Interesting Facts About Niger - Fun Facts About Niger

Whether you romance the idea of a bumpy camel ride across the beautiful dunes of the Sahara, or just find the thought of travelling in jam-packed bush taxis across magnificent mazes of mud brick architecture utterly thrilling, the Niger delta is one place that won’t disappoint you! Landlocked in the Western corners of Africa, Niger is cocooned between Sahara and sub-Saharan regions and apparently draws its name from the famed Niger River which flows through the southwestern part of its territory. Home to ancient relics and pre-historic rock carvings, Niger once served as important economic crossroads. However, today Niger stands as one of the poorest nations in the world. Predominantly an Islamic nation, Niger prides itself on its excellent inter-communal relationships. Niger is one of the poorest economies in the world, and its economy strength is largely based on internal markets, subsistence agriculture, and the export of raw commodities. To know more about Niger, check out the following fun and interesting facts.

Image: Mark Hillary@flickr

Interesting & Fun Facts About Niger

Did you know that the official language of Niger is not Swahili but French?
Zinder was the former capital of Niger before Niamey was declared as its official capital in 1926.
Niger is primarily divided into seven regions and one capital district.
Niger shares its territorial boundaries with seven other African countries. They being Nigeria, Chad, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin and Libya.
The name Niger is derived from the phrase gher n-gheren which means “river among rivers,” in the Tamashek language.
The currency of Niger is the CFA Franc (CFAF).
Niger has lowest ‘Human Development Index’ on Earth.
Niger apparently ranks among the poorest economies in the world.
The country of Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world and is famously nicknamed as ‘Frying Pan of the World’.
Mt. Greboun is the highest point in Niger. It stands approximately 6,379 feet (1,944 meters) tall.
Niger is home to one of the world’s largest protected reserves, the Air and Tenere Natural Reserves, which is the refuge for animals like addax, Cheetah, oryx and the gazelle.
The people of Niger are called as Nigeriens.
The remains of the dinosaur ‘Nigersaurus’, better known for its long neck and hammerhead skull was discovered in Niger.
The Hausa forms the largest ethnic group in Niger and comprises of more than half of the total population of the country.
Slavery was declared illegal in Niger in May 2004.
The sprawling Musée National du Niger is one of West Africa's excellent standouts.
Niger’s initial contacts with the West began whenthe first European explorers, Mungo Park (British) and Heinrich Barth (German) came to the land looking for the Niger River.
The land of Niger is vaguely less than twice the size of the US state of Texas.
According to a 2008 survey, there are approximately 80, 000 internet users in Niger.
On August 3, 1960 Niger became independent from France and experienced single-party and military rule till 1991.
The Nigerian flag is perfectly square in shape and the colors of orange, white and green stand for the Sahara desert, purity and innocence, and green vegetation and fruitful agricultural areas of the country respectively.

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