
Niger, or the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Libya borders it to the north, Algeria and Mali to the west, Burkina Faso and Benin to the south, and Nigeria and Chad to the east. With an area of 1,267,000 square kilometres, it is one of the largest countries in West Africa. The population of Niger is estimated at over 21 million people as of 2019. Despite its size and population, Niger remains one of the least developed countries in Africa, with many citizens living below the poverty line. The economy relies heavily on subsistence agriculture which contributes about 50% of GDP, and livestock herding, which accounts for almost another 20%. Social services such as healthcare are not widely available across all parts of Niger due to a lack of infrastructure and financial resources.