Settlements and population pressure

Département de Géographie Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey (Niger)
B.P. 418 Niamey, Niger, e-mail: depgeo@intnet.ne

As crossing point between the Black and Arab Africa, Niger is a melting point of different ethnic groups. With regard to its surface (1,267,000 km2) and its population it may appear being without major importance. The population is constituted of 96,2 % sedentary and 3,8 % nomadic inhabitants. The major characteristic is a fast population growth which leads to several future implications. In this country with its conservative social environment and a mainly subsistence based economy, which is influenced by repeated draughts, the steady fall of the market price of the only natural resource (uranium) and the enormous foreign debts lead to an accentuation of the poverty. The social indicators show values which are under the lowest on the globe (gross income per inhabitant in 1998 equals 220 $, see also tables 1-4).

The ethno-linguistic groups

The Haussa in the central south between Dogondoutchi and Zinder are sedentary farmers, traders and craftsmen (leather, clothing). They form the major ethnic group in Niger (53 %). The Kanouri in the east between Zinder and Lake Chad are also farmers and traditionally produce salt. They represent 4.4 % of the population. 21,2 % of the population belong to the Djerma and Songhay ethnic groups. Both use the same language and in their majority are farmers. The Songhay are present in the north-west of the capital Niamey, mainly west of the river Niger. On the other hand, most of the Djerma settlements are found east of the river. Members of the Peulh ethnic group are found everywhere in the country and represent 9.9 % of the total population. They are nomads but among them also sedentary people are found. Their dominant activity is cattle raising. The Bororo Peulh appear in the north of Tahoua and Tanout, south of Agadez and around Dakoro. The majority lives as nomads. The Touareg occupy the Air and Azaouak in the north. They depend on livestock raising. As minorities they can be found all-over the country. Other minority groups are the Toubou (0.4 %) around Diffa, Goure and Bilma and the Arabs (0.3 %) north of Tahoua and N’guigmi and west of Agadez. The Gourmantche (0.3 %) live at the frontier to Burkina Faso. Finally, naturalised persons and foreigners make up 0.2 %.

Niger experiences a steady population growth, as can be derived by the following figures:
1905:     1,075,000 inhabitants
1940:     2,070,000 inhabitants
1970:     4,024,000 inhabitants
1977:     5,098,427 inhabitants
1988:     7,251,626 inhabitants
1999:     9,600,000 inhabitants

This means a ten-fold increased population within one century. The recent growth rate amounts to 3.3 %. It is the highest in the Sahel and one of the highest in the world. It results from a high birth rate (5 %) and a mortality which is also high but lower than the birth rate (1.7 %). This dynamic growth is based on a high fertility index (7.6 per woman) and a relative high share of young people. More than 50 % of the population is younger than 15 years old, 47 % have an age between 15 and 60 years and only 3 % are older than 60 years. With a steady population growth of 3.3 %, the total population would reach 24,000,000 in 2020. If it would decline, still a 16 million population is to be expected in 2020.

75 % of the population live in one quarter of the territory. The Agadez prefecture with a surface of 56.6 % does serve as residence only to 2.8 % of the population. In contrast, Maradi represents only 3 % of the surface but gives place to 20 % of the population. Moreover, the population densities are extremely variable: Agadez (0.3), Diffa (1.2), Dosso (30.3), Maradi (33.3), Tahoua (11.3), Tillaberi (13.7), Zinder (9). The national average reaches 5.7 in 1988. The Agadez prefecture and the capital Niamey attract the most migrants. In contrast, the prefectures of Tillaberi, Tahoua, Zinder and Dosso are not attractive. Emigration directions are Ivory coast, Sudan, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Libya. The sometimes strong emigration responds to the food insecurity, the lack of income from non agricultural activities, a spatial disequilibrium with regard to social services and the increasing poverty of the population. However, on the other hand, Niger also receives immigrants from Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo and Chad.

The disequilibrium between demographic pressure and economic growth is one of the major national problems. It leads to an excessive pressure on the land resources. An extension of agricultural activities is in progress, mainly onto marginal lands which have formerly been reserved to cattle raising. The forest area was strongly reduced. One consequence of the above mentioned disequilibrium is that the per capita grain production has decreased from 325 kg in 1960/62 to about 245 kg in 1990/92. Nowadays, Niger is classed among the less developed countries in the world. Enormous investments have to be made in order to preserve the natural resources, to reduce the alimentary deficit, to increase alphabetisation, the coverage of sanitary services, to ameliorate the drinking water services, and to create new job opportunities.

Growth rate (%)         Economy         Population
1960-1965                     5,5                     2,5
1966-1977                     -0,3                    2,8
1988-1990                     1,5                     3,3

Therefore, a national action plan has been developed in 1994. It relies on the development of human resources, amelioration of the sanitary and alimentary situation, birth control, and intensification of information and education. But these goals are not easy to reach in a very traditional society. Consequently, in addition to the government, also non governmental organisation and the private sector have to be encouraged to contribute to an amelioration of the living conditions in the whole country.

The demographic pressure is the most important factor for the weak state of all development actions in Niger. Besides the control of the population growth, the improvement of the financial situation and environmental protection are the most important policy priorities in order to facilitate development. In order to reduce the demographic pressure, the whole population has to be informed and involved. Additionally, international action is required to ameliorate the living conditions.

