_#_Judicial branch: State Court (Cour d'Etat), Court of Appeal
(Cour d'Apel)

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--President Brig. Gen. Ali SAIBOU (since 14
November 1987);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Aliou MAHAMIDOU (since 2 March
1990)

_#_Political parties and leaders: National Movement for the
Development Society (MNSD), leader NA; other political parties now
forming

_#_Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

_#_Elections:

President--last held December 1989 (next to be held NA 1996);
results--President Ali SAIBOU was reelected without opposition;

National Assembly--last held 10 December 1989 (next to be
held NA); results--MNSD was the only party;
seats--(150 total) MNSD 150 (indirectly elected);
note--Niger is to hold a national conference to decide upon a
transitional government and an agenda for multiparty elections

_#_Communists: no Communist party; some sympathizers in outlawed
Sawaba party

_#_Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO,
FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE;
Chancery at 2204 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202)
483-4224 through 4227;

US--Ambassador Carl C. CUNDIFF; Embassy at Avenue des
Ambassades, Niamey (mailing address is B. P. 11201, Niamey); telephone
[227] 72-26-61 through 64

_#_Flag: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and
green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
white band; similar to the flag of India which has a blue, spoked wheel
centered in the white band

_*_Economy
_#_Overview: About 90% of the population is engaged in farming and
stock rearing, activities which generate almost half the national
income. The economy also depends heavily on exploitation of large uranium
deposits. Uranium production grew rapidly in the mid-1970s, but tapered
off in the early 1980s, when world prices declined. France is a major
customer, while Germany, Japan, and Spain also make regular purchases.
The depressed demand for uranium has contributed to an overall
sluggishness in the economy, a severe trade imbalance, and a mounting
external debt.

_#_GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $270; real growth rate - 3.3% (1989
est.)

_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): - 2.8%