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Figure 9.5 shows the proportion of the population living on less than US$2
(US dollars) per day. In general, the incidence of poverty in Niger is higher in the densely populated areas. More than 95 percent of the population lives on less than US$2 (800 CFA francs) per day in the regions of Dosso, Maradi, and Zinder; the number is 80–90 percent in Diffa. Agadez and Tahoua have 60–70 percent of their populations living on less than US$2 per day. The Tillabéri Region, which hosts the capital city Niamey, has the lowest poverty rate, at 20–30 percent. This may reflect the relatively greater and more diversi- fied employment opportunities in and around the capital city.
Review of Land Use and Agriculture
Land Use Overview Figure 9.6 shows land cover and land use in Niger as of 2000. Three-fourths of the area of Niger is covered by the Sahara Desert, and the Sudan savanna covers the southern quarter of the country. The vegetation cover is sparse, and nomadic agriculture is dominant. Most grasses are annuals because of drought stress in the
FIGURE 9.5
Poverty in Niger, 1960–2008 (percentage of population living on less than US$2 per day)