Part 544

Defense -------

Branches: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 988,883 males fit for military service: 608,753 males reach military age (18) annually: 47,786 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $28.1 million, NA% of GDP (1996)

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@Niger -----

Map ---

Location: 16 00 N, 8 00 E -- Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

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

Geography ---------

Location: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 1.267 million sq km land area: 1,266,700 sq km comparative area: 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)

International disputes: Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; Burkina Faso and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

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.)