Niger

American  

[nahy-jer, nee-zher] / ˈnaɪ dʒər, niˈʒɛr /

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.

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Niger British  

noun

1. 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. 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. a state of W central Nigeria. Capital: Minna. Pop: 3 950 249 (2006). Area: 76 363 sq km (29 476 sq miles)

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Niger Cultural  

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.

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Discover More

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

Other Word Forms

• Nigerien
  adjective
• trans-Niger
  adjective

Compare meaning

How does niger compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Niger vs. Nigeria

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Niger

Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta that has struggled to contain jihadist violence, which has blighted the west African country for around a decade.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

Rideout had been working in Niger as a Christian missionary for 19 years and was also a pilot for SIM International, which operates in more than 70 countries.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Within days of Rideout's kidnapping, the US warned its citizens against travelling to Niger due to an "increased risk of terrorism, crime and civil unrest".

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Ten countries in the semi-arid belt across western and northern Africa broke their monthly heat records for July, including Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

After he crossed the River Niger, he decided to stop at Igbo-Ukwu.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie