Discover NIGER: Where they organize a Beauty Contest for MEN | 10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT IT
The beautiful country of Niger gets its name from River Niger which is the principal river in West Africa and the third longest river in Africa after the Nile and Congo rivers. The river flows through 5 West African countries from its source in Guinea through Mali, Niger, Benin and finally Nigeria into the Atlantic Ocean. The name River Niger is thought to come from the phrase ger-n-ger meaning river of rivers in Berber. Since Niger is landlocked the river is its main water source.
Niger has a land mass of around 1,270,000 km squared. According to the World Bank in 2021 Niger has a population of 24 million. Its capital Niamey is on the Niger River. Up to 80 percent of the country is covered by the Sahara desert. While the hot climate would be inhabitable for most people, Nigeriens have adapted to the climate. Nomadic pastoralists live in an intermediate zone between the Niger basin and the Sahara desert known as the sub-Saharan region but most of its population lives in the South of the country in the tropical climate near the edges of the Niger basin.
Niger’s official language is French spoken by most as a second language learnt in school. It also has 10 recognized national languages. The most widely spoken national languages are Hausa, Zarma-Songhay, Tamasheq spoken by the Tuareg and Fulfulde spoken by the Fulani. Arabic is also a national lanuage
Niger has a mixture of ethnic groups with some of the most unique cultures in Africa. The Tuareg people are a nomadic Berber group that inhabits countries in North Africa. Legend states that they moved to the Sahara in 400 AD under their first queen Tin Hinan. They are known for their Indigo veil that is worn by men but not women giving them the name the blue men of the Sahara. The veil is worn over the face to keep a moist flow of air as they breathe. The blue color also reduces the effects of UV radiation from the sun. The tuareg are muslims but they have also preserved many of their pre-Islamic traditions. Befo
