Niger is a developing country. Much of the non-desert portions of the country are threatened by periodic drought and desertification. The economy is concentrated around subsistence and some export agriculture clustered in the more fertile south, and the export of raw materials—especially uranium ore. Niger remains handicapped by its landlocked position, desert terrain, poor education and poverty of its people, lacking infrastructure, poor health care, and environmental degradation.

Nigerien society reflects a great diversity drawn from the long independent histories of its several ethnic groups and regions and their relatively short period living in a single state. Historically, what is now Niger has been on the fringes of several large states. Since independence, Nigeriens have lived under five constitutions and three periods of military rule. A majority live in rural areas, and have little access to advanced education.

Niger is a landlocked nation in West Africa located along the border between the Sahara and Sub-Saharanregions. Its geographic coordinates are latitude 16°N and longitude 8°E. Its area is 1,267,000 square kilometres (489,191 sq mi) of which 300 square kilometres (116 sq mi) is water. This makes Niger slightly less than twice the size of the U.S. state of Texas, and the world's twenty-second largest country (after Chad). Niger is comparable in size to Angola.

Niger borders seven countries on all sides and has a total of 5,697 kilometres (3,540 mi) of borders. The longest border is with Nigeria to the south (1,497 km/930 mi). This is followed by Chad to the east, at 1,175 km (730 mi), Algeria to the north-northwest (956 km/594 mi), and Mali at 821 km (510 mi). Niger also has small borders in its far southwest frontier with Burkina Faso at 628 km (390 mi) and Benin at 266 km (165 mi) and to the north-northeast (Libya at 354 km (220 mi).

Niger's subtropical climate is mainly very hot and dry, with much desert area. In the extreme south there is atropical climate on the edges of the Niger River basin. The terrain is predominantly desert plains and sand dunes, with flat to rolling savanna in the south and hills in the north.

The lowest point is the Niger River, with an elevation of 200 metres (656 ft). The highest point is Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès in the Aïr Massif at 2,022 m (6,634 ft).

In Niger, serious depletion of vegetation has been caused by the burning of brush and grass to prepare for the planting of crops, often on marginal land; by overgrazing of range lands; and by tree cutting for fuel and construction. Soil erosion and increasing desertification have also occurred. The nation has 3.5 cubic kilometers of renewable water resources. About 82% percent is used in farming activity and 2% for industrial activity. Safe drinking water is available to 70% of urban dwellers and 56% of the rural population. Only 79% of the nation's city dwellers have adequate waste disposal.

With Benin and Burkina Faso, Niger administers "W" National Park, of which 334,375 hectares (826,254 acres) are in Niger. There are also several game reserves, but resources for safeguarding protected fauna are insufficient. The nation's wildlife is endangered by unlawful hunting and poaching. As of 2001, 11 of Niger's mammal species and 2 of its bird species are endangered. Threatened species include the addax, cheetah, and dama gazelle. The Sahara oryx has become extinct in the wild.

Read more: Environment - Niger - crops, farming http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Niger-ENVIRONMENT.html#ixzz0hoWIarV9

This large, slate grey tree squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus) has an unusually full, fluffy tail and white belly. Larger than common gray squirrels, some fox squirrel subspecies measure up to 28 inches long and weigh up to three pounds. Once found throughout the Delmarva Peninsula, remnant populations of the Delmarva fox squirrel now persist naturally only in portions of Queen Anne's, Talbot and Dorchester Counties in Maryland. Translocated populations now exist in other areas of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and a small area in Chester, Pennsylvania. The fox squirrel is found mostly in mixed stands of mature (acorn-producing) hardwoods and mature loblolly pines. Other areas include groves of trees along streams and bays, small woodlots in agricultural fields and forest near salt marshes.

Aspergillus niger is a fungus and one of the most common species of the genus Aspergillus. It causes a disease called black mold on certain fruits and vegetables such as grapes, onions, and peanuts, and is a common contaminant of food. It is ubiquitous in soil and is commonly reported from indoor environments, where its black colonies can be confused with those of Stachybotrys (species of which have also been called "black mold").^[1]

Some strains of A. niger have been reported to produce potent mycotoxins called ochratoxins,^[2] but other sources disagree, claiming this report is based upon misidentification of the fungal species. Recent evidence suggests some true A. niger strains do produce ochratoxin A.^[1][

Niger, one of the world's poorest countries, has been especially hard hit by the collapse of the uranium market and is dependent on subsistence farming as the backbone of its economy. A high population growth rate puts pressure of the few remaining forest lands. Consequently, between 1990 and 2005, the country lost 679,000 hectares or 34.9 percent of its forest cover. 

In Niger, formerly forested lands are plagued with soil loss and desertification. The Sahara desert, which already covers two-thirds of the country, is expanding at a rate of 200,000 hectares annually. In an effort to slow the Saraha's progress, the government planted more than 60 million trees between 1985 and 1997. 

As of 2003, about 8 percent of Niger's land area was protected, but poaching and habitat loss are taking a heavy toll on the country's wildlife. 

From a biodiversity standpoint, Niger has some 1,460 species of plants, 131 mammals, 493 birds, and 58 reptiles. 

September 2006 – Access to safe drinking water is a daily struggle for the people of Niger, especially women and girls, who are responsible for collecting water for their families.