AFRICA

AFRICA CONTINENT with regions (North, South, East, West) : Colonized by Europe and US during last phase of colonialism 1807: Britain abolished slave trade 1834: Britain abolished slavery & established “legitimate trade” in cash crops, turning subsistence economies into “mono crop” economies

AFRICA 1884: “Scramble for Africa” at the Berlin Conference on West Africa : 5 EU nations—Germany, Italy, Portugal, France, Britain ( + Spain, Belgium) sliced Africa up like a pie Most African nations fought for and won independence from their colonizers in the mid-1900s 1960: Niger became independent from France

NIGER

Straddles the Sahara & Sahel Deserts Fragile environment of semi-arid brush Farming: shifting cultivation Pre-colonial Economy: trans-Saharan trade in livestock, agricultural products Colonial Economy: cowpea trade (cash crop) Vulnerable to drought & unreliable global commodity markets

NIGER Size: about twice size of TX, 1 of hottest countries in the world Capital: Niamey 2005 population estimate = 11.6 million Ethnic Groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, & Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates Life Expectancy = 42 years Resources: gold, uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, cassava, and rice

NIGER ECONOMY Exports: uranium ore, livestock products, cowpeas, onions Imports: consumer goods, machinery, vehicles and parts, gasoline, cereal 2000: Qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Reduces Niger's annual debt: frees funds for basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and other programs Half Niger’s budget: from foreign donor resources Future growth: may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources

NIGER POLITICS 1993: held first free and open elections 1996 & 1999: military coups led by Tuaregs 1999: National Reconciliation Council facilitated transition to civilian rule Since 1999: President of the Republic, Mamadou Tandja

NIGER RELIGION 80%: Muslim 20%: Christian & indigenous beliefs *Many Nigerians practice one of the dominant world religions alongside their indigenous beliefs and practices.