The largest ethnic groups in Niger are the Hausa, who also constitute the major ethnic group in northern Nigeria, and the Djerma-Songhai, who also are found in parts of Mali. Both groups, along with the Gourmantche, are sedentary farmers who live in the arable, southern tier of the country. The remainder of Nigeriens are nomadic or semi-nomadic livestock-raising peoples: Fulani, Tuareg, Kanuri, Arabs and Toubou. With rapidly growing populations and the consequent competition for meagre natural resources, lifestyles of agriculturalists and livestock herders have come increasingly into conflict in Niger in recent years.
Niger's high infant mortality rate is comparable to levels recorded in neighbouring countries. However, the child mortality rate (deaths among children between the ages of 1 and 4) is exceptionally high (248 per 1,000) due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children. According to the organisation Save the Children, Niger has the world's highest infant mortality rate. Nonetheless, Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world (7.46 births per woman); this means that nearly half (47%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15. Between 1996 and 2003, primary school attendance was around 30%, including 36% of males and only 25% of females.
Facts and Figures
The adjective form of Niger is Nigerien, which should not be confused with Nigerian for Nigeria.
- Population: 12,525,094
- Age Structure:
- 0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,994,022/female 2,882,273)
- 15-64 years: 50.7% (male 3,262,114/female 3,083,522)
- 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 150,982/female 152,181)
- Median Age:
- Total: 16.5 years
- Male: 16.5 years
- Female: 16.4 years
- Population Growth Rate: 2.92%
- Birth Rate: 50.73 births/1,000 population
- Death Rate: 20.91 deaths/1,000 population
- Net Migration Rate: -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population
- Sex Ratio:
- At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
- Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female
- Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female
- Infant Mortality Rate:
- Total: 118.25 deaths/1,000 live births
- Male: 122.29 deaths/1,000 live births
- Female: 114.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Life Expectancy at Birth:
- Total population: 43.76 years
- Male: 43.8 years
- Female: 43.73 years
- Total Fertility Rate: 7.46 children born/woman
- HIV/AIDS:
- Adult prevalence rate: 1.2%
- People living with HIV/AIDS: 70,000
- Ethnic Groups:
- Hausa 56%
- Djerma 22%
- Fula 8.5%
- Tuareg 8%
- Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%
- Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%
- 1,200 French expatriates
- Religions:
- Muslim 80%
- Other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20%
- Languages:
- French (official)
- Hausa
- Djerma
- Literacy:
- Total population: 17.6%
- Male: 25.8%
- Female: 9.7%
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