Niger

[ nahy-jer; French nee-zher ]

noun

1. a republic in NW Africa: formerly part of French West Africa. 458,976 sq. mi. (1,188,748 sq. km). : Niamey.
2. a river in W Africa, rising in S Guinea, flowing NE through Mali, and then SE through Nigeria into the Gulf of Guinea. 2,600 miles (4,185 km) long.

Niger

noun

1. niːˈʒɛəˈnaɪdʒə a landlocked republic in West Africa: important since earliest times for its trans-Saharan trade routes; made a French colony in 1922 and became fully independent in 1960; exports peanuts and livestock. Official language: French. Religion: Muslim majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Niamey. Pop: 16 899 327 (2013 est). Area: 1 267 000 sq km (489 000 sq miles)
2. ˈnaɪdʒə a river in West Africa, rising in S Guinea and flowing in a great northward curve through Mali, then southwest through Niger and Nigeria to the Gulf of Guinea: the third longest river in Africa, with the largest delta, covering an area of 36 260 sq km (14 000 sq miles). Length: 4184 km (2600 miles)
3. ˈnaɪdʒə a state of W central Nigeria. Capital: Minna. Pop: 3 950 249 (2006). Area: 76 363 sq km (29 476 sq miles)

Niger

1. Republic in western Africa , bordered by Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria to the northwest, Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, and Nigeria and Benin to the south. Niamey is the capital and largest city.

Notes

Niger was under French control from the 1880s to 1960, when it gained full independence.

Other Words From

• Ni·ge·ri·en [nahy-jeer-ee-, en], adjective noun
• trans-Niger adjective

Example Sentences

It says in just one week - from 28 September to 4 October - there were 161 incidents of oil theft across the Niger Delta and 45 illegal refineries were "discovered".

From BBC

No suspects for Sunday's attack are named in the presidency's statement, but the area is close to the border zones of Nigeria and Niger where Islamist militants are known to operate.

From BBC

Just last month, 59 people died in Nigeria's north-central Niger state after a fuel tanker collided with a lorry carrying passengers and cattle.

From BBC

Niger’s military leaders have renamed streets and monuments bearing French names, in the latest move to cut links with the country’s former colonial power.

From BBC

In September, 59 people died in Nigeria's Niger state after a fuel tanker collided with a lorry carrying passengers and cattle.

From BBC