Niger activity map
Niger (pronounced: /niːˈʒɛər/) is an arid, landlocked country of the Sahel with a population of 16 million. It is bordered by Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria, Chad and Libya. Niger is a former French colony which was granted independence in 1960. The land is mostly desert plains and dunes, with rolling savanna in the southeast.