Capital: Niamey
Administrative divisions: 7 departments (departements, singular - departement); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Zinder

Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution: approved by national referendum 16 December 1992; promulgated January 1993

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mahamane OUSMANE (since 16 April 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Mahamadou ISSOUFOU (since 17 April 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on recommendation of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elected by proportional representation for 5 year terms; elections last held 14 February 1993 (next election NA 1998); seats - (83 total) MNSD 29, CDS 22, PNDS 13, ANDP-Z 11, UPDP 2, PPN/RDA 2, UDFP 2, PSDN 1, UDPS 1

Judicial branch: State Court (Cour d'Etat), Court of Appeal (Cour d'Apel)

Political parties and leaders: National Movement of the Development Society (MNSD-NASSARA), Kada LABO, General Secretary; Democratic and Social Convention - Rahama (CDS- Rahama), Mahamane OUSMANE; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS), Mahamadou ISSOUFOU; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress - Zamanlahia (ANDP-Z), Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE; Union of Patriots, Democrats, and Progressives (UPDP), Andre SALIFOU; Niger Progressive Party - African Democratic Rally (PPN-RDA), Harou KOUKA; Niger Social Democrat Party (PADN), Malam Adji WAZIRI; Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), Akoli DAOUEL
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Adamou SEYDOU
chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 483-4224 through 4227
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador John DAVISON
embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
telephone: [227] 72-26-61 through 64
FAX: [227] 73-31-67

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Niger on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Niger Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Niger Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.