Niger

Niger is a landlocked country in western Africa. It is bordered by Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Mali and Burkina Faso to the west, and Nigeria to the south. Niger is covered with desert in the north, with approximately 80% of its land area covered by the Sahara Desert. The southern parts of Niger are savannahs. By land area, it is the largest nation in West Africa. The capital, Niamey, is in the extreme southwest.

Niger’s population, in 2014, was estimated at 18.5 million. As with many other African nations, the age distribution is heavily weighted toward youth; according to the CIA’s World Factbook, 49.6% are under 15 years old, and only 2.7% are aged 65 and older. Of the various ...