The landlocked Republic of the Niger is a former French colony made up of seven provinces. It is found in West Africa. The country shares borders with Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Algeria, and Libya. The most important regions are Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua. The country's entire surface area is 1,167,000 square kilometers. The area is dominated by sand dunes and arid plains, with hills to the north. Its climate is desert-like, scorching and dry. It has a population of more than 22.4 million people, making it Africa's 20th largest country by population. The capital of the country is Niamey. It is also the most populated city, with more than one million inhabitants.The largest airport is Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM), which serves approximately 170,000 passengers per year. The airport was named after Niger's first president, Hamani Diori. It connects African and French destinations. Nigerien culture is heavily influenced by tribal and colonial traditions. Muslims account for 99% of the overall population. French is the official language. The legal system combines French civil law, Islamic Sharia law, and customary law. The political structure is a semi-presidential republic. President Issoufou Mahamadou is currently the leader of state. Prime Minister Brigi Rafini leads the government. The official currency of the country is the West African CFA franc (XOF), with the current exchange rate of XOF 617 to the USD. The country has an open economy, with a GDP of over $23.4 billion. The per capita income is $1,213. The services and agriculture sectors generate the majority of the GDP. Agriculture accounts for nearly 40% of the country's GDP. Uranium, gold, oil, and cotton are among the other main exports. Niger intends to seek additional mining areas in order to improve extraction output.Tourists can discover the country's many natural and culturally unique sites. It has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites distributed around the country. These locations range from remote deserts to ancient towns. Some of the most popular tourist attractions include Zinder, the capital Niamey, Agadez, Ayorou, Abaaba National Park, and Balleyarai. Due to persistent security concerns and terrorist strikes in the Sahel, the majority of governments advise their nationals not to go to Niger at this time.
