Niger's high infant mortality rate is comparable to levels recorded in neighboring countries. However, the child mortality rate (deaths among children between the ages of 1 and 4) is exceptionally high (274 per 1,000) due to generally poor health conditions and inadequate nutrition for most of the country's children. Niger's very high fertility rate (7.4%), nonetheless, means that nearly half (49%) of the Nigerien population is under age 15. School attendance is very low (34%), including 38% of males and only 27% of females. Additional education occurs through Koranic schools.
Population: 10,075,511 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
48% (male 2,461,391; female 2,373,617)
15-64 years:
50% (male 2,445,369; female 2,563,839)
65 years and over:
2% (male 121,570; female 109,725) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.75% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 51.45 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 23.17 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1.11 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 124.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
41.27 years
male:
41.43 years
female:
41.11 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 7.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Nigerien(s)
adjective:
Nigerien
Ethnic groups: 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
Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
13.6%
male:
20.9%
female:
6.6% (1995 est.)