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 lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m
Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates
Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 7%
forest and woodland: 2%
other: 88%
Irrigated land: 320 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation;
desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant,
hippopotamus, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat
destruction
natural hazards: recurring droughts
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geographic note: landlocked
People ———
Population: 9,113,001 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 2,233,157; female 2,138,096)
15-64 years: 50% (male 2,202,413; female 2,317,188)
65 years and over: 2% (male 117,337; female 104,810) (July 1996 est.)