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NIGER
**President of Niger:** Mahamadou Issoufou

**Population:** 16,274,738 **Type of Government:** Semi- Presidental Republic
 * Background of President: ** Prior to Issoufou being president he was the Prime Minister of Niger in 1993-1994 and ran for president each time since 1993. From 1980-1985 Mahamadou was the Nation Director of Mines. He is married to A ïssata Issoufou and his second wife D r Malika Issoufou Mahamadou.

**Geography:** The Niger River flows through the southwest area of Niger where the only fertil area of the country is. The rest of the area gets little rain yearly and has very little vegetation. About 80% of Niger is covered by the Sahara Desert. Niger is a landlocked country, which means it is surrounded by other countries and no water.

**Economy:** Niger is going through really tough times with poverty, hunger, and having very little clean water. Niger is making money by exporting their goods and merchandise to other countries. Another big issue that Niger is working on is the poor education program that they have currently. In a Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan Niger is trying to make there education program better, improving their healthcare. Niger centers its income on mainly uranium, but its other big income come from crops and livestock. Drought is a big issue when it comes to Nigerien's crops because they usually get a yearly drought.


 * Social Structure:** Most people in Niger are farmers who provide enough food to feed themselves and their families. Any left over crops are sold. The nomadic Nigerien people have enslaved Fulani, Turger, Kanuri, Arabs, and Toubou people, and that makes up about 8% of Niger's population enslaved.


 * Safety and Rule of Law:** Mohamadou Issoufou passed a new budget for 2013 that will help to increase national security for Niger's people. He issued this budget because of the 800,000 enslaved Nigeriens. Also, this budget will help out Niger because there are threats from the Islamics how have taken over part of Mali.


 * Participation and Human Rights:**
 * Sustainable Economic Opportunity:** The economy will grow with the 2013 budget plan because a lot of money is going to mining of uranium, drilling for oil, and growing crops. Putting money towards those things will help Niger in their debt issue. It will also, provide Niger and Nigeriens with money to support their family, and growing demands.


 * Human Development:** The 2013 budget plan is helping out with providing a better and higher education for the children of Niger. Mohamadou has included helping out with the food crisis that is going on in Niger in the 2013 budget plan.


 * Friends:** Nigeria, Mali, and Benin
 * Foes:** Libya, Israel, and Chad


 * Refrences:**
 * 1) Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia is a good refrence because we both strongly believe that all of the different ethnic, religious, and races in our country should support each other and stand by one another.
 * 2) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda is a good refrence because we both believe in the safety and protection of our people.
 * 3) Mohammed Morsi of Egypt is another good refrence because we both have a huge dependence on farming to boost our economy, and help our people eat.

Work Cited:

Niger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, Ino, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. ."Niger government adopts $2.53 bln budget for 2013 - "Religion Should Not Be a Barrier - Aliyu." //Africa News Service// 10 Sept. 2012. //Global Issues In Context//. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. Yahoo! News." //Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines//. Niamey Reuters, 22 Sept. 2012. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. .