Net migration rate:-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 121.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 125.93 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 117.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 43.5 yearsmale: 43.54 yearsfemale: 43.45 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:70,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:4,800 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)
Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien
Ethnic groups:Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 Frenchexpatriates
Religions:Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian
Languages:French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 17.6%male: 25.8%female: 9.7% (2003 est.)
Government Niger
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of Nigerconventional short form: Nigerlocal long form: Republique du Nigerlocal short form: Niger
Government type:republic
Capital:Niamey
Administrative divisions:8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district*(commune urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua,Tillaberi, Zinder
Independence:3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Constitution:new constitution adopted 18 July 1999
Legal system:based on French civil law system and customary law; has notaccepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999);note - the president is both chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head ofgovernment; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) wasappointed by the president and shares some executiveresponsibilities with the presidentcabinet: 27-member Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December2009); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent ofvote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%
Legislative branch:unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, Party for Socialismand Democracy in Niger 1, other 8
Judicial branch:State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA]; DemocraticRally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democraticand Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE];National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara[TANDJA Mamadou, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy andSocial Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni AdamouDJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya orPNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for Socialism and Democracyin Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Social Democracy or RSD [CheiffouAMADOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua orUPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46
Flag description:three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green witha small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the whiteband; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheelcentered in the white band
Economy Niger
Economy - overview:Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, a landlockedSub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops,livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Droughtcycles, desertification, a 3.3% population growth rate, and the dropin world demand for uranium have undercut the economy. Niger sharesa common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, theCentral Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven othermembers of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Nigerqualified for enhanced debt relief under the International MonetaryFund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concludedan agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and GrowthFacility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPCinitiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt serviceobligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, andother programs geared at poverty reduction. Nearly half of thegovernment's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Futuregrowth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, andother mineral resources.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$9.716 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3.5% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)
Labor force:70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
Unemployment rate:NA (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:63% (1993 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:50.5 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):3% (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sourcesexpenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products:cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Industries:uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing,chemicals, slaughterhouses
Industrial production growth rate:NA (2001 est.)
Electricity - production:266.2 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:327.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:80 million kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions
Exports - partners:France 41%, Nigeria 22.4%, Japan 15.3%, Switzerland 6%, Spain 4.1%,Ghana 4% (2004)
Imports:$400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners:France 14.4%, US 10.3%, French Polynesia 9.4%, Nigeria 7.8%, Coted'Ivoire 7.5%, Japan 5.2%, China 5.1%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)
Debt - external:$1.6 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$341 million (1997)
Currency (code):Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsibleauthority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code:XOF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Niger
Telephones - main lines in use:22,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:24,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephonecommunications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in thesouthwestern area of Nigerdomestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radiorelay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 plannedinternational: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios:680,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)
Televisions:125,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.ne
Internet hosts:134 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2002)
Internet users:15,000 (2002)
Transportation Niger
Highways:total: 10,100 kmpaved: 798 kmunpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:300 kmnote: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March(2004)
Ports and harbors:none
Airports:27 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 92,438 to 3,047 m: 21,524 to 2,437 m: 6under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 181,524 to 2,437 m: 2914 to 1,523 m: 14under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Military Niger
Military branches:Niger Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, NationalAir Force (2005)
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript serviceobligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 2,135,680 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 1,180,027 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 126,719 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$33.3 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:1.1% (2004)
Transnational Issues Niger
Disputes - international:Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute;much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,remains undemarcated, and states expect a ruling in 2005 from theICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; only Nigeriaand Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition toratify the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Nigeria
Introduction Nigeria
Background:Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution wasadopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian governmentwas completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding apetroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered throughcorruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. Inaddition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstandingethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundationfor economic growth and political stability. Despite someirregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civiliantransfer of power in Nigeria's history.
Geography Nigeria
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin andCameroon
Geographic coordinates:10 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 923,768 sq kmland: 910,768 sq kmwater: 13,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:total: 4,047 kmborder countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger1,497 km
Coastline:853 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north
Terrain:southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountainsin southeast, plains in north
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m
Natural resources:natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium,lead, zinc, arable land
Land use: arable land: 31.29% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 65.75% (2001)
Irrigated land:2,330 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:periodic droughts; flooding
Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone LayerProtection, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southwardthrough tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf ofGuinea
People Nigeria
Population:128,771,988note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2005 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.3% (male 27,466,766/female 27,045,092)15-64 years: 54.6% (male 35,770,593/female 34,559,414)65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,874,157/female 2,055,966) (2005 est.)
