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Niger Flag

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Niger is situated in one of the sunniest regions of the world, and has a mainly dry climate with considerable temperature variations. Potential evaporation is 7 to 10 feet per annum, while rainfall in no place exceeds 32 inches and even falls to below 4 inches over almost half the country. The rainfall pattern may be described as follows:

·    Saharan in the North, with some 6.5 inches falling in less than one month of the year, except in the desert where it practically never rains, and

·    Sahelian in the South, where some 24 inches of rain falls during three to four months (June-September), with dry and rainy seasons alternating. A thin covering of grasses makes it possible to raise livestock on a nomadic basis, and maintain a low level of agricultural activity.

·    The rainy season - monsoon season - begins in June and continues until September. Temperatures remain relatively high and humidity levels around 80% (in Niamey during August) make the climate particularly difficult to bear for the population who is more used to dry heat. Rainfall varies from a region to another and its distribution is very erratic with levels falling sharply as one moves northwards. For example:

·    34 inches of rainfall in Gaya in 80 days

·    24 to 26 inches in Niamey in 65 days

·    22 to 24 inches in Zinder in 50 days

·    10 to 12 inches in N'Guigmi in 30 days

·    6 to 8 inches Agadez in 30 days

·    0.8 to 1 inch in Bilma in 3 days

·    Cool from November to February, when temperatures drop considerably, particularly with nightfall.

·    Hot from March to June, period of the harmattan (wind). Temperatures can exceed 40 degrees C in the shade. During this period come the first rains usually announced by heavy clouds moving across the sky.