Area:

1,267,000 km2

Population:

16 Million

Climate:

The climate is of the semi-arid tropical type, characterized by two seasons: a dry season from October to May and a rainy season from June to September. During the dry season, the average temperature varies from 18° C to 31° C. During this season, the Harmattan (dry and hot wind) is dominant throughout the country. During the rainy season, the average temperature varies from 28° C to 31° C. The Monsoon (wet wind) blowing from Southwest to the Northeast is dominant in the main parts of the country. The most extreme temperatures recorded are – 2.4° C (in January 1995 in Bilma) for the minimum temperature, and 49.5° C for the maximum temperature.

Natural Resources:

Agriculture and cattle breeding production contributes up to 38 % of the country’s GDP. Forestry and fisheries constitutes 6 %. The GDP contribution from Niger industrial sector is around 18% through textiles, cement, soap, and beverages. The service sector constitutes about 37 % of the GDP.

Agriculture:

Niger’s agriculture sector primarily exports of livestock, cowpeas and onions. Other agricultural products from Niger include cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava and rice.

Climate Vulnerabilities:

Some of the main extreme weather events occurring in Niger include; Floods, droughts sandstorms, extreme temperatures and stormy winds. These events have adverse effects on the national economy in general and on the most vulnerable sectors are; decrease in crop production; fodder for livestock deficit; shortage of water ponds; water ponds silting up; reduction of forested areas; decrease in fisheries production; decrease in biological diversity (species extinction and habitats deterioration); and increase in the rate of contracted diseases such as measles, meningitis, malaria and respiratory diseases.

Source:

http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/napa/ner01e.pdf

Terminologies:

Climate, Harmattan, Bilma, Sandstorms, Floods, Monsoon.

http://www.africanclimate.net/en/glossary-climate-related-terminologies