Conférence des ministres du CILSS Chargés de la population : Politique de population au Sahel "quelles perspectives" Ouagadougou du 16-17 Octobre 1997, 21 pages, Ministère de l'économie et des finances BCR : Recensement général de la population 1988, 114 pages.

Ministère du plan, direction de la statistique et des comptes Nationaux. Enquête Nationale sur le budget et la consommation des ménages (ENBC),Niamey, 1993.

Ministère de l'éducation nationale: Annuaire des statistiques scolaires 1997-1998 DEP Niamey, 167 pages.

Ministère des Finances et du Plan, Secrétariat d'État au Plan, Direction du développement régional et de l'aménagement du territoire. Les arrondissements du Niger, images socio-économiques, Niamey, juin 1993

Ministère du Développement Social, de la Population et de la Promotion de la Femme;direction de la promotion de la femme : femmes nigériennes, le mythe et la réalité, Niamey ,1995

Population et Action Internationale : le défi de la population en Afrique : Accélérer le progrès de la santé reproductive 1998 série n° 4, 86 pages.

Banque Mondiale, 1998 : "Rapport sur le développement dans le monde, 1988-1999 : Le savoir au service du développement" Oxford University Press, 252 pp.

"Enquête Démographique et de Santé au Niger, 1992". septembre 1993 : Direction de la Statistique et des Comptes Nationaux, Ministère des Finances et du Plan, Niamey, MACRO international Inc, Columbia, Maryland USA, 296 pp.

Ministère du Développement Social, de la Population et de la promotion de la femme, Direction de la population, "Population et Développement au Niger : Un appel à l'action" 1994 : 29 pp.

Bureau du Coordonnateur Résident des Nations Unies, République du Niger, "Premier rapport sur le développement humain, Niger, 1997" - , 112 p,

Ministère du Développement Social de la Population et de la Promotion de la Femme; Direction de la population , Population du Niger, plaquette, une page, 1988.

Tiemogo Ibrahim, Élément de réflexion sur la pauvreté en milieu rural nigérien. Annales de l'Université
Abdou Moumouni de Niamey pp 89-103, Numéro hors série, Niamey, 1998

Tableau 2 État de la couverture sanitaire, scolaire, en électricité, téléphone et routes.

Ville	Niamey	Zinder	Maradi	Tahoua	Agadez	Arlit	Konni	Dosso	Doutchi	Tessaoua
Pop. 1956	22.907	14.295	11.390	13.074	4.531	-	6.960	2,446	4.885	4.740
Pop 1962	40.172	22.900	17.460	17.833	8.882	-	7.825	3.470	5.800	3.864
Croissance/an 1956-1962	9,8	8,2	7,4	5,3	7,2	-	2,0	5,5	7,4	3,4
Pop. 1977	233.414	53.914	44.458	31.252	20.843	10.388	16.288	16.959	14.629	10.590
Croissance/an 1977-1962	12,4	5,9	6,4	3,8	7,6	-	5,0	11,4	4,6	4,1
Pop. 1988	391.589	119.838	109.386	49.941	49.361	32.275	28.984	26.389	20.448	19.645
Croissance /an 1977-1988	4,8	7,5	8,5	4,4	82	10,9	5,4	4,1	3,1	5,8

Taux brut de ...	Quotient de mortalité infantile (pour mille, 1980)	Espérance de vie à la naissance (ans) 1980	Nombre moyen d'enfants par femme
Niger	170	44	7,1
Afrique	113	51	6,3
Monde entier	75	63	3,6

Taux brut de ...	Age moyen de mariage hommes femmes	Taux d'alphabétisation (pour cent)	Taux de scolarisation (pour cent)	Densité de la population (hab/km2)
Niger	23,6 16,4	12,5	23,6	5,7
Afrique	26 21	46	76	21
Monde entier	25 22	63	100	39

Département	Agadez	Diffa	Dosso	Maradi	Tillaberi	Tahoua	Zinder	Niamey	Total NIGER
Habitants/ Médecin (1991)	49.430	85.370	94.732	141.089	205.624	108.924	110.920	8.576	67.748
Taux de scolarisation	44,7	30,3	28,4	20,3	28,2	23,4	22,0	-	27,8
Énergie électrique KW/hab.1991	37,8	9,3	4,8	6,5	5,2	7,3	5,7	67	23,4
Capacité du réseau téléphonique (1990)Kilomètres	1.197	700	584	1.425	1.516	1.286	1.290	204,6	15.998
Route/km2	0,007	0,011	0,045	0,040	0,027	0,020	0,020	8.000	0,014

Département	Agadez	Diffa	Dosso	Maradi	Tillaberi	Tahoua	Zinder	Niamey	Total Niger
population totale	184.100	193.500	1.204.800	1.628.700	1.553.500	1.429.500	1.612.600	493.300	8 299 600
population Pauvre	80.300	94.500	912.800	1.053.700	1.250.100	725.200	944.600	208.100	5 269 300
pourcentage de pauvres	44 %	49 %	76 %	65 %	80 %	51 %	59 %	42 %	63%

Taux brut de ...	Natalité (pour mille)	mortalité (pour mille)	d'accroissement général (pour cent)	Taux de doublement de la population(ans)
Niger	52	20	3,3	21
Afrique	44	15	2,9	24
Monde entier	28	10	1,8	39