Geography & environment — Niger
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Niger: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
16 00 N, 8 00 E
- Total Area
489,189 Square Miles 1,267,000 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
489,073 Square Miles 1,266,700 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
116 Square Miles 300 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
3,540 Miles 5,697 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Physical geography
- Terrain
- predominately desert plains and sand dunes
- flat to rolling plains in south
- hills in north
- Highest Point
2,022 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Mont Bagzane 2,022 m
- Lowest Point
200 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Niger River 200 m
- Natural Resources
uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
- Irrigated Land
284 Square Miles 737 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Niamey's climate varies with distinct seasons. April and May are the hottest months, with noontime temperatures often rising above 48°C (118°F) in the shade. Direct sunlight is intense during this period, and at night temperatures remain above 20°C (80°F). In May, the first rains come to the usually parched landscape and with them the planting of millet and sorghum, the major food crops. Niamey gets on average 55.8 centimeters (22 inches) of rainfall between June and September, normally in short torrential downpours preceded by high winds and dust or sand storms. At this time, the surrounding countryside takes on a verdant hue as the crops and the native grasses begin to grow. The rainy season is followed by a short period of hot, humid weather in October during which temperatures range between 15°C (60°F) and 45°C (112°F). From November to March, the weather is dry and pleasant. During this season, clear days are interspersed with hazy, overcast skies caused by the "harmattan"--a hot, dry wind carrying dust from the Sahara. Normally, the winds stay at high altitudes, creating slightly overcast skies; the harmattan, however, occasionally causes localized dust storms.
- Terrain
- predominately desert plains and sand dunes
- flat to rolling plains in south
- hills in north
- Location
Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
- Total Area
489,189 Square Miles 1,267,000 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
- overgrazing
- soil erosion
- deforestation
- desertification
- wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
- Environment - International Agreements
- party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed,
- but not ratified: Law of the Sea