Niger is a country of 14 million people; the capital city is Niamey. The country has three different geographic zones; the north consists mostly of the Sahara Desert. The center is within the Sahel, which includes scrubland and sparse vegetation, and the south, which has the most fertile land due in large part to flooding from the Niger River. Most people live in the south, where the fertile land is. Niger has some of the world's lowest human development indexes; more than 60% of the country lives in poverty, and only 38% of children are enrolled in primary school. Niger achieved independence in 1960 and has periods of multiparty democracy broken up by periods of military rule. The Tuareg have also led Libyan-funded armed rebellions but signed a ceasefire in 1995. In 1996, Colonel Ibrahim Bare Mainassara seized power in an army coup arresting both the president and prime minister and then banning political activity. He launched his party in 1997 and stayed in power until 1999 when we have killed by soldiers in a palace coup. Mamadou Tandja won the next election in 1999 and 2009, introduced a new constitution, and dissolved parliament. In February 2010, another military coup seized power, and democracy was restored in 2011. Mahamadou Issofou was elected president and was re-elected again in 2016.

DATA VISUALIZATIONS

PROTESTS

Niger-April-2017


Niamey, Abdou Moumouni University
Hundred of students joined a demonstration demanding betting living and studying situations. The protest stopped traffic as demonstrators set up barricades made of tree trunks and stone, and burned tires on the road near campus. Police were called, and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. One student was killed and three police officers were later arrested after "allegedly assaulting a demonstrator". The school closed as a result of this protest. (Primary Source)