[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/niger_9821.gif]]

Niger, officially known as the Republic of Niger ('''French:''' ''République du Niger''), is a large country located in West UsefulNotes/{{Africa}}.

As with the other Saharan countries, the country is sparsely populated compared to its size, as a large chunk of its territory (namely, the north) is arid desert that is rich in mineral resources but utterly unsuitable for a living. The country's middle portion is the extensive Sahelian savanna and is only a little bit livelier than the north, with the population being nomads. Instead, most of the settled population is concentrated in the southern Sudanian Savanna bordering UsefulNotes/{{Benin}}, UsefulNotes/BurkinaFaso, and UsefulNotes/{{Nigeria}}, where precipitation is substantial and the land is cultivable.

The population of Niger is diverse. The Sahara and Sahel are mainly occupied by the Tuareg Berbers, who practice a nomadic lifestyle centered around the trade of salt and copper. The eastern Lake Chad region has a history of being ruled by [[UsefulNotes/{{Chad}} Chadian]] states and is ethnically Kanuri. The border with Nigeria is part of Hausaland inhabited by Hausa, who used to rule a caliphate located in southern Niger and northern Nigeria in the 19th century. Finally, the western region, centered around the Niger River and including the capital Niamey is home to various Songhai tribes, who once ruled a vast empire stretching throughout West Africa from the 15th to 16th centuries. The largest single ethnic group in Niger is the Hausa, but the Songhai historically have a major say in the country's politics. The only thing that unifies these disjointed ethnic groups is their traditional adherence to UsefulNotes/{{Islam}}.

UsefulNotes/{{France}} entered the region in the late 19th century and subjugated Niger in the early 20th century. For a while, it was relegated under the administration of colonies in the west, as much of the territory was out of reach. Even after it became a proper colony in 1922, the northern region was under military rule until after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

Niger became independent in 1960. Unfortunately, the country's politics have been consistently tumultuous after that. The first president, Hamani Diori, was a dictator who ruled for 14 years. He was deposed in a coup by the military, who proceeded to reign with an iron fist for the next 19 years. The first multiparty election was held in 1993, but the damage had been done; a Tuareg rebellion occurred between 1990 and 1995, partly due to the repression, partly because the Tuareg, like the rest of the non-upper class population, did not share in the prosperity of their land's uranium mines. Peace was eventually achieved and the government vowed to become more inclusive, but it was shaky and did not address the injustices.

Just a year after the end of the Tuareg rebellion, a coup deposed the democratically-elected president, with the military rule ending in 1999. The aforementioned unaddressed injustices brought a second Tuareg rebellion from 2005 to 2007. Niger experienced ''another'' coup in 2010, although this was contentious rather than condemned, as it followed a constitutional crisis that saw the incumbent president, Mamadou Tandja, attempting to modify the constitution so he could seek a third term. A year later, the country returned to civilian rule with the election of Mahamadou Issoufou as president. In 2015, Niger was embroiled in the Boko Haram insurgency from Nigeria and experienced attacks around the Lake Chad region. A multinational task force was able to strike a major blow to the organization, but occasional low-level attacks continue to pose a problem in the southeast.

In 2023, Niger had yet another coup, as presidential guard commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani ousted President Mohamed Bazoum with the backing of the army on the grounds of a failing security situation regarding jihadist insurgents, placing Bazoum under house arrest, suspending the constitution, and instigating martial law.

Niger mainly exports mineral riches, particularly uranium, whose mines in the Sahara are exploited by French companies. The country's population mostly depend on subsistence agriculture and are extremely poor. According to the UsefulNotes/UnitedNations, it has among the lowest GDP per capita and ''the'' lowest HDI in the world. The country also has a huge problem in the healthcare sector, including an extremely high fertility rate (7.6 children/woman) and high infant and adult mortality rates. The average life expectancy for both sexes is 62 years old, compared to the UsefulNotes/UnitedStates where it is 78 years old.

