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

In parts of Africa, such as Niger and Chad, more than 90 percent of the population lacks electricity access.

From The Daily Beast

In 2008 he was behind the kidnapping of two Canadians, one of whom was the former U.N. Niger envoy Robert Fowler.

From The Daily Beast

France has five hostages held by al Qaeda in Niger and two held in Afghanistan probably by the Taliban.

From The Daily Beast

The former VP is fingered in a massive cash-for-contract scandal in the African country's oil-rich Niger Delta.

From The Daily Beast

In their voyage up the river Niger, their description of the scenes is extravagant.

From Project Gutenberg

M. Adanson relates, that the woods of Ponor, along the river Niger, are filled with green monkeys.

From Project Gutenberg

Long before the little Niger, indeed, was herself out in the Solent, all the long lines were fully astir.

From Project Gutenberg

The morning was foggy; but as the mist cleared up, the Lively, and then the Niger, signaled "a strange fleet."

From Project Gutenberg

Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esses and certainly Vergil's verse was never used to a nobler purpose.

From Project Gutenberg