Qatar (2002) | Niger (2001) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Salal | 7 departments (departements, singular - departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.2% (male 102,110; female 98,053)
15-64 years: 72.1% (male 403,508; female 168,428) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 15,299; female 5,943) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
47.97% (male 2,528,484; female 2,439,051) 15-64 years: 49.75% (male 2,518,400; female 2,633,677) 65 years and over: 2.28% (male 123,589; female 111,955) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish | cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry |
Airports | 4 (2001) | 27 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 2 (2002) |
total:
9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 11,437 sq km
land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
Background | Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe. | Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule in December 1999. |
Birth rate | 15.78 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 50.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $5 billion
expenditures: $4.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $900 million (FY01/02 est. ) |
revenues:
$377 million, including $146 million from foreign sources expenditures: $377 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | Doha | Niamey |
Climate | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers | desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south |
Coastline | 563 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution | the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999 |
Country name | conventional long form: State of Qatar
conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar |
conventional long form:
Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger |
Currency | Qatari rial (QAR) | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
Death rate | 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $13.1 billion (2000 est.) | $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Maureen E. QUINN
embassy: Al-Luqtas District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4298 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles O. CECIL embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 |
Disputes - international | none | Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $341 million (1997)
note: the IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative |
Economy - overview | Oil accounts for more than 30% of GDP, roughly 80% of export earnings, and 58% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.7 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to that of the leading West European industrial countries. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 7 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total, third largest in the world. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore natural gas reserves. In 2000, Qatar posted its highest ever trade surplus of $7 billion, due mainly to high oil prices and increased natural gas exports, and managed to maintain the surplus in 2001. | Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $35 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation. |
Electricity - consumption | 8.556 billion kWh (2000) | 401 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 215 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 9.2 billion kWh (2000) | 200 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m |
lowest point:
Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Greboun 1,944 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities | 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% | Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates |
Exchange rates | Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.6400 (fixed rate) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro |
Executive branch | chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince JASSIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, third son of the monarch (selected crown prince by the monarch 22 October 1996); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the armed forces
head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, brother of the monarch (since 20 January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in March 1999, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council, which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services |
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 note: President Ibrahim BARE was assassinated on 9 April 1999; subsequent elections were held under the nine-month provisional government of Major Daouda Mallam WANKE cabinet: 23-member cabinet appointed by President TANDJA elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Mamadou TANDJA elected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 59.9%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40.1% |
Exports | $11 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $385 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum products 80%, fertilizers, steel | uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions (1998 est.) |
Exports - partners | Japan 43%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6%, US 4%, UAE 2% (1999) | France 45%, Nigeria 27%, UK 11% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side | 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 - $16.3 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 49% services: 50% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
40% industry: 18% services: 42% (1998) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $21,200 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.6% (2001 est.) | 3.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 25 30 N, 51 15 E | 16 00 N, 8 00 E |
Geography - note | strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits | landlocked |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 1,230 km
paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1996) |
total:
10,100 km paved: 798 km unpaved: 9,302 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995) |
Imports | $3.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $317 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals | consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals |
Imports - partners | UK 10%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, Italy 6%, US 6% (1998) | France 22%, Cote d'Ivoire 15%, Nigeria 8%, US 3% (1999) |
Independence | 3 September 1971 (from UK) | 3 August 1958 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement | uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses |
Infant mortality rate | 20.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 123.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2001) | 2.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 130 sq km (1998 est.) | 660 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 280,122 (1997 est.) | 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4% |
Land boundaries | total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 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: 1.27%
permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.46% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 2% other: 88% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language | French (official), Hausa, Djerma |
Legal system | discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters | based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)
note: the constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held since 1970, when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since |
unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.88 years
male: 70.4 years female: 75.48 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
41.59 years male: 41.74 years female: 41.44 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79% male: 79% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 13.6% male: 20.9% female: 6.6% (1995 est.) |
Location | Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia | Western Africa, southeast of Algeria |
Map references | Middle East | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 679,081 GRT/1,051,088 DWT
ships by type: cargo 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 7, petroleum tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1, United Arab Emirates 3 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force | Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $723 million (FY00/01) | $20 million (FY96) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 10% (FY00/01) | 1.1% (FY96) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 316,885
note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.) |
males age 15-49:
2,202,608 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 166,214 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
1,190,787 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 6,797 (2002 est.) | males:
108,993 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 3 September (1971) | Republic Day, 18 December (1958) |
Nationality | noun: Qatari(s)
adjective: Qatari |
noun:
Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien |
Natural hazards | haze, dust storms, sandstorms common | recurring droughts |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, fish | uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum |
Net migration rate | 18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | none | Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 793,341 (July 2002 est.) | 10,355,156 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 63% (1993 est.) |
Population growth rate | 3.02% (2002 est.) | 2.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Doha, Halul Island, Umm Sa'id (Musay'id) | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 5, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998) |
Radios | 256,000 (1997) | 680,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim 95% | Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.4 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.57 male(s)/female total population: 1.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | suffrage is limited to municipal elections | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
domestic: NA international: tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat |
general assessment:
small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 142,000 (1997) | 16,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 43,476 (1997) | 13,000 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus three repeaters) (2001) | 10 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel | predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north |
Total fertility rate | 3.1 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 7.08 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.7% (2001) | NA% |
Waterways | none | 300 km
note: the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March |