Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger
local long form: Republique du Niger
local short form: Niger
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Niamey
geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district*
(communite 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 not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999);
note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December
1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
appointed by the president and shares some executive
responsibilities with the president
cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); second round last held 4 December 2004
(next to be held December 2009); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of
vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%