Land and climate

Climate

Desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

SizeSlightly less than twice the size of Texas

1,267,000 sq km

Natural hazards

Recurring droughts

National holiday

Republic Day, 18 December (1958)