World Factbook
Niger
République du Niger
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Literacy
male
47.9% (2022 est.)
female
25.7% (2022 est.)
total population
35.6% (2022 est.)
Languages
Hausa, Zarma, French (official), Fufulde, Tamashek, Kanuri, Gurmancema, Tagdal
note: represents the most-spoken languages; Niger has 10 national languages: Arabic, Buduma, Fulfuldé, Guimancema, Hausa, Kanuri, Sonay-Zarma, Tamajaq, Tassawaq, and Tubu
Religions
Muslim 95.5%, ethnic religionist 4.1%, Christian 0.3%, agnostics and other 0.1% (2020 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.92 male(s)/female
Birth rate
46.29 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
9.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
14.9 years
total
15.3 years (2025 est.)
female
15.6 years
Population
male
13,542,629
total
27,322,555 (2025 est.)
female
13,779,926
Nationality
noun
Nigerien(s)
adjective
Nigerien
Tobacco use
male
13.7% (2025 est.)
total
7.5% (2025 est.)
female
1.2% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
17.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
4.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
49.5% (male 6,567,460/female 6,463,877)
15-64 years
47.8% (male 6,146,355/female 6,451,574)
65 years and over
2.7% (2024 est.) (male 342,388/female 371,130)
Ethnic groups
Hausa 53.1%, Zarma/Songhai 21.2%, Tuareg 11%, Fulani (Peuhl) 6.5%, Kanuri 5.9%, Gurma 0.8%, Arab 0.4%, Tubu 0.4%, other/unavailable 0.9% (2006 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
108.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
102.6 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
17.7 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
5.7 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
5.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
7.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.3 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.55 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 40.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 48.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 88.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 59.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 51.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 11.7% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
12.8% national budget (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
69.2 deaths/1,000 live births
total
63 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
59.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
3.65% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
3.23 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
majority of the populace is located in the southernmost extreme of the country along the border with Nigeria and Benin, as shown in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
59.3 years
female
62.5 years
total population
60.9 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
350 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 15.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 26.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 84.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 73.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.437 million NIAMEY (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5.5% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
18.5 years (2012 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
81.3% (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
34.6% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
7 years (2017 est.)
total
6 years (2017 est.)
female
6 years (2017 est.)