Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or
Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and
TALBA, chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or
MAMADOU, chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic
Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya
Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives-Shamuwa or UPDP-Shamuwa
NA]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB,
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles O. CECIL
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top),
white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun)
centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has
a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
Economy
Economy—overview: Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, its major export since the 1970s. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid for operating expenses and public investment and is strongly induced to adhere to structural adjustment programs designed by the IMF and the World Bank. Short-term prospects depend largely on upcoming negotiations on debt relief and extended aid.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$9.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4.5% (1998 est.)