Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 10.1
Map of Niger Republic and it neighboring countries. The country is bordered to the
north by Algeria and Libya, to the west by Mali and Burkina Faso, to the east by Chad and to the
south by Benin and Nigeria
2
Environmental Challenges and Responses
2.1
Socio-economic Context
Niger's population was about 17.5 million in 2011 with about half of them under 18
years of age. The annual growth rate of 3.3 % is one of the highest in Africa. Rural
industries provide a livelihood for the majority. The production from agriculture,
cattle breeding, forest, fauna and fishing provides 41 % of the GDP and provide
44 % of the export income.
At the national level, the poverty profile indicates 63 % are classified as poor,
among which 86 % are in the rural areas. Totally, 66 % live below the poverty line.
Many of them subsist on less than a dollar a day following traditional farming and
livestock rearing in this harsh and uncompromising climate. The health situation
is characterized by a high prevalence of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and
other respiratory infections. Regarding education, one child in two has access to
primary education; one in ten to secondary and only one adult in five is fully literate.
The gross percentage of children in full time education is about 35 %.
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