Geography Quiz Arcade

Capital of Niger: Niamey — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Niger is Niamey. Niger sits in Africa, has a population of 26,207,977, and uses the XOF. Official languages include French.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Niamey
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~26,207,977
  • Area: 1,267,000 km²
  • Population density: 20.7 people per km²
  • Official language: French
  • Currency: XOF
  • ISO code: NE

How big is Niger?

By population, Niger ranks 54th in the world, holding roughly 0.33% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 21st.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Niger has 20.7 people per square kilometre, which is about 2.9 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Niger is the 18th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Niger in population are Australia (26,177,413) and North Korea (26,069,416).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Chad (1,284,000 km²) and Peru (1,285,216 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.

The XOF is not unique to Niger — it is also used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast, and 3 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.

How to remember Niger

Niamey lies on the Niger River, the country's namesake, in the southwest corner of the country. For the flag, don't mix it up with India's: Niger has an orange sun, India a blue wheel.

The flag of Niger: orange, white and green

🇳🇪 The flag is three horizontal stripes of orange, white and green, with an orange disc in the centre of the white stripe. Orange stands for the Sahara in the north, white for purity and green for hope and the fertile south and west, along the Niger River. The orange disc stands for the sun and the people's sacrifices.

Region and neighbours

Niger is a large landlocked country in West Africa, most of it in the Sahara Desert, named after the Niger River that flows through its southwest. It shares land borders with 7 countries: Algeria, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali. Niger is landlocked, with no coast on the open ocean.

Three facts about Niger

  1. Niger is the sixth-largest country in Africa, and the second-largest landlocked country in Africa after Chad.
  2. Over 80% of Niger's land area lies in the Sahara.
  3. Ancient Saharan rock art is found in Niger's Aïr Mountains.

Sources: Wikipedia: Niger, Wikipedia: Flag of Niger, Wikipedia: Niamey, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Niger

Niger capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Niger 🇳🇪?

    • Niamey
    • Maputo
    • Kinshasa
    • Mbabane
    Show answer

    Niamey

  2. What is the capital of Cameroon 🇨🇲?

    • Lomé
    • Juba
    • Yaoundé
    • Victoria
    Show answer

    Yaoundé

  3. What is the capital of Ivory Coast 🇨🇮?

    • São Tomé
    • Yamoussoukro
    • Bissau
    • Windhoek
    Show answer

    Yamoussoukro

  4. What is the capital of Madagascar 🇲🇬?

    • Nairobi
    • Antananarivo
    • Conakry
    • Victoria
    Show answer

    Antananarivo

  5. What is the capital of Burkina Faso 🇧🇫?

    • Mbabane
    • Ouagadougou
    • Harare
    • São Tomé
    Show answer

    Ouagadougou

Niger in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Niger belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Niger.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Niger?

The capital of Niger is Niamey.

What is the population of Niger?

About 26,207,977, making it the 54th most populous country in the world.

How big is Niger?

1,267,000 square kilometres, ranking 21st by land area, at a density of 20.7 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Niger use?

The XOF, shared with 7 other countries.

What are the colours of the Niger flag?

The flag of Niger is three horizontal stripes of orange, white and green, with an orange disc in the centre of the white stripe. Orange stands for the Sahara in the north, white for purity and green for hope and the fertile south and west, along the Niger River. The orange disc stands for the sun and the people's sacrifices.

Which countries border Niger?

Niger shares land borders with Algeria, Libya, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali.

How can I remember the capital of Niger?

Niamey lies on the Niger River, the country's namesake, in the southwest corner of the country. For the flag, don't mix it up with India's: Niger has an orange sun, India a blue wheel.

More capitals to learn

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