Bermuda (2001) | Niger (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint Georges, Sandys, Smiths, Southampton, Warwick | 8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
19.4% (male 6,091; female 6,230) 15-64 years: 69.43% (male 21,783; female 22,309) 65 years and over: 11.17% (male 3,073; female 4,017) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 46.9% (male 3,083,871/female 2,969,201)
15-64 years: 50.6% (male 3,354,783/female 3,174,039) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 155,430/female 157,541) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products | cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 28 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
Area | total:
58.8 sq km land: 58.8 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1.267 million sq km
land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
Background | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. | Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 BARE was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. A predominately Tuareg ethnic group emerged in February 2007, the Nigerien Movement for Justice (MNJ), and attacked several military targets in Niger's northern region throughout 2007. Events have since evolved into a budding insurrection. |
Birth rate | 12.16 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 50.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$504.6 million expenditures: $537 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (FY97/98) |
revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources)
expenditures: $320 million (2002 est.) |
Capital | Hamilton | name: Niamey
geographic coordinates: 13 31 N, 2 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter | desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south |
Coastline | 103 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 | new constitution adopted 18 July 1999 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
conventional long form: Republic of Niger
conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger |
Currency | Bermudian dollar (BMD) | - |
Death rate | 7.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 20.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $2.1 billion (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Consul General Lawrence D. OWEN consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire, Hamilton mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 20-73-31-69 FAX: [227] 20-73-55-60 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Djibrilla Maiga TOURE
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 |
Disputes - international | none | Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries |
Economic aid - recipient | $27.9 million (1995) | $515.4 million (2005) |
Economy - overview | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, having successfully exploited its location by providing financial services for international firms and luxury tourist facilities for 360,000 visitors annually. The tourist industry, which accounts for an estimated 28% of GDP, attracts 84% of its business from North America. The industrial sector is small, and agriculture is severely limited by a lack of suitable land. About 80% of food needs are imported. International business contributes over 60% of Bermuda's economic output; a failed independence vote in late 1995 can be partially attributed to Bermudian fears of scaring away foreign firms. Government economic priorities are the further strengthening of the tourist and international financial sectors. | Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking near last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and a 2.9% population growth rate, have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million Nigeriens. |
Electricity - consumption | 511.5 million kWh (1999) | 437.7 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 220 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 550 million kWh (1999) | 234.1 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
lowest point: Niger River 200 m
highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m |
Environment - current issues | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space | overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% | Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Touareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census) |
Exchange rates | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Thorold MASEFIELD (since NA June 1997) head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; governor invites leader of largest party in Parliament to form a government as premier |
chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Seyni OUMAROU (since 3 June 2007); 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 of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5% |
Exports | $56 million (2000 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | reexports of pharmaceuticals | uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions |
Exports - partners | UK 29.5%, US 9.8% (1997) | France 34.8%, US 26.6%, Nigeria 18.3%, Russia 11.3% (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.1 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1% industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.) |
agriculture: 39%
industry: 17% services: 44% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $33,000 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2000 est.) | 4.5% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 32 20 N, 64 45 W | 16 00 N, 8 00 E |
Geography - note | consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 | landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for livestock and limited agriculture |
Highways | total:
225 km paved: 225 km unpaved: 0 km note: in addition, there are 232 km of paved and unpaved roads that are privately owned (1997) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 0.8%
highest 10%: 35.4% (1995) |
Imports | $739 million (2000 est.) | 5,412 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals | foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals |
Imports - partners | US 34%, UK 9%, Mexico 8% (1997) | US 14.1%, France 12.1%, China 7.8%, Nigeria 7.7%, French Polynesia 7.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.9% (2006) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 3 August 1960 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5.1% (2003 est.) |
Industries | tourism, finance, insurance, structural concrete products, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, ship repairing | uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses |
Infant mortality rate | 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 116.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 120.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 112.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2000 est.) | 0.2% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 20 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 730 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts | State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 35,296 (1997) | 70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | clerical 23%, services 22%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 12%, sales 7%, agriculture and fishing 2% (1996) | agriculture: 90%
industry: 6% services: 4% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 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 |
Land use | arable land:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (55% developed, 39% rural/open space) (1997 est.) |
arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 88.56% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), Portuguese | French (official), Hausa, Djerma |
Legal system | English law | based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14 |
unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNSD 47, PNDS 25, CDS 22, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, PSDN 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.12 years male: 75.04 years female: 79.06 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 44.03 years
male: 44.05 years female: 44 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.7% male: 42.9% female: 15.1% (2005 est.) |
Location | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) | Western Africa, southeast of Algeria |
Map references | North America | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total:
105 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,836,538 GRT/9,728,045 DWT ships by type: bulk 27, cargo 4, container 15, liquefied gas 7, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 10, Hong Kong 10, Japan 1, Nigeria 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 3, Switzerland 2, UK 10, US 7 (2000 est.) |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary | Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger Air Force (2007) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 1.3% (2006) |
National holiday | Bermuda Day, 24 May | Republic Day, 18 December (1958) |
Nationality | noun:
Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian |
noun: Nigerien(s)
adjective: Nigerien |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (June to November) | recurring droughts |
Natural resources | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism | uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum |
Net migration rate | 2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Pamela GORDON] | Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma'a [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [Betty CHRISTOPHER] | The Nigerien Movement for Justice or MNJ, a predominantly Tuareg rebel group demanding concessions including a greater share of the country's uranium revenues from the government |
Population | 63,503 (July 2001 est.) | 12,894,865 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 63% (1993 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.74% (2001 est.) | 2.898% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamilton, Saint George | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001) |
Radios | 82,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% | Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
0.94 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.987 male(s)/female total population: 1.047 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: inadequate; small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is less than 3 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) | 24,000 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 7,980 (1996) | 323,900 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (1997) | 5 (2007) |
Terrain | low hills separated by fertile depressions | predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north |
Total fertility rate | 1.81 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 7.37 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NEGL% (1995) | NA% |
Waterways | none | 300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2005) |