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> Niger:

Niger is a crossroads of civilizations where since millenia of the people of origins various converge and are juxtaposed. Its cultural richnesses lie for the essence in diversity of its population which counts more than 10 million inhabitants made up of haoussas, djermas, sonraïs, Tuaregs, peuls, toubous, kanouris and Arabic.

This ethnic diversity is characterized by two worlds which côtoient themselves, wandering and sedentary or stockbreeders and farmers with each one its cultural characteristics. Those are expressed in the everyday life at the time of periodic festivities as the salted cure, the wandering festivals like the guérouel, the sedentary hotoungo, biano, rejoicings as will wassa-kara it, the festival animist azna, the traditional fight, etc.

They also appear in the regional museums which gather all specificities natives of Niger on the level artisanal, artistic cultural, and historical. In this connection, the national museum of Niamey (the capital) is one of most beautiful of Africa thanks to its originality and its diversity. Indeed, it accomodates all the types of traditional habitats of Niger and the collections prehistoric, ethnographic, ornithological, faunal, of the rupestral statements of frescos of Aïr as well as musical instruments traditional and national costumes.The museums national of Niamey and regional constitute a kind of academy of the ages of Niger.

The architecture of the cities and the campaigns is also not remains about it because it them impressive national cultural characteristics for any visitor. One primarily discovers it in the districts of some strengthened of antan with Zinder (Birni district) and Agadez (old working).

> Niamey:

The national museum :

The national museum is really Niger in miniature with its various pavillons.

You can admire the permanent exhibition of arts and craft and watch craftsmen at work ( weavers, leather-workers and smithes ).

The shop offers good quality articles at à good price.

 The museum is open from 9,00 to 12,00 and from 16,00 to 18,30.

The market :

The market offers a large variety of products next to some other markets and food products shops.

The Arts and Crafts Center:

Located opposite the national museum, next to the Town Hall, the arts and craft museum offers good quality craft pieces at interesting prices.

Craft souvenirs shops.

Located in the town centre , not far from the little market, the airlines companies and banks these shops propose a large variety of handcraft articles made in Niger.

> Niamey and arounds:

National Park W:

At 150 km in the south of Niamey the park covers 335 000 ha and disposes of 400 km tracks with Tapao as meeting point for tours.

The park bears this name because of the W bends of the Niger river through mountains.

The faun is quite rich : more than 40 animal species are living in that reservation. birds are numerous too.

Giraffe Reserve of Kouré :

This reservation located at 60 km niamey west proposes to watch the last giraffe species of west africa.

You can visit the site with recognized guides.

Boubon Island:

Located at 25 km fromniamey on the road to tillabery, visitors discover Boubon, a typical village well known for its terra cotta pottery decorated by women.

An outing by pyrogue on the river gives you the opportunity to dicover the numerous aquatic birds in the neighberhood and fisher villages too.

It is covered with the green of palm trees, mango trees and eucalyptusses.

Source: Minister of tourism and handycraft. (www.niger-tourisme.com)