Niger

In brief

Niger is a country in West Africa. Its capital is Niamey. With 27.9 million inhabitants in 2025, it ranks 54th in the world by population, out of the 195 countries recognised by the UN. Its area is 1,267,000 km². Landlocked, it shares land borders with Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali and Nigeria.

GDP per capita stands at $775 (2025), 184th in the world. Life expectancy at birth is 61.4 years (2024). 18% of the population lives in cities.

History of Niger

A crossroads of the Sahel, the region was shaped by the Songhai Empire, the Kanem-Bornu kingdom, the Hausa city-states and the Tuareg sultanate of Agadez. A French colony, Niger became independent on 3 August 1960. The country has seen Tuareg rebellions and several coups, the latest in July 2023. Its population is one of the youngest in the world.

Geography of Niger

Landlocked Niger is more than 80% Sahara, with the Aïr mountains and the Ténéré desert. The Niger River crosses the south-west, where most people live. The country is a major uranium producer.

Map of Niger

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Flag of Niger

The flag of Niger is white, green and orange. Its official proportions are 6:7 (height to width).

• Orange39%
• Green34%
• White28%

Share of the flag’s surface taken by each colour.

What the flag stands for

Orange, white and green, with an orange disc in the centre. Orange evokes the Sahara, white purity, green the fertile south, and the disc the sun. It looks like the flag of India.

Sources: Wikipedia, articles “Niger” and “Flag of Niger”.

See also: flags with a sun.

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Fact file

Economy and society