Niger is located in West-Africa along the border between the Sahara and Sahel regions. Its a landlocked country, about 650 kilometres removed from the sea.
The northern two-thirds of Niger are covered by the Sahara. The beautiful desert landscape is made of unending stripes of sand alternated with large areas of gravel and stones. In central Niger you can see the Aïr Mountains whose peaks show above the desert surface. The southern part of Niger is in the Sahel region. Between these two zones theres a transition zone which is the only protection for the northern part of the Sahel zone to become a desert. The intervention of the people has yet another bad influence on this zone.
The Niger River cuts through south-western Niger. The Yobe forms a part of the Niger-Nigeria border in the southeast. There are also many other small streams through southern Niger. Many of them are rocky river beds that are dry except in the rainy season.
We are lucky to visit Niger now because the best time to visit this country is in the cool and dry season, from December to February. Temperatures are now around 30°C while they can soar over 50°C in the hot season, from March to June. The air is so hot that the rain drops evaporate before they can reach the ground. By the way Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world. From April to May sandstorms occur regularly. The rainy season lasts from June till September, although rainfall is often unreliable.
In the rainy season natural disasters are never far away. Almost every year there is flooding caused by the rain that leaves thousands homeless.
You can see there are many different types of weather during the year, so its difficult to know which clothes are required. Lightweight clothes are advisable most of the year but you should take warmer clothes for the cool evenings. Dont forget your rainwear!
As in Nigeria, there are various ethnic groups in Niger. This wasnt new to us. The main groups in Niger are Hausa, Songhai, Tuareg, Fulani (or Fulbe) and Kanuri.
I was really surprised when I discovered that there are 5 national languages in Niger. Over 20 million West Africans speak Hausa as mother tongue and at least as much speak it as a second language. Another national language is French. French is used primarily in official written governmental and international correspondence; the local mother tongues are more often used in daily social interaction, markets, and trading.
History
The history of Niger begins in the 10th century. Nomadic Tuaregs then settled in the area that we now know as Niger. Around the 15th century they had built an impressive empire, but at the same time, the Songhai people had built an empire around the Niger River. The Songhai succeeded to conquer the empire of the Tuareg, but not for long. In the 16th century they were driven away by a Moroccan army.
During the Middle Ages the Niger region was on the central caravan route from North Africa to the Hausa states. At the end of the 19th century the French arrived in Niger and they made it, obviously, a French colony.
In 1958, Niger became a presidential republic and in 1960 they were declared independent.
In the 1990s there has been a bitter conflict with the nomadic Tuareg in the north of the country. Several different Tuareg insurgent groups emerge, demanding greater autonomy over their region and support for the ancient but threatened Tuareg culture. This conflict has held a long time. Eventually, in 1995, the government agrees a peace accord and an amnesty with one of the Tuareg groups. The last of them accepts the terms of the agreement in 1997.
As in Belgium, Niger sometimes suffers from a crisis. In 2009 this was the case.
In February 2010 there was another conflict by the army and they deposed the president. The coup group called itself the Supreme Council for Restoration of Democracy. The government said new elections in early 2011 took place. These elections were won by Mahamadou Issoufou who took office as new president.
The coup group called itself the Supreme Council for Restoration of Democracy. The government suggested new elections which took place in early 2011. These elections were won by Mahamadou Issoufou whos now president.