Median age:total: 18.63 yearsmale: 18.71 yearsfemale: 18.55 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:2.37% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:40.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:17.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 105.69 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 91.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 46.74 yearsmale: 46.21 yearsfemale: 47.29 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:5.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3.6 million (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:310,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever (2004)
Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian
Ethnic groups:Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous andpolitically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo(Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
Religions:Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
Languages:English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 68%male: 75.7%female: 60.6% (2003 est.)
Government Nigeria
Country name:conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeriaconventional short form: Nigeria
Government type:federal republic
Capital:Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officiallytransferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government officeshave now moved to Abuja
Administrative divisions:36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara
Independence:1 October 1960 (from UK)
National holiday:Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)
Constitution:new constitution adopted May 1999
Legal system:based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northernstates), and traditional law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmenthead of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernmentcabinet: Federal Executive Councilelections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than twofour-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be heldNA 2007)election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent ofvote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%
Legislative branch:bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - 3 fromeach state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular vote toserve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346 seats,members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next tobe held NA 2007)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; Houseof Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court ofAppeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the adviceof the Advisory Judicial Committee)
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All NigeriaPeoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives GrandAlliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP[Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI];Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; PeoplesSalvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria PeoplesParty or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force or NDPVF [Mujahid DokuboASARI]; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZORchancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELLembassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abujamailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagostelephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353
Flag description:three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green
Economy Nigeria
Economy - overview:Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomicmanagement, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilianadministration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversifythe economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oilsector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistenceagricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid populationgrowth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and thecountry, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a$1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failingto meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible foradditional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last yearthe government has begun showing the political will to implement themarket-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize thebanking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wagedemands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution ofearnings from the oil industry. During 2003 the government beganderegulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of thecountry's four oil refineries, and instituted the National EconomicEmpowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and runprogram modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facilityfor fiscal and monetary management. GDP rose strongly in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$125.7 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.3% industry: 30.5% services: 33.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force:55.67 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:60% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:50.6 (1996-97)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):16.5% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):18% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:revenues: $11.78 billionexpenditures: $11.47 billion, including capital expenditures of NA(2004 est.)
Public debt:20% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava(tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish
Industries:crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other constructionmaterials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:1.8% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:19.85 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:18.43 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:30 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:2.356 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Oil - proved reserves:34 billion bbl (2004 est.)
Natural gas - production:15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:4.007 trillion cu m (2004)
Current account balance:$5.228 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:$33.99 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber
Exports - partners:US 47.5%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 7.1% (2004)
Imports:$17.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodand live animals
Imports - partners:China 9.4%, US 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.4%,Germany 4.9%, Italy 4% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$14.71 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external:$30.55 billion (2004 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:IMF $250 million (1998)
Currency (code):naira (NGN)
Currency code:NGN
Exchange rates:nairas per US dollar - 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002),111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Nigeria
Telephones - main lines in use:853,100 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:3,149,500 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poormaintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been madedomestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwaveradio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellularfacilities and the Internet are availableinternational: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber opticsubmarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Radio broadcast stations:AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)
Radios:23.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)
Televisions:6.9 million (1997)
Internet country code:.ng
Internet hosts:1,142 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):11 (2000)
Internet users:750,000 (2003)
Transportation Nigeria
Railways:total: 3,557 kmnarrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gaugestandard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Highways:total: 194,394 kmpaved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)
Waterways:8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)(2004)
Pipelines:condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products3,626 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt
Merchant marine:total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWTby type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1,liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 31,refrigerated cargo 1foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 2, Pakistan 1)registered in other countries: 25 (2005)
Airports:70 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)
Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Nigeria
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force
Military service age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 26,804,314 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 15,053,936 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males: 1,353,161 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$544.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.8% (2004)
Transnational Issues Nigeria
Disputes - international:ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritimeboundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolvedifferences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation inless-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad inthe north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the BakassiPeninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces whilemuch of the indigenous population opposes cession; in 2004, some17,000 Nigerian refugees fleeing ethnic conflicts betweenpastoralists and farmers in 2002 still reside in Cameroon; the ICJruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-EquatorialGuinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, butimprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the unresolvedBakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between EquatorialGuinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem Riverall contribute to the delay in implementation; a joint task forcewas established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew themaritime and the 870-km land boundary with Benin on the OkparaRiver; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake ChadCommission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which alsoincludes Chad and Niger
Refugees and internally displaced persons:IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslimssince President OBASANJO's election in 1999) (2004)
Illicit drugs:a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, EastAsian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigeriannarcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;massive corruption and criminal activity; remains on FinancialAction Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List forcontinued failure to address deficiencies in money-launderingcontrol regime
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Niue
Introduction Niue
Background:Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differencesbetween its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the CookIslands, have caused it to be separately administered. Thepopulation of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in1966 to about 2,150 in 2005), with substantial emigration to NewZealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.
