A Hausa Courtier in the Village of Kawari -- Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

The Republic of Niger is one of the largest countries in West Africa in area, but one of the least densely populated. Over 90 percent of the population of Niger lives in the southwest corner of the country near the fertile Niger River basin. Located on the edge of the Niger River is the capital of Niger, Niamey, a major trading center of West Africa with a long history. The Parc National du W in the extreme south of the country is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains diverse wildlife such as antelope, baboons, cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, hyenas, leopards, lions, and a large number of bird species.

The remaining two-thirds of Niger is covered by desert. The vast Ténéré Desert, with orange sand dunes rising over 200 meters in height, has a reputation as one of the most beautiful deserts in the Saharan region. To the south of the Ténéré Desert are the volcanic Aïr Mountains, dotted with hot springs and oases.

Preparation of Hanza, in Dan Barko (Gangara Canton) -- Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

Niger is the origin of the ancient Hausa people, who today make up over 54 percent of Niger's population. Other groups include the nomadic Fulani and Tuareg, and the agricultural Djerma-Songhai. Islam is widely practiced in Niger, especially among the Hausa, Fulani, and Tuareg.

The Mosque of Agadez -- Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

The official language of Niger is French. However, a number of local languages are commonly spoken throughout the region and emphasized in schools. The Hausa language is widely used not only in Niger, but throughout all of the West African region. With approximately 22 million native speakers, and another 17 million that speak it as a second language, Hausa ranks as one of the world's major languages.

A Caravan of Camels Heading South through Mirria -- Photo courtesy of Africa Focus

Since 1974, more than 30 grants have been awarded to U.S. scholars to lecture and/or conduct research in Niger. Approximately half of these grantees renewed their lecturing awards for an additional term. The vast majority of grantees have been hosted by Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University (formerly known as the University of Niamey). Fulbright grant packages for Niger include support for tuition and fees for accompanying children. Just under half of U.S. Fulbright scholars in Niger have been accompanied by their spouses and/or children.

CIES encourages interested applicants to make use of the following links to complement their research into potential opportunities available in Niger. Please also feel free to use the contact information to get in touch with CIES program personnel.

Embassy of Niger in Washington D.C.
http://www.nigerembassyusa.org/
Embassy and consular information, as well as a country profile and extensive information on Niger's government, business and finance, and tourism. Also includes current news and links.

U.S. Embassy in Niamey, Niger
http://usembassy.state.gov/niamey/
In English and French. U.S. Embassy site with consular information, public affairs and American citizen services, information on U.S. policy towards Africa, and links to U.S. government, press, academic, and cultural sites.

Embassy World website
http://www.embassyworld.com/maps/Maps_Of_Niger.html
Links to a variety of standard and interactive maps of Niger.

La République du Niger
http://membres.lycos.fr/zenguinana/
In French. Includes current news, information about Niger's geography, politics, people, culture, cuisine, national anthem, and a discussion forum.

Friends of Niger
http://www.friendsofniger.org/
Non-profit organization website, involved in various activities related to Niger. Website contains an Online newsletter (with archived back issues), a message board, and a guest book with numerous contacts.

The Africa Guide
http://www.africaguide.com/country/niger/index.htm
Useful information for visitors to Niger. Also includes a number of links to books and other information pertaining to Niger.

Mbendi - Information for Africa
http://www.mbendi.co.za/land/af/ni/p0005.htm
News reports, upcoming events, political and economic outlooks, industry information, and general information pertaining to Niger.

Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/niger/
Traveler's information on Niger, including sections on events, activities, culture, and history.

U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/5474.htm
Background information on Niger including political conditions, foreign relations, relations with the U.S., history, people, government, economy, and business.

Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Réseau Sahélien de Recherche et de Publication
http://www.ird.ne/resadep/
In French.

Geography Department, Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey
http://www.uni-hohenheim.de/~atlas308/gen_info/html/english/uam_engl.htm

Le Républician
http://www.republicain-niger.com/
In French. Weekly independent newspaper of Niger.

All Africa
http://allafrica.com/niger/
News stories pertaining to Niger.

Africa Online
http://www.africaonline.com/site/
General news for all of Africa including business and discussions, including country-specific information.

Friends of Niger Message Board
http://www.friendsofniger.org/bbs/
Part of the Friends of Niger website.

Africa Focus - Sights and Sounds of a Continent
http://africafocus.library.wisc.edu/
An Online collection of photographs and digitized sound recordings from every country in Africa, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries and the University of Wisconsin-Madison African Studies Program.