Niger (country)

I

Introduction

Niger (country) (French République du Niger), republic in western Africa, bounded on the north by Algeria and Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria and Benin, and on the west by Burkina Faso and Mali. It has a total area of 1,267,000 sq km (489,200 sq mi).

II

Land and Resources

Niger may be divided into three zones, the northern, central, and southern. The northern zone, covering more than half of the total area of the republic, lies within the Sahara. It is a highland region of plateaus and mountains and, except in scattered oases, has little vegetation. In this zone is Monts Bagzane (2,022 m/6,634 ft), the highest elevation in the country. The central zone, known as the Sahel, is semiarid and lightly wooded. The southern zone is a fertile, forested area that benefits from adequate rainfall and, in the southwest, from the periodic overflow of the Niger River, virtually the only river in the country. On the southeast, the nation borders on one of the largest lakes of the continent, the shallow Lake Chad.

A

Climate

The climate of Niger is hot and, in most areas, dry. Rainfall, negligible in the north, increases to 813 mm (32 in) a year in the south. In the south a rainy season lasts from June to October. The average annual temperature at Niamey, in the southeast, is 29°C (85°F).

B

Plants and Animals

The northern desert of Niger has little vegetation. In the south are extensive savanna grasslands and, in the lowlands, a variety of trees, including baobab, tamarind, kepok, and a species of mahogany. Animal life includes elephant, buffalo, antelope, giraffe, and lion.

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