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Niger% 227 / POP 17.8 MILLION

Includes  Introduction Understand ...... 275 Niger rarely makes waves in the international conscious- Niger Today...... 275 ness, and when it does it’s invariably for all the wrong rea- History...... 276 sons: coups, rebellions and famines. But those who have Culture...... 276 been lucky enough to visit this desert republic normally re- turn with stories of a warm and generous population living Environment...... 277 in ancient caravan cities at the edge of the . Survival Guide...... 277 In the north, the stark splendour of the hides Neolithic rock art and stunning oasis towns. With- in the expansive dunes of the Ténéré Desert are dinosaur graveyards and deserted medieval settlements, while to the Fast Facts south is the ancient trans-Saharan trade-route town of Aga- ¨¨Area 1,267,000 sq km dez and the sultanate of . ¨¨Capital As good as it all could be, though, the current security sit- ¨¨Currency West African franc uation means that Niger is still largely off limits to travellers. (CFA) Attacks against foreigners have occurred across the Sahel, ¨¨Languages Spoken French, and the threat of kidnapping remains high. Hausa, Djerma, Fulfulde, Tamashek Top Sights ¨¨ A spiky summit of a majestic mud mosque overlooking town and the Sahara ¨¨Kouré West Africa’s last wild herd of giraffes. ¨¨Zinder The sultan’s palace within the fascinating Birni Quartier of this Hausa city tells of a brutal history. ¨¨Parc Regional du W Home to lions, crocodiles, monkeys and elephants. ¨¨Ténéré Desert A sublime section of the mighty Sahara. ¨¨Aïr Mountains Where camel caravans plod through red sands and past mystical blue rocks. Niger UNindegerr Tostandday Niger 275

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0 0 B Nguigmi Termit Gouré Arbre du Ténéré Réserve Naturelle Nationale de l'Aïr et du Ténéré Terim Tazolé (2022m) Mt Bagzane Zinder (1944m) Aïr Gréboun Kano There have been several high-profile ter high-profile been several There have and continues to putter economy Niger’s Mountains Agadez tion of its kind. and kidnappings of touristsrorist attacks the past few over yearsand foreign workers to Al-Qaedaby groups linked factions oper zone. The in the Sahel and Sahara ating larg assault by was a coordinated est such attack militants on militaryIslamic and mining sites in the north of the country The in 2013. in 2012 of northern Mali takeover Islamist a security vacuumcreated and opened up for extremists organised and a safe haven Desert.crime groups in the Sahara But even on the rise in were though terrorist attacks tens of thousands of refugees flooded Niger, into the country from neighbouring conflict zones. strugglealong. export,main The country’s people still live in subjugation. In 2014 a 2014 In in subjugation. people still live on a in jail man was sentenced to four years The such prosecu first conviction of slavery. Tezerzaït Elméki - - - S a h a r a Téloua N I G E R I A Iferouâne In-Gall Maradi Jibiya Tamanrasset Illela Tchin- Tabaradene Birni N'Konni Kamba Tegguida-n-Tessoum Gaya Dosso A L G E R I A A L G E R Baleyara Kollo Kouré Parc du W Regional M A L I BENIN Ayorou

Niger River Labbézanga NIAMEY TOGO Gao Niger again made headlines Niger later A year Foetchango Dori Kantchari Niger UNDERSTAND NIGER UNDERSTAND tice of slavery in the country. According toAccording country. the in slavery of tice thousands of organisations, ­anti-slavery sons when in a landmark case an Economic (Ecowas) African States of West Community of failing to protectcourt guilty found Niger from the continued prac woman a young eral wealth and failing to meet wealth eral conditions of previous ceasefires, in a conflict has that regular intervalsreignited at since the early 20th century. rea for less-than-positive around the world A series of unpleasant events have defined A series of unpleasant events have in recent years. to the outside world Niger in the north of the 2007 the Tuareg In country began a rebellion against Niger’s whom it accusedgovernment, of hoarding enormous min proceeds from the region’s Niger Niger Today