The country's name, as with Nigeria, is derived from the Niger River, which runs along the western region. As it was colonized by France, Niger is actually pronounced "Nee-Jher", not "Nye-Jer", and Niger's citizens are referred to as ''Nigeriens'', pronounced as "Nee-Jher-Ee-eins" ("Nigerians" on the other hand refers to citizens of Nigeria). Oh, and it is always, ''always'' spelled with just one G. MSNBC found that out [[http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/innis.asp the hard way]].[[note]]Technically, it was a person's name (Niger Innis) in that instance, but it applies just as much to the country.[[/note]] In fact, the river's name has nothing to do with the ethnic slur, which is derived from Latin ''niger'', meaning "black". Instead, it is believed to come from ''ger-n-ger'', Tuareg for "river of rivers".
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'''Useful Notes''':
[[index]]

* Myth/FulaniMythology
* Myth/SonghaiMythology
* Myth/TuaregMythology
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[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: The Nigerien flag ]]

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/flag_of_niger.png]]
->Orange symbolizes either the Sahara Desert or the slightly more fertile Sahel region, both of which dominate the north; white symbolizes either purity or the Niger River; and green symbolizes either hope or the fertile southern half of Niger; the orange roundel in the middle can symbolize either the sun or independence.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder: Coat of arms of Niger ]]

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/coat_of_arms_of_niger.png]]
->The coat of arms consists of a shield (containing the head of a zebu, pearl millet heads representing the agriculture of the country, two Tuareg swords and a spear representing the defesne of the country and a sun) surrounded by four national flags and a ribbon containing the full name of the country in French.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder: The Nigerien national anthem ]]


->Des rives du Niger aux confins du Ténéré
->Frères et sœurs nous sommes
->Enfants d'une même Patrie le Niger
->Nourris de la sève des mêmes idéaux
->Pour un Niger de paix libre fort et uni
->Pour un Niger prospère le Pays de nos rêves
->Pour l'honneur de la Patrie
->Incarnons la vaillance et la persévérance
->Et toutes les vertus de nos dignes aïeux
->Guerriers intrépides déterminés et fiers
->Défendons la patrie au prix de notre sang
->Faisons du Niger symbole de dignité
->Emblème et flambeau de l'Afrique qui avance
->Pour ces nobles idéaux debout et en avant
->En avant pour le travail en avant pour le combat
->Nous demeurons debout
->Portant haut le drapeau de notre cher Pays
->Dans le ciel d'Afrique et dans tout l'Univers
->Pour construire ensemble
->Un monde de justice de paix et de progrès
->Et pour faire du Niger la fierté de l'Afrique.

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->From the shores of the Niger to the edges of the Ténéré
->Brothers and sisters we are
->Children of a same fatherland Niger
->Fed of the sap of the same ideals
->For a Niger of peace, free, strong, and united
->For a prosperous Niger, the country of our dreams
->For the honor of the fatherland
->Let us incarnate the valiance and the perseverance
->And all the virtues of our worthy forefathers
->Intrepid, determined and proud warriors
->Let us defend the homeland at the price of our blood
->Let us make Niger the symbol of dignity
->The emblem and torch of Africa advancing
->For these noble ideals, arise and go forward
->Forward for work and forward for the fight
->We remain standing
->Holding high the flag of our dear country
->In the sky of Africa and in the whole universe
->To construct together
->A world of justice, peace and progress
->And to make Niger the pride of Africa.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder: Government ]]

* Unitary republic currently under a military junta
** President of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland: Brigade General Abdourahamane Tchiani
** Prime Minister: Ali Lamine Zeine
** President of the National Assembly: Position dismissed by coup
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[[/folder]]

[[folder: Miscellaneous ]]

* '''Capital and largest city:''' Niamey
* '''Population:''' 24,112,753
* '''Area:''' 1,267,000 km² (489,000 sq mi) (21st)
* '''Currency''': West African CFA franc (CFA) (XOF)
* '''ISO-3166-1 Code:''' NE
* '''Country calling code:''' 227
* '''Highest point:''' Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès (2022 m/6,634 ft) (126th)
* '''Lowest point:''' Niger River (200 m/656 ft) (63rd)