Geography Niue
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga
Geographic coordinates:19 02 S, 169 52 W
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 260 sq kmland: 260 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:64 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; modified by southeast trade winds
Terrain:steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
Natural resources:fish, arable land
Land use:arable land: 15.38%permanent crops: 11.54%other: 73.08% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:typhoons
Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands
People Niue
Population: 2,166 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate:0% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:NA births/1,000 population
Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate:NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio:NA
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Total fertility rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Niuean(s)adjective: Niuean
Ethnic groups:Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)
Religions:Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely relatedto the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%,Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)
Languages:Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;English
Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Government Niue
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island
Dependency status:self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retainsresponsibility for external affairs and defense; however, theseresponsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercisedat the request of the Government of Niue
Government type:self-governing parliamentary democracy
Capital:Alofi
Administrative divisions:none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions asdefined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at thesecond order
Independence:on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentarygovernment in free association with New Zealand
National holiday:Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereigntyover New Zealand), 6 February (1840)
Constitution:19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
Legal system:English common lawnote: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UKand New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High CommissionerJohn BRYAN (since NA May 2000)head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministerselections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by theLegislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent ofLegislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN(independent) 15%
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected bypopular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a commonroll and 14 are village representatives)elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue
Political parties and leaders:Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance ofIndependents or AI [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)
Flag description:yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a largeone on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm ofthe bold red cross
Economy Niue
Economy - overview:The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems ofgeographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfallis made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that areused to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut governmentexpenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. Theagricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consistsprimarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreigncollectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recentyears has suffered a serious loss of population because of migrationof Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include thepromotion of tourism and a financial services industry, althoughformer Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue willshut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from NewZealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastatinghurricane in January 2004, which decimated nascent economicprograms. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has beendependent on foreign aid.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$7.6 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:-0.3% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: NAindustry: NAservices: 55%
Labor force:NA
Labor force - by occupation:most work on family plantations; paid work exists only ingovernment service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board
Unemployment rate:NA
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (1995)
Budget:revenues: NAexpenditures: NA
Agriculture - products:coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava(tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle
Industries:tourism, handicrafts, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:3 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.79 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:20 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA
Oil - imports:NA
Exports:$137,200 (1999)
Exports - commodities:canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruitproducts, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts
Exports - partners:New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)
Imports:$2.38 million (1999)
Imports - commodities:food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,lubricants, chemicals, drugs
Imports - partners:New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)
Debt - external:$418,000 (2002 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)
Currency (code):New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Currency code:NZD
Exchange rates:New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
Communications Niue
Telephones - main lines in use:1,100 est (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:400 (2002)
Telephone system:domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages onislandinternational: country code - 683
Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:1,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:1 (1997)
Televisions:NA
Internet country code:.nu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2000)
Internet users:NA
Transportation Niue
Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)
Ports and harbors:none; offshore anchorage only
Airports:1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Niue
Military branches:no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of New Zealand
Transnational Issues Niue
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Norfolk Island
Introduction Norfolk Island
Background:Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony(1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, theisland was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of theBounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
Geography Norfolk Island
Location:Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:29 02 S, 167 57 E
Map references:Oceania
Area:total: 34.6 sq kmland: 34.6 sq kmwater: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:32 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)
Irrigated land:NA
Natural hazards:typhoons (especially May to July)
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs,but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area onSydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated
People Norfolk Island
Population: 1,828 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.01% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:NA
Death rate:NA
Net migration rate:NA
Sex ratio:NA
Infant mortality rate:total: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Life expectancy at birth:total population: NAmale: NAfemale: NA
Total fertility rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: Norfolk Islander(s)adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)
Ethnic groups:descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander,Polynesians
Religions:Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%,Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1%(2001 census)
Languages:English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English andancient Tahitian
Literacy:NA
Government Norfolk Island
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Islandconventional short form: Norfolk Island
Dependency status:territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealthresponsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department ofEnvironment, Sport, and Territories
Government type:NA
Capital:Kingston
Administrative divisions:none (territory of Australia)
Independence:none (territory of Australia)
National holiday:Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June(1856)
Constitution:Norfolk Island Act of 1979
Legal system:based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; Englishcommon law applies in matters not covered by either Australian orNorfolk Island law
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UKand Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since1 November 2003)head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister GeoffreyRobert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members ofthe Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy andacts as an advisor to the administratorelections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by thegovernor general of Australia; chief minister elected by theLegislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;election last held 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2%
Legislative branch:unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected byelectors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can begiven to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December2007)election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9(note - no political parties)
Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions
Political parties and leaders:none
Political pressure groups and leaders:none
International organization participation:UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (territory of Australia)
Flag description:three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with alarge green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly widerwhite band
Economy Norfolk Island
Economy - overview:Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased overthe years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual amonginhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector hasbecome self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):NA