Short facts about the geography of Niger

Location:

Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  1.267 million sq km land:  1,266,700 sq km water:  300 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:

total:  5,697 km border countries:  Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:

predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Niger River 200 m highest point:  Mont Greboun 1,944 m

Natural resources:

uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum

Land use:

arable land:  3% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  7% forests and woodland:  2% other:  88% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

660 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:

overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:

landlocked

Source: World Factbook