Geography and Environment of Niger

The Republic of Niger covers 1,267,000 square kilometers (490,000 square miles). Landlocked, it is bordered by seven countries. Niger is in the heart of the Sahel, the transitional zone between the tropical West African coast and the Sahara Desert. Northern Niger is part of the Sahara, with vast expanses of rocky and sandy wilderness broken only by occasional oases. "Sahel" in Arabic means "border." From north-central Niger to its northeast corner are the Air and Djado Mountains with peaks rising to 1,850 meters (6,000 feet) while partially arable savanna is found south of the 15th parallel. Niger's capital city, Niamey, sits on the banks of the Niger River, which flows through much of West Africa and is the 12th longest river in the world and the third-longest in Africa.

Detailed geography