NIGER
(Republic of Niger)

Capital: Niamey
Currency: CFA franc of BCEAO (XOF)
Population: 12,2 million people
GDP (PPS): 22 bln. dollars of the USA (2017)
Area: 1,267,000 sq.km.
IRCHP: 187 (2015)


ABOUT THE REPUBLIC

Niger, officially the Republic of Niger, the French Republic of Niger which doesn't have an outlet to the sea, the western African country. He is limited in the northwest by Algeria, in the northeast Libya, in the east Chad, in the south Nigeria and Benin, and in the West - Burkina Faso and Mali. The capital - Niamey. The country prevails the name from Niger River which proceeds through a southwest part of its territory. The name "Niger" comes, in turn, from gher n-gheren phrase that is meant by "the river among the rivers" in language of tamashka.

GEOGRAPHY

Niger stretches to the south from the Tropic of Cancer, and northern two thirds of its territory are in the dry tropical desert. In the southern part of the country the climate belongs to the type known as Sakhelian who is characterized by one short-term rainy season. In January and February the continental equivalent of northeast trade winds, fighting spirit, blows on the southwest from the Sahara to the equator. As a rule, dust, dryness and drying, harm interferes with normal living conditions on the southern suburb of the desert. From April to May the southern trade winds blowing from Atlantic reach the equator and are taken aside the Sahara where they meet with fantantany - collision which leads to strong squalls and signals about the beginning of a rainy season. Rains continue from one to four months, according to width; August - rainy month everywhere, except Far North where rainfall is unpredictable.

CLIMATE

Niger is in one of the hottest regions of the world. Temperatures rise from February to May and fall during a "winter" rainy season, again rising before falling to their annual minimum average values in December or January. Within May (the hottest month) daytime temperatures are high everywhere: from low about 42 °C (42 °C) in Nguigmi on the lake Chad up to 113 °F (45 °C) in Bilm and Agades, as in the northern desert. In January daytime temperature usually exceeds 90 °F (the middle 30 c) at most the stations, but can fall to freezing level in the desert at night. Daily range is more in the north of the desert, than in the south and also more extreme during the dry season.

POPULATION

The largest linguistic group is formed the House which language also speaks in Nigeria, is one of the most important in the Western Africa. The most part of residents of Niger understands the House which possesses rich literature which was printed with Latin letters in Nigeria. Сонхай - language, the second for importance; it is also said in Mali, in the north of Burkina Faso and in the north of Benin. In Niger it is divided into various dialects, such as actually Sonkhay, Zarma and the Dandy. The Fulani language is Fulah; in Niger it has two dialects, east and western, the line of demarcation between them passing through the Region of Boboy. Tamashek - language of Tuaregs who call often themselves Kel Tamagek.